So I finally moved to Windows 8 - HERE ARE A FEW OPTIMIZATIONS

Why? When I read in 'Windows internals' how much actions took place when new process is created I prefer less running processes.

 

A habit from XP days when explorer crashed all other windows and the shell used to close ... it irritated me to no end. I haven't noticed any slow down in windows due to it so I continue to use it.

 

No big deal, but load on OS is increased that way: kernel structures for new process, virtual memory space for new process etc...

Shell can be easily restarted though Task manager - close process 'explorer.exe' and start it again.

 

I know that. This way I don't need to. I'm more interested in stability.

 

Slow downs are possible in following scenario:
say you have opened 100 folders and then started some CPU intensive application;
Windows schedules not processes but threads, and all threads (with same priority) gets their quantum to do what they are doing;
when each folder is running in separate process the thread switching involves not only thread context change but also change of process address space.

I doubt anyone will open so many folders, but look at all chromium-powered browsers - they all open new tab in separate process, and browser with 100 tabs is usual thing (I guess).

 

Don't worry about that scenario If something is so CPU intensive that it will turn windows unresponsive, chances are that you will not have 100 folders open in the first place. We don't buy multi core, multi gigabyte systems to use them like a celeron from 15 years ago Give it a try, I've not noticed any negative consequences from that setting even on a Vista x64 system at its launch with an athlon64 & 1GB RAM. No way an Ivy-E system will suffer.

 

Well, I do not open many folders at once. But after I got rid of not needed services and processes I noticed improvement in games.

I don`t care about such minor tweaks at home rig, but my work rig is quite weak (dual core mobile Athlon with max 1.2 GHz, DD3 with max 400MHz). So there I pay attention to minor tweaks.

 

Yeah, that old system could definitely use whatever it can get. Which OS is on it btw?

 

Win7 x64 Enterprise. When it was at Win7 x86 I was training my patience permanently. But when all 8 GB of RAM are used it is another story. I can even debug programs with VMWare.

 

Even easier on Windows 8/8.1 too. Right-clicking Windows Explorer in the task manager gives you the Restart option. Works perfectly, and doesn't mess up the system tray like it would sometimes in past OS's. Though of course you still loose the folders you had open.

 

DDR not DDR3.

 

Oops. That was DDR3.

 

DDR....400mhz is DDR.

 

I didn`t say that memory itself is 400 MHz. If I remember correctly it is 667 MHz. But it works only at 400 MHz (or 400 something). And BIOS has no options for RAM at all.

Edit: I will check at work, but point is RAM is working at minimum frequency.

 

You're missing his point. He was just correcting you. DDR3 is a relatively recent invention. In the Athlon/Thunderbird days, DDR , or DDR "1" if you want to call it that, was the best available.

 

I did not write exact specification, sorry. CPU is Athlon II Neo N36L.

Edit: I should stop writing about my weak work rig. (And you should stop responding, guys.) Sorry for littering the thread.

 

Thanks for the startup delay regfile!
I knew about the delay but it didn't found anything useful about that and stopped researching a while ago. It bothers me to watch the icons (even if there are just a few) just popping up slowly.

 

Just an FYI, Classic Shell also integrates itself into the explorer.exe like StartIsBack. The exe that Classic Shell runs (which you can stop and will still work) simply makes sure the start menu returns if explorer.exe is stopped and restarted. It's also free, and full of features.

 

Ooh, does anyone know if this one is available in Windows 7??

 

Why asking if you can run msconfig and look?