Computers On The Run

Windows 7 will be replacing windows Vista. Windows 7 release date is expected to be October 22^nd. If you buy a qualifying pc today with Windows Vista… you will be able to upgrade to windows 7 at its release date.

Here are some sites about Windows 7

Windows 7 Main Site
http://windows.microsoft.com/windows-7?os=nonwin7

Windows 7 Upgrade Site
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/buy/offers/upgrade.aspx

Make sure when you are upgrading or buying a new computer that if you get a 64 bit operating system that your software can run on Vista 64 bit otherwise stay with 32 bit. This will save your headaches down the road.

The pros of 64-bit:
• Much larger address space. Add 4 gigabytes, 6GB, 8GB, whatever, and it’s all available for applications.
• Most 32-bit apps run well—sometimes better, because each 32-bit app gets its own 2GB of protected memory space.
• Compatibility with existing and future 64-bit applications.

The cons:
• Driver support may not exist for some older or obscure peripherals.
• Older 32-bit apps may not work.
• You will need more memory, because of something known as “code expansion.” The programming needed for 64-bit apps and the OS results in more memory being used by the OS and 64-bit apps.

Vista Service Pack 2 is now out for download. Check for updates using Microsoft Windows Update and install Vista Service Pack 2 today to improve your pc experience.

Windows Vista SP2 includes numerous changes to the Vista operating system. Here are some of the highlights of what it’ll do for you:

• Let you record data onto Blu-ray discs

• Add into your system Vista Feature Pack For Wireless, which provides support for the latest Bluetooth technology — Bluetooth v2.1 — as well as for the Windows Connect Now (WCN) Wi-Fi protocol

• Give you better Wi-Fi performance when you’re exiting Vista’s sleep mode

• Make your RSS feeds sidebar gadget work faster and better

• Give you the latest desktop search engine, Windows Search 4

• Cut down the resources it takes to run your various sidebar gadgets

Improve Vista performance by using ReadyBoost. Readyboost is a new feature where Vista can use the free space on your USB drive as a caching mechanism. Your USB drive must support ready boost to use this feature.

Did you know you can disable all those annoying  popups you get when trying to install software or updates with Windows Vista. All you have to do is disable the User Account Control feature under the user account properties.

Click Start and then open Control Panel.
1. In the Control Panel, click User Accounts and Family Safety.
2. Click User Accounts.
3. Click Turn User Account Control on or off.
4. Clear the tick or check mark on the box beside the Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer option.
5. Click OK.
6. When prompted, restart the computer. Note that the changes will affect all users on the computer.
7. To enable the UAC, simply tick or select the checkbox again.

Windows Vista Aero feature may look cool but did you know that it slows your system performance when enabled?

1. Right-click on the desktop and choose Personalize
2. Click the “Window Color and Appearance”
3. Then in the next screen, click the link near the bottom for “Open classic appearance properties for   more color options”
4. Choose Windows Vista Basic

Disable the Windows Vista Sidebar if you’re not really using it for anything important. All those gadgets take up memory and processing power.

How To Remove Sidebar

1. Right click on Vista Sidebar and select Properties
2. Uncheck the “Start Sidebar when Windows starts” checkbox
3. Then right-click on the icon in the Taskbar and choose Exit to close the sidebar.