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===Other audio enhancements===
* A new set of user interface sounds have been introduced, including a new startup sound
* The new Volume Mixer displays a percentage value showing the current system volume while the volume level is being changed. Previous versions of Windows only displayed a volume meter.
* Windows Vista also allows controlling system-wide volume or volume of individual audio devices and individual applications separately.<ref name="AudioImprovements"/><ref name="Softpedia">{{cite web |url=http://archive.news.softpedia.com/news/The-Windows-Vista-Volume-Mixer-41882.shtml |title=The Windows Vista Volume Mixer |last=Oiaga |first=Marius |date=December 7, 2006 |publisher=[[Softpedia]] |access-date=April 25, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214074429/http://archive.news.softpedia.com/news/The-Windows-Vista-Volume-Mixer-41882.shtml |archive-date=February 14, 2015 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> This feature can be used from the new ''Volume Control'' windows or programmatically using the overhauled audio API. Different sounds can be redirected to different audio devices as well.
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* ''Restart Manager'': The ''Restart Manager'' works with Microsoft's update tools and websites to detect processes that have files in use and to gracefully stop and restart services to reduce the number of reboots required after applying updates as far as possible for higher levels of the software stack. Kernel updates, logically, still require the system to be restarted.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa373654.aspx | title=Restart Manager | author=Microsoft | publisher=Microsoft | work=MSDN Library | access-date=2008-12-21 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090112123045/http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa373654.aspx | archive-date=2009-01-12 | url-status=dead }}</ref> In addition, the Restart Manager provides a mechanism for applications to stop and then restart programs. Applications that are written specifically to take advantage of the new ''Restart Manager'' features using the API can be restarted and restored to the same state and with the same data as before the restart. Using the ''Application Recovery and Restart'' APIs in conjunction with the ''Restart Manager'' enables applications to control what actions are taken on their behalf by the system when they fail or crash such as recovering unsaved data or documents, restarting the application, and diagnosing and reporting the problem using [[Windows Error Reporting]].
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Vista Shutdown.png|thumb|right|A screenshot of Windows Vista's shutdown overlay UI|{{deletable image-caption|1=Tuesday, 22 September 2009}}]] -->
* When shutting down or restarting Windows, previous Windows versions either forcibly terminated applications after waiting for few seconds, or allowed applications to entirely cancel shutdown without informing the user. Windows Vista now informs the user in a full-screen interface if there are running applications when exiting Windows
* ''Clean service shutdown'': Services in Windows Vista have the capability of delaying the system shutdown in order to properly flush data and finish current operations. If the service stops responding, the system terminates it after 3 minutes. Crashes and restart problems are drastically reduced since the Service Control Manager is not terminated by a forced shutdown anymore.
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* [[Transactional NTFS]] allows multiple file/folder operations to be treated as a single operation, so that a crash or power failure won't result in half-completed file writes. Transactions can also be extended to multiple machines.
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* [[Live File System]]: A writable [[Universal Disk Format|UDF]] file system.<ref name="WindowsVistaOpticalPlatform"/> The Windows [[Universal Disk Format|UDF]] file system (UDFS) implementation was read-only in OS releases prior to Windows Vista. In Windows Vista, [[Mount Rainier (packet writing)|Packet writing]] (incremental writing) is supported by UDFS, which can now format and write to all mainstream optical media formats ([[Magneto-optical drive|MO]], CDR/RW, DVD+R/RW, DVD-R/RW/RAM). Write support is included for UDF format versions up to and including 2.50, with read support up to 2.60. UDF symbolic links, however, are not supported.<ref name="FilingCabinet">{{cite web |url=https://blogs.technet.com/filecab/articles/454702.aspx |title=Universal Disk FOrmat (UDF) Beta Chat Transcript (September 01, 2006) |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |work=MSDN Blogs |access-date=December 21, 2015 |archive-date=February 28, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228015926/http://blogs.technet.com/filecab/articles/454702.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Common Log File System]] (CLFS) API provides a high-performance, general-purpose log-file subsystem that dedicated user-mode and kernel-mode client applications can use and multiple clients can share to optimize log access and for data and event management.
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* Signed drivers are required for usage of PUMA, PAP (Protected Audio Path), and PVP-OPM subsystems.
* Driver packages that are used to install driver software are copied in their entirety into a "Driver Store", which is a repository of driver packages and located in <code>C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore</code>. In essence, DriverStore is similar to [[WinSxS]] but stored for device drivers. This ensures that drivers that need to be repaired or reinstalled won't need to ask for source media to get "fresh" files. The Driver Store can also be preloaded with drivers by an OEM or IT administrator to ensure that commonly used devices (e.g. external peripherals shipped with a computer system, corporate printers) can be installed immediately. Adding, removing and viewing drivers from the "Driver Store" is done using {{mono|PnPUtil.exe}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937793 |title=The staging and the installation of driver packages by using the PnP Utility (Pnputil.exe) in Windows Vista |access-date=2007-10-27 |archive-date=2009-07-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090722095346/http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937793 |url-status=live }}</ref> A new setting in [[Device Manager]] allows deleting the drivers from the Driver Store when uninstalling the hardware.
* Since Windows Vista, there has a "delete the driver software for this device" clickbox in confirmation dialog when uninstalling a hardware device in Device Manager.
* Support for [[Windows Error Reporting]]; information on an "unknown device" is reported to Microsoft when a driver cannot be found on the system, via Windows Update, or supplied by the user. OEMs can hook into this system to provide information that can be returned to the user, such as a formal statement of non-support of a device for Windows Vista, or a link to a web site with support information, drivers, etc.
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{{main|Windows Vista I/O technologies}}
* '''[[Windows Vista I/O technologies#SuperFetch|SuperFetch]]''' caches frequently
* '''[[ReadyBoost]]''', makes PCs running Windows Vista more responsive by using [[flash memory]] on a [[USB flash drive|USB drive]] (USB 2.0 only), [[SD card]], [[Compact Flash]], or other form of flash memory, in order to boost system performance. When such a device is plugged in, the Windows [[Autoplay]] dialog offers an additional option to use it to speed up the system; an additional "ReadyBoost" tab is added to the drive's properties dialog where the amount of space to be used can be configured.<ref name="readyboostJim Allchin">{{cite web
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