Windows XP [Electronic resources] : Visual Quickstart Guide, Second Edition نسخه متنی

Managing Visual Effects and Performance

The Windows interface offers a lot of visual effects such as animation, fading, and shadows. These effects can be entertaining or useful, but they chew up processor time and can degrade performance noticeably (particularly if you're short on RAM or video processor speed). Windows lets you turn off disable individual visual effects, perhaps making your system more responsive. It's worth experimenting.

To turn off visual effects:

1. Choose Start > Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > System > Advanced tab.

2. In the Performance section, click Settings > Visual Effects tab (Figure 4.79 ).

3. Select Custom; uncheck the boxes for the effects that you want to turn off; then click OK.

4. In the System Properties dialog box, click OK (or Apply).

5. Choose Start > Control Panel > Appearance and Themes > Display > Appearance tab > Effects button.

6. Uncheck the boxes for the effects that you want to turn off; then click OK (Figure 4.80 ).

7. In the Display Properties dialog box, click OK (or Apply).

Tip

If you have an elaborate desktop background image, don't turn on Use Drop Shadows for Icon Labels on the Desktop (refer to Figure 4.79, bottom); if you do, you may have trouble reading your desktop icons' text labels.