Optimizing Windows for Games, Graphics and Multime

By David L. Farquhar

Every Windows user has spent hours trying to figure out ways to optimize system performance. And each of those same users has most likely been frustrated by that process. Understanding Win 9x and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1565926773
• ISBN13: 9781565926776
• Release Date: December 1999
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media
• Length: 278 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.2" x 0.8" x 7.0"

Customer Reviews

a book that gives you more than performance

I use computer frequently, but I am not that of an advanced user. This book really brings me into a higher level of understanding about how Windows works. The author goes into lots of detail about what happens while Windows is running (e.g. during boot up). Yet, the text is very easy to be understood. This book also gives me a new way to look at computing. A faster CPU doesn't always give you a faster computer. If you think your computer is too slow, THERE ARE things you can do to make it runs faster. When performance matters, you have to give up things that you are used to, but not usful. (I can't complain that my computer is too slow when I am using a fansy theme that costs too much memory.) Also, this book does not simply tell you what to do. The author's explaination enables me to make decisions on my own.This is not a book that simply tell you how to improve your computer's performance. If you have some experiences in using Windows and want to know more about the operating system, this is a nice size book that can get you started. What's more? My machine is faster now. :)

Excellent book on fine-tuning Windows!

This book has a huge collection of excellent tips for getting the most out of Windows. Every Windows owner owes it to themselves to go out and get this book!

For Intermediate Users and Up, this book gets results!

Written for people who have some experience with tinkering with their computers, this book is loaded with ideas on how to squeeze out the best performance from your machine. Tips range from the obvious, like "turn off your fancy Windows gadgets" to the more complex and eyeopening. Thanks to this book, I've partitioned my hard disk into six separate drives, cut down on fragmentation, noticably sped up my machine and have made things more stable, I believe.For dissatisfied Windows users who want better but are too scared by the complexities of Linux, this book will give you a good road map to a better computer. It requires some effort on your part, but you won't get lost.My own machine is a Pentium III 450, with an 18 Gb hard drive and 128 Mb of RAM. The book's tips are especially useful for lower end machines, but they still produced noticable results on a machine that was top-of-the-line just a year ago.

Sharp! Very Sharp!

If you've configured your system before and have already done the obvious tweaks, hold onto your hat and pickup this book! The author obviously knows what he's talkin' about, and he seems to be quite an experimenter. So read his book and reap the rewards!I've read most of the book - in chunks - and have applied the advice to an old 486/100, and have seen a VERY noticeable improvement.Thanks David!

Just What I've Been Looking For

I am about halfway through Optimizing Windows and I haven't yet been left hanging with an unanswered question or something that is too dense to really grasp. It meets all of my criteria. It's hard to get excited over non-fiction works, except poetry - and that is an arbitrary classification. Yet I often find myself mentally exclaiming Yeah! Right on, Man! Tell it like it IS! as I read through Optimizing Windows. IMO, the author can be proud of it. Good job. Very useful for anyone that wants a better Windows than Microsoft provides. Farquhar's tips, tricks, and solutions really work.