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Windows XP

Tuning Windows XP’s Performance : Optimizing Applications

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3/18/2011 9:17:43 PM
Running applications is the reason we use Windows XP, so it’s a rare user who doesn’t want his applications to run as fast as possible. The next few sections offer some pointers for improving the performance of applications under Windows XP.

Adding More Memory

All applications run in RAM, of course, so the more RAM you have, the less likely it is that Windows XP will have to store excess program or document data in the page file on the hard disk, which is a real performance killer. In Task Manager or System Monitor, watch the Available Memory value. If it starts to get too low, you should consider adding RAM to your system.

Installing to the Fastest Hard Drive

If your system has multiple hard drives, install your applications on the fastest drive. This will enable Windows XP to access the application’s data and documents faster.

Optimizing Application Launching

As discussed in the previous section, Windows XP’s prefetcher component can optimize disk files for booting, application launching, or both. It probably won’t make much difference, but experiment with setting the Registry’s EnablePrefetcher value to 1 to optimize application launching.

Getting the Latest Device Drivers

If your application works with a device, check with the manufacturer or Windows Update to see whether a newer version of the device driver is available. In general, the newer the driver, the faster its performance.

Optimizing Windows XP for Programs

You can set up Windows XP so that it is optimized to run programs. This involves two things:

  • Processor scheduling, which determines how much time the processor allocates to the computer’s activities. In particular, processor scheduling differentiates between the foreground program—the program in which you are currently working—and background programs—programs that perform tasks, such as printing or backing up, while you work in another program.

  • The system cache, a portion of memory that holds recently used data for faster access. In terms of memory usage, the bigger the system cache, the less memory is available for your programs, which can reduce performance.

Optimizing programs means configuring Windows XP so that it gives more CPU time and memory to your programs. This is the default in Windows XP, but it’s worth your time to make sure that this default configuration is still the case on your system. Here are the steps to follow:

1.
Launch Control Panel’s System icon to display the System Properties dialog box.

2.
Display the Advanced Tab.

3.
In the Performance group, click Settings to display the Performance Options dialog box.

4.
Display the Advanced tab, shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. In the Performance Options dialog box, use the Advanced tab to optimize Windows XP for programs.


5.
In the Processor Scheduling group, activate the Programs option.

6.
In the Memory Usage group, activate the Programs option.

7.
Click OK.

8.
When Windows XP tells you the changes require a restart, click OK to return to the System Properties dialog box.

9.
Click OK. Windows XP asks whether you want to restart your system.

10.
Click Yes.

Setting the Program Priority in Task Manager

You can improve the performance of a program by adjusting the priority given to the program by your computer’s processor. The processor enables programs to run by doling out thin slivers of its computing time to each program. These time slivers are called cycles because they are given to programs cyclically. For example, if you have three programs running—A, B, and C—the processor gives a cycle to A, one to B, another to C, and then back to A again. This cycling happens quickly, appearing seamless when you work with each program.

The base priority is a ranking that determines the relative frequency with which a program gets processor cycles. A program given a higher frequency gets more cycles, which improves the program’s performance. For example, suppose that you raise the priority of program A. The processor might give a cycle to A, one to B, another to A, one to C, another to A, and so on.

Follow these steps to change a program’s priority:

1.
Launch the program you want to work with.

2.
Open Task Manager.
3.
Display the Processes tab.

4.
Right-click your application’s process to display its shortcut menu.

5.
Click Set Priority, and then click (from highest priority to lowest) Realtime, High, or AboveNormal.

Tip

After you’ve changed the priority of one or more programs, you might forget the values that you have assigned to each one. To help, you can view the priority for all the items in the Processes tab. Click View and then click Select Columns to display the Select Columns dialog box. Activate the Base Priority check box and click OK. This adds a Base Priority column to the Processes list.


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