Lets look at some software to make Warcraft faster and speed up your computer
Some people are worried about key loggers and other nasty things that can be found and I dont blame them. I had my account hacked. That's where someone finds out your password and steals all your stuff. I received my stuff back due to the excellent customer service GMs at blizzard.
If your concerned about key loggers coming off this web page in the listed software just Google the software I mention and go directly to the publishers site and download it from there.
Also get yourself a "authenticator" It is a little gizmo that you press that gives you a number code to put into Warcraft to validate your account. Mine was about 6.00 us and makes your account near uncrackable.
Authenticator
To the super geeks reading this I apologize for the computer 101 routine but some people need this.
The way I have explained it to customers is a computer is like a kitchen.
The cook is the CPU or the brain.
The kitchen counters are the RAM,
The cabinets and fridge is the hard drive space.
The dishes you are making are like the programs running.
Each dish needs items from the Cabinets, (flour, eggs, milk etc)
It takes longer to get to items in the fridge or cabinets than it does the counter tops.
You can get to the things on the counters easily but there is limited space.
The more counter space you have (ram) the easier it is to make multiple dishes.
Its stress full to make to many things at once. (to many programs running)
The less dishes you are making the faster the cook (cpu) can work.
32 or 64 bit windows?
First off lets talk about windows. They have 64 bit versions for vista, windows 7 and xp. It takes a system built for 64 bit computing to run it. You really should be playing on a 64 bit system. Why? well let me tell ya why, spanky.
Any 32 bit windows will only allow you to access 3 Gb of ram but no more. 64 bit builds of windows allows you to access much more ram.
On my 64 bit windows Warcraft often takes over 4GB of ram. The message here is max out your ram and get a 64 bit build for maximum Warcraft performance. More on hardware later.
Trimming down auto startup programs
Your computer is clogged up with many programs that start up along with windows. These programs installed themselves to start up automatically without asking your permission. Each one takes up computer "brain" time CPU and memory. You need to go weed out these start up programs.
The easiest program to use creates a new item in your control panel. You install it open it up and uncheck all the little programs that start up automatically that you dont really need. That would be most of them. If you want to change your mind just go back and put a check mark by them again. Easy and its free. Donate if you want to this guy does good work.
Next lets make reasonably sure that every program that wants to start up automatically has to ask permission first. This is good for protecting from some viruses as well. this tiny little program will make every newly installed program politely ask permission before adding items to start automatically.
Next a more detailed startup item tool for those so inclined. This one lists all kinds of startup items including windows services. Most users wont want this much info but the technically inclined will like this.
Autoruns for Windows v10.06
By Mark Russinovich and Bryce Cogswell
Published: November 29, 2010
(605 KB)
You can trim services and all kinds of items from starting up automatically. As always make a system restore backup first if you want to be safe.
Next to the hard drive.
Warcraft uses a large amount of memory to run.
THATS A VERY LARGE AMOUNT MONKEY BOY!
When your computer runs out of RAM which is "solid state" memory it uses part of your hard drive like RAM. Your Hard drive is like a record player sort of. it spins around and has a magnetic "needle" that reads the memory.
Your hard drive is way slower than RAM. Way way way way slower.
The file on your hard drive your computer uses like ram is called your "swap file" or "page file". This file on your hard drive often gets broken up into several pieces and makes it slower for your computer to get to since the magnetic "needle"has to jump around all over the place a lot to find all the pieces. If the file is one contiguous piece it can access it faster.
Windows uses a program called "defrag" to make the files on your hard drive as contiguous (one piece) as possible.
Thats if you ever run it, which most people don't, leaving their hard drive in the same state as a "cat lady" hoarders house after a free swap meet and five espressos.
A defragging program lets you keep your stash of digital goods but in a orderly manner. Thats if you run it. You can set it up so it runs automatically without you messing with it. You can look up "how to set your defrag program automatically" on Goggle or you tube.
The defrag program doesn't reassemble your page file while your using windows, so the page file usually stays divided up into several small pieces.
This little free program will consolidate your page file every time you start windows. This makes your page file one big piece. Unzip it in the programs folder and then run it. Choose the options "run at every boot" This one works in XP only.
For Windows 7 and vista we need this next program to defrag the page file. We need it for windows xp for optimal file placement.
Fastest Warcraft file placement
Your hard drive reads files on the outside of its "record" or circle than it does on the inside. Most defrag programs don't let you choose where to put your files on the hard drive so you cant put Warcraft on the fastest part.
This program does let you choose where to put programs or files. this company calls it a File Placement Optimizer. Your hard drive can access the files on the out side of the hard drive much faster than files on the inside of the hard drive.
You should go into the program settings and specify that your world of Warcraft folder is on the outer edge of the hard drive. This will mean your computer can access your Warcraft files faster meaning a more responsive quicker loading Warcraft.
This program also has a feature that lets you defrag your page file before Windows starts up and works with xp, vista and windows 7. Warcraft uses gigabytes of ram and on most systems Warcraft will take up "swap file" space. So it is important to have a quick swap file. This is true for most of us mortals with regular systems.
Putting Warcraft files and your pagefile.sys folder at the outside edge of your hard drive can make Warcraft much faster.
If you can afford it go out and buy yourself a big fat SSD drive (solid state drive) and forget about defraging forever you lucky person you.
Turning off un-needed programs and services.
Your Windows computer runs programs and "services" that take up memory and processor time. To run Warcraft you don't need to run all the services you normally might. If only there was some way to turn off the services and programs you don't need to run Warcraft then there would be more memory and processor time for gaming. There are a few programs that do this. If you know of more than I list here please let me know in the comments section.
For those with a AMD chip in their computer there is a great program that will optimize your computer for whatever task your asking it to do. It only works on AMD computers though. Install it run it and tell it you want your computer optimized for gaming.
AMD fusion utility for desktop
Tweaking your graphics card
Tweaking your graphics card is something you can do that could possibly fry it. Over clocking can do this. If you don't know what your doing with over clocking just don't. These programs below will let you speed up your card faster than the company set it to go. There are plenty of forums and such where you can learn how to safely over clock. I am telling you here to skip it unless your competent at his kind of thing. Yes I warned you three times.
AMD graphics tweak
If you have a new ATI graphics card you need to check out this program for tweaking it.
Download AMD OverDrive™ 3.2
Read the performance tuning guide for more information
Do you know of a great nvidia tweaking program or a ati one, please post if comments so I can add it here.
Tweaked graphics drivers
Normal drivers that come with windows are well "just normal."
Many geeks tweak drivers for better gaming performance. There are tons of these drivers.
I like Omega drivers they seem to work well.
Be sure to make a system restore back up before you install these drivers.
After installing them run Warcraft and if its faster keep the new drivers. If there are "artifacts" on the screen or other irregularities roll it back using system restore and find your self some other tweaked driver or return to the windows defaults.
Making sure that Warcraft gets the most computer "brain" (cpu) time.
Process lasso is a program that watches all the programs that try to use your computers "brain" (CPU) and limits each one so that no one program grabs too much brain (cpu) time.
It also lets you go full throttle on any program you choose such as World of Warcraft. There is a free trial that allows the gaming feature. This program is useful if you have a older computer, if you find the game halting and stuttering, or if you want to make sure that no other program like a virus scan is going to cause you to wipe a raid.
This program is great while your in the trial period. During that period you can specify in the settings to not throttle Warcraft access to the CPU. However after the trial period expires it will make Warcraft way slower because it will throttle Warcraft as well. At that point buy the program.
ONLY if it made a real difference. It did on my system. It kinda forces your computer to give its resources mainly to Warcraft.
Roll the gratuitous ads, lol
I have been repairing computers for about 18 years and been playing this game off and on for over 5 years. 
sguide_tweak_2k.zip
Windows Vista 32/64, Server 2008 | version: 1.5 | date: 01/24/2010 | filesize: 4.86KB
