Chapter Summary

• After you first install Windows XP, the operating system begins to automatically optimize system settings to improve subsequent startup times. After letting Windows start up several times, you can judge and then try to improve the startup performance.

• Many applications install software that runs in the background as you use Windows. You can sometimes tell what background programs are running because they are represented by icons in the notification area, but this is not always the case. Even if there is an icon present, turning the program off usually requires different steps, depending on the program.

• Many of the functions in Windows XP rely on having enough disk space free to operate, including Windows’ virtual memory system and programs that need to create temporary files. Make sure to use Disk Cleanup, Disk Defragmenter, and Chkdsk regularly.

• Many of the new visual effects in Windows XP can slow the perceived performance of a computer by making dialog boxes, windows, and menus take longer to open and work with.

• Task Manager provides information about applications and processes currently running on a computer, and also provides real-time performance information about processor, memory, and network usage.

• You can use the Performance tool to collect more detailed performance information than Task Manger provides. In addition, the Performance tool allows you to monitor other computers remotely, log information for future analysis, and configure alerts to notify you of potential error conditions.

• In the Performance tool, an object represents a major computer component. An instance represents an occurrence of an object. A counter represents a particular aspect of an object that you can measure directly.