Some very bad advise here!
I'll start at the beginning.
#1 Services: Microsoft has already done a pretty good job of optimizing Win 7, you said that yourself in the first sentence. Shutting down additional services probably isn't going to help much since some disable themselves anyway when there is no purpose. You won't save move that a blink of your eye...maybe.
#2 Startup Item: This is the primary cause of poor performance. It seems that every programmer thinks I want to 'Quick-Start' their code just because I turned on my computer. WRONG! Again, for what to salvage a blink of an eye in the course of a days work.
DUMP EVERY STARTUP DEVICE except what is native to Windows and specific to built-in hardware. That ALSO means the crapware from your printer. I don't need to be told my INK is low or the printer is out of paper, just to be lead off to some webpage to replenish supplies.
BUT WAIT don't be stupid here. DO NOT USE MSCONFIG! MSCONFIG is a troubleshooting tool NOT a bootloader! DO NOT EVER RUN WINDOWS in any other mode than NORMAL STARTUP. Using MSCONFIG to control startup devices is a LAZY and irresponsible way for a TECH to deal with the problem.
First, look at each device that loads. If you don't need it at all, remove it entirely using the control panel 'Programs and Features'. If you want it present choose whatever options/preferences that control starting with Windows. If there are no choices use REGEDIT find where it loads in RUN and delete the entry. DO NOT USE MSCONFIG!!!!!!!!
#3 and #4 are already understood DUH!
#5 and #6 Well, of course add new HARDWARE, more memory, Solid State drive, hey while your at it swap out that 2nd Gen core i5 for the new 3rd Gen i7...Come on man, anybody can tell someone they could use the newest hardware. After a couple weeks everything is obsolete anyway. This is supposed to be advise on how to improve on what we have to work with.
#7 Defragmentation: The default settings of Windows 7 will take care of that for you. The only time one might run this manually is after installing something like MS Office and the 100 updates that butchers your hard drive into microscopic sized fragments. On the other hand, leave it alone and Win 7 will straighten that out for you.
#8 Power settings: Are you kidding? Changing power setting only change what devices shut down or sleep while you are not in front of your computer. If you are plagued with waiting for your computer to resume from hibernation multiple time during your work day just disable it completely, but power setting won't make the computer 'faster'.
#9 Search indexing: Really? Just uninstall Google Desktop or similar junkware.
#10 Readyboost: Again anybody can advise NEW HARDWARE. Most flashdrives won't help performance anyway. Run the Performance Index in the Control Panel device 'System' with and without Readyboost. Not even a blink of on eye.
Here is what you totally left out:
Control Panel
System
Advanced System Settings
Performance
Settings
Adjust for Best Performance
Windows will never adjust anything for you. All the performance robbing functions of Windows should be disabled.
