Tips for improving Windows 7 performance on a netbook

Question

Windows 7 doesn't run very well on my HP Mini (Atom 280N with 2GB DDR2).

Does anyone have anyor any tips for improving the general performance of Windows 7 on netbooks?

Answer 1

Fine Tune Visual Graphics/Animation Settings

The Windows 7 eye candy is the main cause of GUI slowness. While my netbook has a decent graphics card that can display Aero Glass it can be choppy at times.

Click on the Start Button and type in adjust the appearance and hit Enter. This will load the Visual Effects performance options.

On this screen I suggest disabling the following settings by removing the check:

• Animate controls and elements inside windows
• Animate windows when minimizing and maximizing
• Fade or slide menus into view
• Fade or slide ToolTips into view
• Fade out menu items after clicking
• Show window contents while dragging
• Slide open combo boxes
• Click OK when you are finished.

From TaranFX

Answer 2

Disable Services

As Molly mentioned: have a look at Blackviper.com so you know what to turn off and why.

Here are some notes for a Happier Computer and User on tweaking services

• Do not use "msconfig" to disable services, type "services.msc" in the Run box instead or check this FAQ!
• Before disabling any service, check out the service information about each by selecting the service name links provided.
• Service settings are global, meaning changes apply to all users.
• All of these services are "Standard" with Windows 7 and installed by default, by Add/Remove Windows Features, or installed via Windows Live Essentials. If you discover a service that is not listed here, another application, driver or program installed them. A few of the more common ones are listed here.
• WLAN Autoconfig service is required for normal operation of your wireless network card. It is listed here as Manual due to most desktops not needing wireless access, but if you do have a wireless network card installed, it will be in Automatic by default.
• Still unsure? Put your setting to "Manual" or the listing under "Safe." Manual allows Windows 7 to start the service when it needs to (or when ever it feels like it), but not at boot up. Depending on your configuration, not all services will start when required while in "Manual" mode. If you find you need a service, place it in Automatic.
• After adjusting your service settings, reboot your computer.

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Aren't afraid to brick your system and have full confidence in whatever I link?

Try the following:

Now it’s time to trim the Windows services running in the background of your computer.

Click on the Start Button and type in services.msc and hit Enter.

When the Services management console is shown you can stop and disable services by selecting the service, right clicking and selecting Properties. Then change the Startup type to Disabled and hit the Stop button. Finally click OK to return to the Services management console.

I recommend disabling the following services on a netbook:

• Block Level Backup Engine Service
• Certificate Propagation
• Homegroup Provider
• Offline Files
• Portable Device Enumerator Service
• Software Protection
• SSDP Discovery
• Windows Defender
• Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service
• Windows Search

Other services you can play around with:

1. Application Experience
2. Computer Browser 3.Error Reporting Service
3. Desktop Window Manager Session Manager
4. Diagnostic Policy Service
5. IP Helper
6. Offline Files
7. Portable Device Enumerator Service
8. Print Spooler 10.Distributed Link Tracking Client
9. Protected Storage 12.Secondary Logon
10. Server (If your computer do not connect with any network)
11. Tablet PC Input Service
12. Themes
13. TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
14. Windows Media Center Service Launcher
15. Windows Search 19.Remote Registry
16. Windows Time
17. Windows security center
18. Windows updates
19. Windows firewall (Provided you have a security software installed)

You can disable more services which you feel you won’t use. Keep in mind that if you use any of these services or applications that depend on them they will no longer function. E.g. if you are a homegroup user don’t disable the Homegroup Provider.

From TaranFX

Answer 3

Remove Startup Programs

Nothing wastes resources more is startup programs that you don’t need. This can be done multiple ways, the easy way is using CCleaner:

CCleaner (Free)

CCleaner isn't strictly a startup management tool. Most people use it to clean out cookies and other undesirable elements and to tidy up the registry. A secondary but helpful tool in CCleaner: it also allows you to delete entries from the startup file—hence its inclusion here. It's a bit of a one trick pony, though; you can't alter, tweak, or insert entries. You can only delete them. Still, it gets the job done if the task you want isn't advanced tweaking, but just to get that annoying program to stop popping up every time you reboot.

Alternatively you can use follow these steps:

Click on the Start Button and type in msconfig and hit Enter.

When the System Configuration utility is loaded click on the Startup tab.

Remove the check next to any applications you don’t need and click OK.

From TaranFX

Answer 4

Turn off Windows features

Microsoft gives you much more flexibility with Windows 7, allowing you to turn off Windows components — such as Internet Explorer, Windows Search, the Gadget platform, and media features — that you couldn’t disable in earlier versions of Windows. Here’s how:

Click Start | Control Panel and select Programs And Features. In the left pane, click Turn Windows Features On Or Off. Simply select or deselect the check boxes to enable or disable the various Windows features then click OK.

You can easily turn Windows features on or off in Windows 7.

From TaranFX

Answer 5

Molly, just because you don't use msconfig for stopping services, doesn't mean that you don't use msconfig for cleaning up your startup. msconfig IS how you control your startup programs. Most programs can be prevented from running on start up from their own options menu. If not then you use msconfig. You are misinterpreting the guy from the site you're referencing. And it is a bit misleading to people coming here for advice. They will think they shouldn't ever use msconfig to clean up their startup programs.

Link to site to substantiate statement. http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_programs/removing-startup-programs-in-windows-7/c2ff3fd1-3e32-46d9-9522-ec05034a2db1