Study: Vista Startup Time is Faster than Windows 7

Even if Windows 7 isn't proven by benchmarks to be the fastest, bestest version of Microsoft's operating system yet, it certainly feels a lot better. We'd use it over Windows Vista any day of the week, but new findings show that it's not the performance king – at least not yet.

Sure, there have been many tweaks under the hood to make it better than Windows Vista, but it seems that boot time is actually longer in Windows 7 – at least according to a certain standard.

LA-based iolo technologies, makers of System Mechanic PC tune-up software, sent Tom's Hardware some of its findings after spending time with Windows 7.

Windows 7 starts up slower than Vista (1:34 vs 1:06 on a brand new machine), when the actual time to usability is considered. While Windows 7 shows its desktop relatively quickly (time to desktop hovers around 40 seconds for fresh installations), its time to usability, defined as the length of time it takes for the computer to become fully usable, with CPU cycles no longer significantly high and a true idle state achieved, is significantly longer.

Windows 7 boot times slow down dramatically with the addition of common-used software and for a 0-3 month-old machine measure 2:34 (that’s a minute longer than out of the box).

The newer OS seems to keep its composure better after some real-world use, perhaps signalling a design that's better suited to perform for most computer owners.

Windows 7 only beats Vista start-up times on 3-month-old and 6-month-old machines, otherwise trailing the older version significantly.

Stay tuned early next week when iolo technologies will reveal more of its Windows 7 performance findings. We'll have the coverage first hand.




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Adding Memory to Vista

I upgraded the RAM on my Windows Vista Home Premium laptop to four gigabytes, but when I check the system information box to see how much memory I have now, it only says about three gigabytes. Could there be something wrong with the chips?

While Windows Vista’s specifications do state you can upgrade the computer’s random access memory (RAM) to a maximum of four gigabytes, the system doesn’t actually report the full amount when you check the amount of installed memory. This is because Windows hoards some of the memory for the computer’s hardware devices, like its graphics card and network components. The full technical explanation can be found at support.microsoft.com/kb/929605.

On many machines, however, installing Windows Vista Service Pack 1 will make the system report the full four gigabytes of memory. Microsoft explains how this works at support.microsoft.com/kb/946003.

While the four-gigabyte memory limitation holds true for the most common forms of Vista — the 32-bit versions of the operating system — the 64-bit editions can handle eight gigabytes to 120 gigabytes, depending on the specific Vista version. The 64-bit edition of Windows Vista Home Premium, for example, can support up to 16 gigabytes of memory and Windows Vista Ultimate can wrangle 128 gigabytes.

The terms 32-bit and 64-bit indicate how the computer’s processor handles data, and a 64-bit system can make use of much larger amounts of memory. The 64-bit version of Windows Vista, (which needs a processor capable of managing a 64-bit operating system, as well as compatible hardware drivers) is often used by people who need to have several programs open at once while bouncing among them. More information on 64-bit editions of Vista can be found on Microsoft’s site at bit.ly/GjypQ.

If you ever suspect that the computer’s memory chips could be causing erratic behavior like sudden crashes, Vista does include its own Windows Memory Diagnostics Tool. You can find detailed instructions for using it at bit.ly/2VU59g.



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Take a closer look at Vista UAC prompts

Windows Vista has a built-in security feature called User Account Control (UAC for short) that is designed to reduce the potential for security breaches. UAC forces all users, even administrators, to request permission via the UAC prompt in order to perform tasks that require administrative privileges. Standard users must be able to provide an Administrator user name and password and Administrators must simply consent to the operation.

While this is all pretty familiar territory to Vista users, the fact that there are actually four types of UAC prompts, each with a different color scheme isn’t. Sure we’ve all encountered UAC prompts, but most of us think of them in generic terms. Seriously, who among us has actually taken the time to look at the color scheme of a UAC? We usually just click a button as fast as we can to move past the prompt. However, like the Homeland Security color levels, each of the successive UAC color-coding schemes is designed to convey a greater sense of warning.

I take a closer look at each type of UAC prompt in a TechRepublic Photo Gallery and point out the different color schemes. Check it out.

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