![]() ![]() When code is aligned in this manner, Windows 98 will run the application directly from the memory cache in more efficient, 4-KB chunks. (The swap file uses the slower disk I/O.) There also will be increased memory for running programs. Thus, less usage of the swap file will occur. However, the memory-mapped I/O that the new utilities create keeps only one copy in memory (instead of two). Windows 98 already uses MapCache, a performance feature that causes programs to consume less memory. This book explained that the memory page size of the Intel x86 chip family is 4 KB therefore, aligning the executable sections of programs on these 4-KB page boundaries would optimize their performance by optimizing data caching. Then, I turned to the definitive text on Windows 98: the Microsoft Windows 98 Resource Kit (from Microsoft Press). ![]() Still, I needed more information to justify using the new utilities. Apparently, Microsoft had discovered that it was better to use memory in Windows 98 by aligning application code on 4-KB boundaries within the applications disk file. This article discussed the Windows 98 CacheMap feature and the performance benefits that are associated with using 4-KB boundaries. As I searched for information on Walign and Winalign, I came across KnowledgeBase article #191655, which presented an overview of both executables. ![]() Article #191391, which is entitled “Computer Appears to Stop During Windows 98 Setup,” mentioned that Walign.exe was probably the cause and referenced KnowledgeBase articles about Walign and Winalign, a companion utility. Intrigued, I turned to the Microsoft KnowledgeBase to search for information about this specific problem. There was no apparent activity for up to five minutes before the system suddenly came back to life again. I learned about these utilities when participants at my computer seminars expressed concern over the way in which Windows 98 freezes during the installation process. Both Walign and Winalign force applications to start faster and to use CPU time and memory more efficiently. With a proper understanding of these features, you can speed the launching of programs that you run frequently. Eventually, I stumbled across two little-known features that were introduced with Windows 98: Walign and Winalign. Since I’m a computer trainer who’s constantly searching for ways to optimize Windows, I began to investigate this frustrating aspect of Windows 98. Like many users of the new Windows 98 operating system, I’ve been disappointed by the fact that Windows 98 doesn’t seem to run programs any faster than Windows 95 did. Read how you can use these features to optimize large executable files and speed up certain applications. While trying to improve the speed of Windows 98, Michael Freeman ran across two obscure utilities that come with Windows 98: Walign and Winalign. Speed up Windows 98 applications with Winalign ![]()
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