Ten Ways to Make Windows Me Run Better

[ScrewUpgrading]

Ten Ways to Make Windows Me Run Better

Ranging from the simple to the extreme, here's what you can do to unleash Win Me's hidden power.

By Fred Langa InformationWeek

March 02, 2001 12:00 AM

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Peel back the covers from Windows Millennium Edition and what do you have? At its heart, Microsoft's most recently released operating system is Windows 98 SE with some bells and whistles added, and some other features removed or made harder to find.

For starters, "System Restore" automatically makes regular backups of critical system files, so that when trouble strikes you can "go back in time" and restore your system to a previous, well-running condition. Similarly, WinMe comes with a special version of "Windows Critical Update Notification" that automatically checks in with Microsoft.com from time to time to download and install new patches, bug fixes, and the like without requiring any involvement at all. Sounds good, right?

It is, except for one little thing: These and other new features all take up hard disk space -- hundreds of megabytes -- and they may slow down your system.

Running at Half Speed?

I say "may" because not all systems see a slowdown. But those that do -- oh brother! I recently bought a 1.2GHz Athlon system running WinMe with 256MB of RAM to replace a 550MHz Pentium III running Win98SE with 128MB of RAM. With those stellar specs, the new box should have been twice as fast as the old, right?

But the new 1.2GHz PC didn't feel particularly fast, and it certainly wasn't smooth: I experienced annoying system interruptions when WinMe would launch some internal task or other, causing whatever foreground task I was working on to stutter and become momentarily unresponsive. It all added up to a subjective experience of the 1.2GHz machine delivering half-speed performance -- about what I'd grown accustomed to with the 550MHz box running Win98SE. What was the problem? Was it the hardware or the software?

I tried a variety of benchmarks (using WinTune, among other tests) and spent several weeks trying various tunings and tweakings to see whether I could unleash the power I believed was in there. And this article is the result. Near the end of my quest, I had a system that was measurably faster -- about 10 percent -- in several key areas than it was upon arrival. And by the time I reached the very end of the process you're about to read, the new system was behaving the way I'd originally hoped: It's one fast little puppy.

A Millennium Paradox

But before we proceed, I must warn you of a paradox: WinMe is an OS designed for relative novices, but some of the steps required to make it fly are probably beyond the safe reach of novices. Other steps involve turning off or removing some of the "safety net" features built into the OS. And even experts may balk at some of the more extreme steps I'll suggest. So let's start with some general advice:

First, if you're using WinMe and you like it, leave it alone. Don't make needless changes to your OS, especially as some of the changes we'll be discussing are hard to undo. Likewise, weigh each of my suggestions against the likely benefit you'll gain: Don't tear apart a working OS or subsystem unless you believe the results will truly be worth it.

If you need more information about WinMe, you can check our review of the OS, Windows Me: Final Verdict, and it also helps to go to the source for some great tips. We recommend you check out the Microsoft WinMe site for some homegrown advice. It also helps to remember that WinMe is just a variant of Win98 and many of the tips in "Ten Ways to Make Windows 98 Run Better" still apply. We won't be repeating that information here, but it's worth a look in its own right for helping to get more from WinMe.

And before doing any significant system work, always make a full backup. Then, as you work along step by step, make a "Restore Point" (click Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools/System Restore; or click \windows\system\restore\rstrui.exe; and select "Create a restore point") before each and every minor change. That way, you can get back to where you were before if something goes wrong, or if you don't like the results.

Ready? Let's go!

1. Lay a Good Foundation (or Repair a Bad One!)

Any OS is only as good as its initial installation. Whether you're about to install WinMe for the first time, just got it on a new machine, or even if you installed it some time ago, check out the excellent advice in "The Essential Guide to Installing Windows Me" to ensure that your installation is as it should be; pay special attention to the section entitled "Post-installation tweaks." If you've installed your version of WinMe differently, consider backtracking to get it right before you proceed any further. Similarly, check out 20 excellent WinMe Tweaks with "What Have You Done to Windows Me Lately?" And in any case, be sure to make an emergency boot disk. You can do this when prompted during initial installation, or by going to Control Panel/Add Remove Software/Startup Disk, or you can create a better boot disk by hand, using the information in "Save Your Butt With DOS."

In that vein, if you miss easy access to DOS in WinMe (including the ability to modify the Autoexec and Config files), you're not alone: Many advanced users like the ability to "drop to DOS" for fast and powerful low-level system maintenance or diagnostic chores. Because WinMe is really just a gussied-up version of Win98SE, it's possible for advanced users to restore full Win98-style DOS access and functions with the techniques described here. Although the process outlined there is not for novices or the faint of heart and was originally developed for the beta version of WinMe, if done carefully, it does work in the shipping version and gives experienced users far more control over their WinMe system's low-level functions.

2. Get up to Date

Once the base system is set up and running, download and install all "Critical Updates." It's also a good idea to update your copy of Internet Explorer, even if you normally use another Web browser. That's because the line between OS and browser is blurred, and installing an updated version of IE will also refresh and/or update some system components with later, better, and more secure versions. You can get all the important updates, and the newest versions of IE, by choosing Windows Update on the Start menu, or by browsing to Microsoft's Windows Update.

Similarly, visit the Web sites of the makers of all your important hardware and software. WinMe can use a different driver type than is found in earlier version of Windows, and you may find later, newer, or better WinMe-specific updates and patches for your system and its software.

3. Tweak Your System Properties; Part One

This simple series of small tweaks may yield better performance -- and more room, too. Start by right clicking "My Computer," then Properties/Performance/File System.

On the "Hard Disk" tab, select Network Server as the "typical role" for your PC, even if it's not a server. (This setting increases a small internal cache that slightly speeds some disk-intensive operations.)

Also on the "Hard Disk" tab, decide how much storage space you wish to set aside for System Restores. (Skip ahead for more System Restores tips.) How much space is enough? Well, consider that System Restore protects only your system files and not your data. Because of this, you'll need to make normal backups anyway -- and if you do, you pretty much obviate the need for using System Restore in the first place. If you're one of the smart ones who make regular full backups of their PC by any means -- ZIP, tape, CDR, whatever -- you certainly don't need the full 400MB of system restore files that WinMe would like you to use: Crank the slider all the way to the left to bring it down to 200MB. (Granted, that's still a lot, and it's why we'll return to this topic in a later step.)

Next, and separately, on the "Floppy Disk" tab, uncheck "Search for new floppy" to shave a few seconds off your boots and reboots.

On the "Removable Disk" tab, click "enable write-behind caching." This speeds some operations on your removable disks, such as floppies.

Next, click OK to close the File System portion of the dialog.

4. Tweak Your System Properties, Part Two

These are more significant tweaks than the ones above. The benefits are greater, but so are the complexities.

Start by right clicking "My Computer," then Properties, then Device Manager. Next, click Disk Drives, then your hard drive(s) -- you may see a nonspecific name such as "Generic IDE Disk Type 01" -- then on Properties, and then the Settings Tab. See whether the DMA (Direct Memory Access) box is checked. If it isn't, consider checking it. Next, follow the same steps for the CD-ROM(s) listed in your Device Manager. If your system can use DMA, you may see a significant speed increase in your drives -- up to 15 percent faster drive throughput, with a 40 percent reduction in CPU load. But DMA is a complex subject, so get the full scoop before you proceed.

Next, in My Computer/Properties/Performance/Virtual Memory, select "Let me specify my own memory settings," and set either a fixed-size or fixed-minimum-size swap file so WinMe won't have to spend time calculating, allocating, and de-allocating swapfile space as you use the system. (The payoff: Smoother operation; fewer system "stutters;" fewer long interruptive bursts of hard drive activity. A set-size swapfile also will be permanently defragmented when you run WinMe's own Defrag utility, so your speed gains won't diminish over time.)

If disk space isn't a problem, I suggest you set the "Minimum" virtual memory amount equal to your amount of system RAM, and the "Maximum" amount equal to that shown in "Hard Disk" box. If disk space is a problem, on low RAM systems, set the Min and Max equal to about 2.5 times amount of RAM in system. If that's still too much space to set aside, set Min equal to one-half RAM, max equal to RAM.

There are many other ways to adjust your swapfile/virtual memory, and all guidelines are just that -- guidelines, not hard-and-fast rules. Feel free to experiment. You'll find lots more information in "Real-World Answers about Virtual Memory."

5. Pare Away Needless Networking Complexity

WinMe, like all the Windows that came before it, is pretty generic when it comes to its networking settings. That's because the unoptimized, generic settings ensure widest compatibility. You can do better.

Look at your local networking settings by right clicking My Network Places and select Properties. Strip out any unnecessary networking stuff. If Virtual Private Networking is installed on your system but you have no need for it, highlight each VPN component in turn, and click Remove.

Separately, but similarly, check your Dial Up Networking settings (right click each DUN connection icon, select properties, then Networking) to ensure you're using only the protocols you need. Internet connections only need the TCP/IP protocol, for example. If your Dial-Up connections are also trying (futilely) to use NetBEUI and or IPX protocols, your call-setup time is probably taking far longer than it needs to. Uncheck everything except TCP/IP.

6. Tune Your Hidden Internet Connection Settings

Next, look at the hidden connection settings such as the Maximum Transmission Unit, Receive Window, and such: For dial-up settings, the free pages at "MaxMTU For Windows" walk you through the full process of managing these hidden settings.

That site also covers high-speed connections such as Cable and DSL, but there are better resources for managing those connection types. For example, DSL Reports and SpeedGuide have excellent free information, online tests, and even one-click tweaks that automatically optimize all or some of WinMe's internal plumbing for high-speed connectivity.

DSL Reports also offers a free, simple network tweaking tool called "DrTCP" that lets you instantly and easily adjust a variety of parameters; this tool makes iterative testing a snap, as you experiment to find the best settings for your particular setup.

(Incidentally, when WinMe-specific solutions aren't offered, use those for Win98SE; under its skin, WinMe networking works the same way as Win98SE's networking does.

7. Lock Your Door

Optimized online connections are great -- unless they leave you wide open for Web-based hack-attacks. Even if you don't lose files or data, malicious hackers can "see" your system through the Web, and their attempts to get in may disrupt or slow your online communications. No matter what kind of connection your copy of WinMe uses -- modem, cable, DSL, whatever -- visit these sites and subsites to perform safe, free online security scans; be sure to follow any suggestions the sites make to close any security holes the tests detect.

* Gibson Research

* Speedguide.net's cable modems and security

* DSL Report's Shield Probe

* DSL Report's Secure-Me automated security testing

8. Limit Background Apps

Compared to other members of the Win9x family, WinMe has an unprecedented number of background tasks bubbling away. They all eat some CPU cycles, and some also cause disk and Internet activity. (I believe this accounts for much of why WinMe can feel sluggish compared to, say, Win98SE, on the same hardware.) But you can turn off some of the background tasks and regain the performance they otherwise sap:

Inside Control Panel, for example, click Automatic Updates. By default, the applet is set to "Automatically download updates and notify me when they are ready to be installed." But if you can remember to drop by Windows Update on your own from time to time, you can turn off this function entirely. Just select "Turn off automatic updating. I will update my computer manually."

Your copy of WinMe may have other automatic tasks running, too. If you ran the Maintenance Wizard (a good thing to do) at Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools, you may have scheduled some maintenance tasks to occur during times when you're normally using the PC. If this happens, the maintenance task may abort, and that can cause its own problems: If, say, Defrag never runs, or Disk CleanUp never empties your junk files, your system will slowly bog down. Alternatively, if the task does run, it may noticeably interfere with your use of the PC while the maintenance is occurring. The solution is to ensure that maintenance activities are scheduled to run only during times when you normally aren't using your PC:

A simple way to identify and control many background tasks -- including those set up by the Maintenance Wizard -- is to open Task Scheduler, found in the Control Panel. Right click each item in the Task Scheduler and select Properties. Then, set the schedule for each item appropriately. (Schedule Defrags for late at night, for example.)

If you make frequent backups, utilities such as "System Health" do little to increase your system safety; you may wish to consider disabling it altogether (by unchecking the "enabled" box at the bottom of System Health's right-click Property Sheet. Or, barring that, at least ensure that it doesn't run during times when you're using your PC.

9. Stop System Restore

System restore is sort of like the popular "Go Back" utility; it lets you have your system "go back in time" after experiencing trouble, to a pretrouble state. In this way, you more or less can recover from destructive system changes caused by failed installs, crashes, or other problems.

But note I said, "more or less." Although System Restore can and will replace system files with copies of those files from an earlier, pre-trouble time, that's not the same as completely rolling back the system. For example, if you install new software that crashes, System Restore can get Windows running again, but will neither erase the errant program as a whole nor delete leftover vestiges of the program if it didn't uninstall properly, nor will it clean up any messes the program had made outside of the system file areas.

And if a crash or a bad software installation ate your data files -- well, tough luck. System Restore doesn't even try to save those.

System Restore is not -- repeat not -- a substitute for normal backups. In fact, if you're already making full backups, you don't really need System Restore at all because your backups already do far more than System Restore can. Good backups protect everything on your system (system files and data) and can get every part of your system fully back to clean, trouble-free operation.

Worse, on its own, SR is a pig, consuming at least 200MB of disk space, and maybe more. (See Step 4.) It's also CPU- and disk-intensive when it runs -- and it runs fairly often:

* At first boot

* Every 10 hours of continuous system operation

* Every 24 hours of real-world time

* Every time Windows Update installs something

* Every time you install any software using an installer program that System Restore recognizes (such as InstallShield 6.1 or higher)

If SR were a 100 percent solution, it might be worth all the activity and disk space. But to me, SR takes too much and gives back too little. I turn it off and rely instead on my daily full-system backups for total system and data security.

To disable System Restore:

Right click My Computer/Properties/Performance/File System/Troubleshooting. Check "Disable System Restore" and click OK; reboot when prompted.

If you want to re-enable System Restore in the future, just follow the same steps, but uncheck the "Disable System Restore" box. You can do this on an ad hoc basis if you just want to make a Restore Point before installing new software, for example: Enable SR, install the software, then either re-disable SR, or (if the installation went poorly) use SR to restore the system. I see no reason to leave SR enabled all the time.

10. The Ultimate Solution

As we said earlier, Windows Me is, at its heart, a modified version of Win98SE, and many of the steps above involve stripping away or reducing the impact of WinMe's bells and whistles to make it operate more like an unmodified copy of Win98SE. In that vein, if, after all the above, you're still not happy with the performance of WinMe, there is one final, extreme step you can take:

Delete WinMe, and install a normal copy of Win98SE. That's what I just did with the brand-new Me-equipped 1.2GHz system described at the start of this article. I tried all the steps above, and while they did help, the system still did not feel (or benchmark) as fast as I thought it should.

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Has anyone tried these tweaks?

Does switching my hard drive to "server" instead of "desktop" really improve performance?

...Personally, all I do is turn off System Restore and Automatic Updating.

I also upgrade to IE 6, Windows Media Player 9, and Microsoft Installer 2.0.

I can verify that turning off system restore is recommended. It saves a lot of disk space, and I think prevents the computer from crashing a lot. Probably the biggest flaw of Windows ME straight out of the box was SR.

Edited December 17, 2011 by ScrewUpgrading

[TmEE]

Going to network server did improve all disk access stuff in my case

[loblo]

Going to network server did improve all disk access stuff in my case

That's because this is the setting that allocates the largest amounts of the various disk caches which can easily be increased further using software such as Cachebooster.

[dencorso]

And MDGx's site offers a lot more of related tweaks.

[CharlesF]

And MDGx's site offers a lot more of related tweaks.

Yes

like those one:

BROWSING SPEEDUP

MAX CACHE SPEED

for instance