Monitor system performance

Right-click on Computer then select Manage | Reliability and Performance. The screen you’ll see is one of Vista’s crowning glories: an in-depth analysis of how your PC’s performing. You can access all manner of graphs from the Reliability and Performance snap-in, the most useful of which is the Reliability Monitor: a chart showing the past month of your PC’s life, including application and hardware failures. Access it by pressing the arrow next to Reliability and Performance and clicking on Monitoring Tools.
 
 Get Windows downloads & add-ons double-quick

The next time you find yourself on Microsoft.com, going round in circles looking for the latest update, try heading to Google’s little-known dedicated Microsoft search page.
You’ll find it at www.google.com/microsoft.html

General folder/shortcut control F5: Refreshes the current window CTRL+Z: Undo the last command CTRL+A: Select all the items in the current window BACKSPACE: Switch to the parent folder

Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world. - Bishop Desmond Tutu