The first items for creating a fast running machine is performing a Check Disc and Disk Defragmenter on a regular basis. This ensures a good environment for the Windows O/S, (Operating System). Check Disk every weekend and Defragmenter according to your usage. If you uninstall a program or deleting lots of files over a couple of days, run Disk Defragmenter. If you are about to install a program, defrag first. Defragging your machine keeps the file system in a contiguous file order.

Lets remove some fluff.

Note: To accomplish some of these settings, you must be logged in as an Administrator or with Administrator privileges.

If you have a Windows keyboard, hold down your Windows key and tap one time on the Pause/Break key.
if you have a non Windows keyboard, get into the Control Panel and double click on the System icon. The headers below will be the tabs you will have to click on to make the mentioned changes.

Hardware tab:
Click on the Driver Signing button. Click in the radio button reading, "Ignore-...........
This is a real step saver. If you put a check into any other of the radio buttons, you will be prompted all the time when you try to install software and you'll end up installing the software anyway.

Advanced tab:
This is where most of the fluff is configured out. 
On the Performance section click on the Settings button.
On the Performance Options panel, and on the Visual Effects tab, I only have 2 boxes checked. 
"Show window contents while dragging" ( has checkmark)
                       &
"Use visual styles on windows and buttons" ( has checkmark)

Most of the options are offering to animate different aspects of the Windows GUI. (Graphical User Interface) All these animations rob your system of performance. Removing the checkmarks on most will make your machine noticeably faster.

At the bottom of the Advanced tab click on Error Reporting button. "Disable error reporting" should have a dot beside it.

Automatic Updates tab:
Put a dot beside, "Turn off automatic updating."
Every time you go onto the Net, Windows will check for updates for Windows and your machines hardware component updates. This is a useless waste of bandwidth and resources. You have the "Windows Update" link at the top of your Programs menu. Use it once in a while and check for updates manually. Once a month should be enough to keep your system properly updated.

Remote tab:
Remove both checkmarks from "Remote Assistance" and "Remote Desktop"

Click "OK" at the bottom of the panel to activate your new settings. Reboot your computer to make your computer digest the registry entries that have been imposed by the new settings.

There is one more place to configure. Right click on your desktop and click on "Properties". Click on the "Appearance" tab. Click on the "Effects" button.
Here is what I have.

 

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