Temporary files

When you work in an application, a copy of your data file is stored temporarily on the hard drive. Many applications create .tmp files and then delete them when you quit the application. Crashes or system errors, however, may prevent an application from deleting these files. These files can build up over time, taking up disk space and causing problems. From time to time, you should quit all programs and remove all temporary files. To safely remove temporary files and any other files that are no longer being used, run Disk Cleanup.

To run Disk Cleanup:

1. Do one of the following:
   • On Windows XP: Choose Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup.
   • On Windows Vista: Choose Start, and type Disk Cleanup in the Search text box. Select Disk Cleanup from the Programs list.
2. Choose a drive to cleanup, if appropriate.
3. Choose types of files to delete. You may select all file types to clean your system completely, but you must select Temporary Files at a minimum.
4. Click OK.
5. Confirm that you want to permanently delete these files.

Optimizing and defragmenting hard disks

Over time, the computer's hard disk can become damaged or fragmented (unavailable in a large contiguous block). If there is not enough contiguous space for the system to save a file, it saves pieces of the file to different locations on the disk. It takes an application longer to read a fragmented file whose pieces are saved in several locations.

To optimize and defragment the hard disk: Use the Disk Defragmenter:

• On Windows XP: Choose Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter.
• On Windows Vista: Choose Start, type Disk Defragmenter in the Search text box. Select Disk Defragmenter under Programs.

Windows virtual memory and Photoshop scratch disk files

Virtual memory allows your system to use hard-disk space to store information normally stored in memory (RAM). Because it takes longer to access information on a hard disk than it does to access information in memory, using a portion of the hard disk as virtual memory can decrease performance. In addition, Photoshop cannot use the hard-disk space the system uses for virtual memory for its scratch disk files, which it uses to store image information as you work. If you need more memory to work in Photoshop, Adobe Systems recommends installing more RAM.

Specifying a fixed virtual memory setting helps prevent Photoshop scratch disk files from competing for the same space with virtual memory, especially if you set the virtual memory setting on a different drive than the primary scratch disk. For both kinds of virtual memory, be sure to use a drive with enough free, uncompressed space. RAID 0 partitions provide the best possible performance as Photoshop scratch disks.

Keywords : Tutorials, Mezzoforce Tutorials, Optimize performance, Photoshop CS3, Windows XP, Vista, guide

Average user rating

   (0 vote)