To speedup any computer through the years was to simply add more RAM (random access memory) to the computer. Adding RAM called for you to purchase a circuit card, sometimes a matched pair and open up the case on the computer. Today, that is still the case, so to speak. Physical RAM (now called SDRAM) is still the best way to add flexibility and processing speed to a computer.
But Windows 7 gives us another option. If you have a USB thumb drive that is equal to/or up to twice the amount of RAM you have installed in the computer, then you may be able to use the thumb drive as extended memory. Preparing the thumb drives for use, you should first make sure there are no files you need on the drive, plug it into the USB port and right click on it’s icon in Computer. Select and run Ready Boost to speed up your data handling. If Ready Boost will not run with the thumb drive you have, then you will need a newer thumb drive. Not EVERY thumb drive will work. Remember your RAM is temporary memory and whatever you have not saved when you turn off the computer, goes away. The thumb drive normally is like a hard drive in that it saves the data it contains but NOT WHEN USED AS RAM MEMORY. This is just one way to help speed up file handling by your computer.
NOTE: If your computer has slots for reading camera memory cards/sticks, you can use most camera memory cards and accomplish higher speeds as discussed above.
Another improvement was to run the Disk Defragmentation (Defrag). Vista and Windows 7 are quite similar except Windows 7 has the fat trimmed out of the OS letting it run much faster than Vista. Defrag would take “fragmented” files and rearrange the file to be in one location. You no longer have to defrag in Windows 7 because the computer does it automatically if the computer is idle.
As always, there will be more to come on this blog concerning Windows.
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