4. Start-up services

When you turn on your PC Vista will start pre-loading your programs helping you reduce the load time when you open them. A semi-launched program is helpful for the general user but it comes at the cost of you losing processing power.

By disabling your startup configuration you are helping Vista allocate more CPU cycles to running programs. Another side effect is that Vista will boot-up faster.

Follow these instructions very carefully, disabling the wrong thing can really mess up your machine.

To disable 3rd party startup items:
1. Windows start -> Run and type 'msconfig' press OK -> startup tab and turn off anything non-essential (iTunes helper, virus scanner etc)
2. Click 'OK' and 'restart'. Check the 'OK' box on reboot.

For those who want to disable as many non-essential services as possible you can be more aggressive. Only do this if you know what you are doing and are confident you are not turning off anything important.

To disable system services:
1. Windows start -> Run and type msconfig' press OK -> services tab. In the service tab select the box at the bottom of the screen to 'hide all Microsoft services' Then choose 'disable all'.

If you disable something you need enabled then simply go back into 'msconfig' and reverse the items you need or to reverse the whole procedure choose the 'enable all' option in each tab.

5. Hard drive properties

This tip is really a check to make sure certain options on your hard drive have been selected. These selections should come as standard on new out-of-the-box machines, however if you or someone else has been using the PC for other projects then it's a good idea to check this is still in place:

Windows start -> computer -> right click on your hard drive(s) -> properties and under the general tab, make sure 'Compress this drive to save disk space' is un-checked and 'Index this drive for faster searching' is un-checked, as shown below.

6. Wi-fi and other devices

A commonly reported issue on our forums is an ill-timed Wi-Fi connection with a clubs link. Several users have reported problems with their Wi-Fi cards connecting to a wireless network while DJ-ing, this can happen even without your browser being open. Any Bluetooth technology inside your PC will also be attempting to connect with other Bluetooth enabled devices

The subsequent data transfers will be taking your CPU cycles and requesting the use of your USB drivers, leading to a possible USB dropout. You also run the risk of being interrupted mid-set for a version upgrade.

A good routine to start is to disable wireless devices before DJing in a performance situation.

To disable your on-board devices:

Right click computer -> manage -> device manager -> right click on any device and choose disable.

Internet and wireless cards are found under 'network adapters' as shown below.