Netbooks are both a blessing and a curse. Their modest dimensions make them ideal travelling companions, but in their efforts to keep them small, manufacturers are sometimes hamstrung when it comes to picking faster components. If your netbook feels ponderous, there are plenty of steps you can take to pep it up.
You can make a Windows netbook more responsive by removing unnecessary background processes and start programs. Identify extraneous startup programs using MSConfig. Click ‘Start’ and type msconfig in the search bar, then press [Enter]. Click the ‘Selective Startup’ radio button and switch to the ‘Startup’ tab. If there are any programs here that you can do without, uncheck them, click ‘Apply’ and restart your computer to find out whether your system boots OK without them.
If it does, then return to MSConfig and use the information there to find out where the startup entry exists. Try to remove the startup option in the parent program, otherwise delete the registry entry or start-up shortcut.
Similarly, Windows services run in the background all the time, too. Some aren’t necessary when you’re running a netbook, so you can get a bit of a boost by disabling them. Click ‘Start’, enter services.msc in the search bar and press [Enter]. Double-click the service that you want to stop and then choose ‘Disable’ next to ‘Startup type’.
Some services that you can comfortably disable include: Block Level Backup Engine Service, Bonjour Service (from iTunes), Certificate Propagation, Group Policy Client, HomeGroup Listener, HomeGroup Provider, Offline Files, Portable Device Enumerator Service, Software Protection (assuming you’ve activated Windows), SSDP Discovery, Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service and Windows Search (although you’ll lose the ability to search for files instantly). If you use third-party security software, you can also disable Security Center and Windows Defender too.
You can also improve speed by disabling visual effects. Choose ‘Start’, right-click ‘Computer’ and select ‘Properties’. Next, select ‘Advanced System Settings | Performance | Settings’. On the ‘Visual Effects’ tab, either select ‘Adjust for best performance’ or clear each visual effect that you can do without. Click ‘OK’ twice.
If speed isn’t an issue, resolution may be. Some netbooks are capable of more than the 1024 x 600 display offered. You may be able to get 1024 x 768 and 1152 x 864 in Windows 7 with a simple registry hack, after you’ve backed it up. Choose ‘Start,’ type regedit and press [Enter]. Choose ‘Edit | Find’ and enter Display1_DownScalingSupported. Uncheck ‘Keys and data’. Click ‘Find Next’. Modify each value of ‘0’ to ‘1’ and press [F3] to run Find Next again. Once you’ve modified all matching values to ‘1’, restart your netbook. The new resolutions should be available when you right-click the desktop and choose ‘Screen Resolution’.
Make a portable application
Many applications have portable versions that will run from a USB drive on any Windows PC. These are useful for netbooks, because they don’t need installation. You can find a list at www.portableapps.com/apps. If you find a program that has no portable version, you can always make one yourself. You’ll need WinRAR (available from www.rarlab.com/download.htm), Universal Extractor (www.legroom.net/software/uniextract) and the installation file for your application. Install WinRAR and Universal Extractor, right-click your installer and choose ‘UniExtract’ here.
1. Compress executable
Open the folder that your installer extracted to and find the executable file. there Double-click it and check that it runs OK. If it does, select every file in this folder, right-click and then choose ‘Add to archive’. Give the archive the same name as the program. Now change compression setting to ‘Best’ and tick ‘Create SFX archive’. Move to the ‘Advanced’ tab and then click ‘SFX Options’.
2. Set up and test
Below ‘Run after extraction’, enter the name of the executable file you launched earlier. Then go to the ‘Modes’ tab and select ‘Unpack to temporary folder’ and ‘Hide all’. Move to the ‘Update’ tab and choose ‘Overwrite all files’. Click ‘OK’. WinRAR will then create a new EXE file. Now it’s best to test this to see if it runs. If it does, copy it to your USB drive and run it from there.
Dual boot your netbook
Windows isn’t the best operating system for a netbook. It can be slow to start and it’s somewhat inefficient, but most of us are familiar with it and have programs that need Windows to work. The best scenario would be to have Windows available for times when you need to do general work, and a different, faster operating system for the times when you just want to go online.
You can achieve this by setting up a dual boot system with a speedy Linux distribution, such as Lubuntu (www.lubuntu.net). Download the Lubuntu ISO file from www.bit.ly/dmKyz1. Once the file has downloaded, use UNetbootin (www.unetbootin.sourceforge.net) to copy it to a bootable USB drive.
Launch it, connect your thumb drive, choose ‘Disk Image’ and browse to your Lubuntu ISO file. Click ‘OK’ and wait for the image to be written to the USB drive. You can use this to start your netbook. Connect it and press [Esc], or any button that gives you access to the boot menu. Check your documentation if unsure.
If you want to install Windows afresh, you need to do so before installing Lubuntu, because it handles partitioning your drive and adds the GRUB boot manager for you at startup. Once set up, you should be able to access your Lubuntu desktop and launch the Chrome browser in a matter of seconds.
1. Install Windows
Start by installing Windows. If you already have it you can skip this step, although it’s a good idea to clear your hard drive and start with a completely clean system. First, use a USB-connected disk drive or create a bootable USB flash drive using UNetbootin. Now install Windows to the full hard drive, then restart your netbook with the Lubuntu USB drive connected.
2. Try Lubuntu
Select the USB drive again from the boot menu and opt to try Lubuntu without making any changes to your PC. This launches the LiveCD version, giving you a chance to try the interface. Once you’re happy with how it works, double-click the ‘Install Lubuntu’ link on the desktop. The installation asks for your preferred language, location and keyboard layout.
3. Partition disks
You need to make space on your drive for Lubuntu. You’ll see two diagrams showing the distribution of space on your hard drive. The first shows its current state, the second is a suggested layout the installer can sort out for you. Select ‘Install them side-by-side, choosing between them each startup’ to accept this configuration. Click ‘Forward’ to begin partitioning.
4. Install Lubuntu
You need to provide a username and password for your user account. Once you’ve supplied these, you’re shown a summary of the installation options that you’ve chosen. If you’re happy, opt to install. Otherwise, go back and change the settings. You can leave the installation to run. It will take 10-20 minutes, depending on the speed of your netbook.
5. Dual booting
Once the installation has completed, opt to restart your computer and disconnect the USB drive including Lubuntu. You’ll see the GRUB boot screen. Lubuntu will be your default start option, or you can use the arrow keys to select Windows. Press [Enter] to accept the current option without waiting for the countdown. Log into Lubuntu with your username and password.
6. Autologin
Lubuntu can log you in automatically. Click the bottom-left button and choose ‘Accessories | LXTerminal’. At the prompt, enter sudo leafpad /etc/lxdm/default.conf and press [Enter]. Add your password. Scroll to the ‘Base’ section in the opened file and add autologin= yourusername below the entries. Save and restart Lubuntu. You should boot to the desktop in 10-15 seconds.