Optimize Your OS–the Free and Easy Way

Countless users of operating systems never customize them in any way, simply accepting the default settings and ignoring numerous ways to be more efficient. Depending on which operating system you use, this can be a big mistake. Windows Vista, for example, practically demands customization, especially if you use it on a portable basis or want to streamline the security features in it. The good news is that there are some good, free resources—for both Windows and the Mac OS–that can help you automate and experiment with useful customizations.

If you’re a Mac user, Titanium Software’s OnyX is a great utility, and you can get a version for Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard), version 10.4 (Tiger), version 10.3 (Panther) or version 10.2 (Jaguar). OnyX automatically updates and verifies the status of your startup disk and file system every time you launch. You can use it to regularly get rid of temporary files and other trash on your machine, verify and repair permissions, and make smaller tweaks such as adjusting the transparency of windows.


OnyX really shines at allowing you to customize how you use the Dock in OS X. It offers easy alignment options for the Dock, helps you use transparent icons for hidden applications, control animations, and more. If you’re a fan of these types of customization applications, you may also want to try Cocktail and Mac Pilot.

Windows users have a number of good options in terms of free applications that can customize the operating system, improve performance, and boost security. For regular maintenance of Windows, I use Glary Utilities. It has a good automated registry cleaner, a fast and efficient disk cleanup utility (Windows is notorious for littering files around hard drives), and several other useful features. The registry cleaner automatically makes a backup of your Windows registry, so if you notice any problems after cleanup, you can return to your previous configuration.

For Windows users who want to get deeper into customizations and enhancements Tweakguides’ Tweaking Companions can help streamline nearly every aspect of Windows—from speeding startup time up to improving battery life. There is a free Tweaking Companion for Windows XP and one specifically for Windows Vista. Especially if you use Vista, which can bog down battery performance and more, take a look.

What tools do you use to customize your operating system and keep it efficient?

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