Cheapest, smallest PC-based system

[denti alligator]

I've give-up and am using my HTPC with a Juli@ that I had been using elsewhere.

My main question is: how do I configure Windows Vista to dedicate all it's energy to the music, and nothing else? I'd love a guide for this. Surely there are a lot of things running that don't need to be. I'm using J.River Music console as software, which is supposed to work well. The sound coming out of the Juli@ is pretty impressive. I can only imagine what a good DAC would do.

 

[Grainger49]

This is a small start at a cleanup.  Click on "Start" and "Run" then type MSCONFIG.  This opens the System Utility window.  Click on the Startup tab.  There will be a lot of programs there that are checked.  A number of them are necessary.  Others, like Adobie Updater are put there when installing programs and they lurk in the background running when you don't need them.  Only uncheck programs you know you don't need.

Click on apply and exit and restart.  When you restart you will get a pop up.  Click the "Don't show this notification again."

This will speed up any PC that has a list of 20 programs that boot with the computer

 

[2wo]

There are forums that have a lot of  info on this kind of thing. Try Audio Circle or AA...John