Is there any reason to run 64 bit Vista on a system that maxes out at 4 GB RAM?

The biggest advantage of 64 bit over 32 bit is the ability to use large amounts of RAM. The 32 bit OS is limited to 4 GB but 64 bit Vista can support from 8 to 128 GB depending on the edition (Home Premium supports 16 GB and Ultimate supports 128). However, you can only use as much RAM as your computer's motherboard will support, so if the hardware limits you to 4 GB, the 64 bit OS won't help you memory-wise. In fact, it may hurt you a little, since 64 bit Vista can use about 12 - 15% more RAM for the OS and services.

I have found 64 bit Windows to be generally more stable than 32 bit on the same machine, but that advantage can be outweighed by the fact that it's harder to find 64 bit hardware drivers, so some of your peripherals may not work. If a driver isn't signed, you can't load it on the 64 bit OS. This is probably one reason for the extra stability, but again makes it more likely you won't be able to use some of your devices. Another consideration is that 64 bit Vista won't run 16 bit applications. So if you still have a few old 16 bit apps you want to run, the only way you'll be able to do that is to install a 32 bit OS in a virtual machine and run them there.

You also have a performance advantage when you run 64 bit programs on the 64 bit OS. Unfortunately, right now there aren't many 64 bit applications; however, Microsoft Office 2010 will be available in a 64 bit version. Overall, though, with a machine with limited RAM, you're probably better off sticking with the 32 bit OS.

Where is the Vista Start Menu folder?

QUESTION:

I recently bought a computer with Vista installed. I like it for the most part but I'm still confused about some things that were changed. In XP, I could go to Documents and Settings, Default User, Start Menu and remove things from the start menu. I can find it in Vista. Is there still a way to do this? Thanks!

ANSWER:

Vista has changed the path for that data; it's now in the Users folder instead of Documents and Settings.

The full path is: Users \ Default \ AppData \ Roaming \ Microsoft \ Windows \ Start Menu

If you want to modify the Start Menu for your own user account (rather than all users), there's an easy way. In the Search box on the Start menu, just type: shell:start menu

How to make a shortcut to mute the sound in Vista

It's happened to most of us: you're playing a song or watching a video and the phone rings or someone comes into the room and starts talking to you. You need to get the volume down or off quickly, but if you don't have a multimedia keyboard with a Mute key, you have to go through several clicks to silence your computer. It's handy to have a one-click shortcut to mute the sound. Here's how to make one:

1. First download the nircmd.exe tool here: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/nircmd.html
2. Right click an empty spot on the desktop and select New Shortcut
3. Assuming you saved the file to a folder called Tools on the C: drive, type this in the "location of the item" box (substitute the correct path if you saved it in a different location): "C:\ Path \ To \ nircmd.exe" mutesysvolume 2.
4. Give the shortcut a name (e.g., "Mute")
5. Right click the shortcut and select Properties.
6. Here you can assign a key combination, or you can just click the icon on the desktop to quickly mute the sound.