From HowToGeek

SuperFetch is a technology in Windows Vista that pre-loads commonly used applications into memory for quicker access.

Contents 1 Overview 2 History 3 Disabling SuperFetch 4 See Also

Overview

SuperFetch is implemented as a Windows Service that handles loading the data into memory. The service can determine patterns of use and make certain that certain applications are loaded into memory at certain times during the day. It can also handle paging of some of the memory out to flash memory, a technology known as ReadyBoost.

Under normal use, SuperFetch will speed up the regular workings of a computer and should be left with the default settings. More advanced users may wish to tweak the settings or disable altogether, depending on the usage of the computer.

History

SuperFetch was originally introduced in Windows XP's Prefetcher component.

Disabling SuperFetch

SuperFetch can be disabled by turning off the service in the Services section of control panel. [Detailed Instructions]

See Also

Change SuperFetch to Only Cache System Boot Files in Vista

List of Windows Components v
Features	Windows Aero - System Restore - Previous Versions - SuperFetch - User Account Control (UAC) - Offline Files - ReadyDrive - Instant Search - Windows Sidebar - Parental Controls - Speech Recognition - ClearType - DirectX 10 - ReadyBoost - BitLocker - Flip3D - Remote Desktop - Search Folders - Tablet PC - Windows SideShow
Services	Task Scheduler - Desktop Window Manager - Application Experience - Application Host Helper Service - Application Information - Application Layer Gateway Service - Application Management - Background Intelligent Transfer Service - Base Filtering Engine - Block Level Backup Engine Service - Certificate Propagation - COM+ Event System - Computer Browser - DHCPClient
Applications	Notepad - Windows Mail - Internet Explorer - Command Prompt (Cmd.exe) - Windows Calendar - Mobility Center - Task Manager - Photo Gallery - Windows Media Center - Windows Media Player - Wordpad - Windows Sidebar - Snipping Tool - Windows Contacts - Device Manager - Disk Defragmenter - Event Viewer - Fax and Scan - Windows Journal - Windows Meeting Space - Windows DVD Maker - Windows Easy Transfer
Security	User Account Control (UAC) - Windows Defender - Windows Firewall
Admin Tools	Control Panel - Device Manager - Microsoft Management Console (MMC)