So Many Tools and Settings

Windows Vista is loaded with tools and performance settings, some of which you can use productively and others that require major translation from tech-speak into plain English. In most cases, the settings have already been optimized to achieve the correct balance between power and performance, but they might need some changes based on your computer equipment and your needs.

Although the tools are accessible in several locations, you'll find that you can access many of them in a single location by choosing System And Maintenance from the Control Panel, choosing Performance Information And Tools, and then clicking Advanced Tools in the Tasks list. You can also start many of the tools by typing each one's name in the Search box of the Start menu. We'll discuss some of these tools below, but you might want to spend a little time exploring all of them. Note that in many cases you'll need to be signed in as an Administrator in order to use the tools.

System Information: Provides full details of all the hardware and software on your computer. It's a really good idea to use this tool to print or export to a file all the information about your system, and to save this information for future reference and repair.

Reliability And Performance Monitor: Shows the status of the system and its performance. To run a 60-second test and create an extensive report, choose Generate A System Health Report in the Advanced Tools window. You can save, print, or e-mail the report to diagnose any problems.

Task Manager: A venerable tool over many generations of Windows, Task Manager shows the status of the computer, including running programs, computer processes, Windows services, CPU and Memory usage, network traffic, and logged-on users. Previously, Task Manager was used extensively to terminate misbehaving programs and processes, but Windows Vista has taken over most of those tasks.

Performance Options: Adjusts settings for the best visual effects, the best performance, or a combination of settings. This tool also adjusts the system to get the best performance for running programs or background services and for using virtual memory. It also sets whether Data Execution Prevention is used for essential Windows Vista programs and services or is used for all programs and services except the ones you exclude.

Indexing Options: Identifies and modifies the locations that are indexed. The advanced options can be used to specify whether to index encrypted files, how words with diacritical marks are indexed, the location of the index, and the types of files indexed.

Memory Diagnostic Tool: Examines the physical memory of your computer for problems. It runs after the computer has been restarted, and it generates a report. You can also run this tool from the Windows Error Recovery Startup Options screen if you have difficulty starting up Windows.

Windows Firewall And Advanced Security: Shows the firewall settings and allows creating, editing, disabling, or deleting of rules that govern the way the firewall works with inbound, outbound, and connection rules.

System Configuration: Modifies the way Windows starts up, which services are enabled, and which system programs start at startup. It also provides tools to modify the system, including an editor to change the system Registry.

ReadyBoost: A set of settings to speed up Windows by using virtual memory on a fast USB device. You can configure the ReadyBoost settings in the Properties dialog box for the device, and you can initiate the ReadyBoost feature when you plug in the device using the AutoPlay options.