Chapter 5. Windows Performance Primer

Once they install a new operating system, the first thing that many people think about is tuning it for optimum performance. After users install applications, they want to see how fast they can make their new toy work. Performance is everything for many people, and vendors know that. Just look at the ads for computers—they all tell you how fast the computer will run.

However, there are different types of tuning. Tuning could mean getting every ounce of power out of a system to perform one specific task. It also could mean enabling a system to perform a variety of tasks simultaneously. In fact, tuning could involve making the system easier to use, making the human using it more efficient in the process. General ...

Get Peter Norton’s Complete Guide to Windows XP now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.