Editing Windows Me (section)

===Hardware support improvements===
* Faster boot times: Windows Me features numerous improvements for improving [[Hard reboot|cold boot]] time, pre and post-logon boot times and time required for resuming from hibernation.<ref name="FastBoot1">{{cite web|url=http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/archive/fast-boot.mspx|title=Improving "Cold Boot" Time for System Manufacturers|date=2001-12-04|website=Windows Hardware Developer Central|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090125012228/http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/archive/fast-boot.mspx|archive-date=2009-01-25|url-status=dead|access-date=2010-08-26}}</ref> Processing of real mode configuration files, <code>[[CONFIG.SYS]]</code> and <code>[[AUTOEXEC.BAT]]</code>, is bypassed at startup and essential real mode drivers like <code>[[HIMEM.SYS]]</code> and <code>[[SMARTDRV.EXE]]</code> are embedded into <code>[[IO.SYS]]</code>.<ref name="FastBoot1" /> The registry is loaded only once; for efficient loading, the registry is split into three files instead of two (<code>[[SYSTEM.DAT]]</code> and <code>[[USER.DAT]]</code>), with the new file <code>[[CLASSES.DAT]]</code> containing the contents of the hive <code>HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT</code> required for boot loaded initially.<ref name="FastBoot1" /> Plug and Play device enumeration is more parallelized than in Windows 98.<ref name="FastBoot1" /> Boot time is not affected due to unavailability of a DHCP server or other network components.<ref name="FastBoot1" /> There are also optimizations to prevent boot slowdown due to [[BIOS]] [[Power-on self-test|POST]] operations.<ref name="FastBoot1" />
* [[USB human interface device class|USB Human Interface Device Class]]: Generic support for 5-button mice is also included as standard<ref>{{cite web|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/gg454511.aspx|title=Windows and the 5-Button Wheel Mouse|date=December 4, 2001|website=[[Microsoft Developer Network]]|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130314033300/http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/gg454511.aspx|archive-date=March 14, 2013|access-date=April 17, 2019}}</ref> and installing [[IntelliPoint]] allows reassigning the programmable buttons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/254660|title=Fourth and Fifth Mouse Buttons Not Recognized by Windows|website=Microsoft Support|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121126125329/http://support.microsoft.com/kb/254660|archive-date=November 26, 2012|access-date=April 17, 2019}}</ref>
* [[Windows Image Acquisition]]: Windows Me introduced the Windows Image Acquisition [[Application programming interface|API]] for a standardized method of allowing Windows applications to transparently and more easily communicate with image acquisition devices, such as [[digital camera]]s and [[Image scanner|scanners]]. WIA intended to improve the configuration and the user interface for interacting with scanners and such devices, (which were previously supported by the [[TWAIN]] standard) and simplify writing device drivers for developers. WIA also includes support for USB still image capture device classes such as scanners and cameras through the [[Picture Transfer Protocol]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/desktop/wia/-wia-startpage|title=Windows Image Acquisition (WIA)|date=May 31, 2018|website=Microsoft Docs|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|access-date=April 17, 2019|archive-date=April 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190415052518/https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/desktop/wia/-wia-startpage|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Improved power management and suspend/resume operations: The OEM version of Windows Me supports OS-controlled ACPI S4 sleep state<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.activewin.com/interviews/microsoft/7.shtml |title=Interview with Nicolas Coudière, Chief Product Manager: Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me) |publisher=Activewin.com |access-date=2010-08-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101025093556/http://activewin.com/interviews/microsoft/7.shtml |archive-date=2010-10-25 }}</ref> ([[Hibernate (OS feature)|hibernation]]) and other power management features without manufacturer-supplied drivers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/archive/winpowmgmt.mspx#EUE |title=Windows Power Management |publisher=Microsoft.com |date=2001-12-04 |access-date=2010-08-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040713182635/http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/archive/winpowmgmt.mspx#EUE |archive-date=2004-07-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* USB and FireWire support improvements: Windows Me is the only operating system in the Windows 9x series that includes generic drivers for [[USB mass storage device]]s<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/bus/USB/USBFAQ_intro.mspx#E2DAC|title=USB FAQ: Introductory Level|date=2004-07-04|website=Windows Hardware Developer Central|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080409202106/http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/bus/USB/USBFAQ_intro.mspx#E2DAC|archive-date=2008-04-09|url-status=dead|access-date=2019-04-05}}</ref> and USB printers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/archive/usbprint.mspx#EXB |title=USB Printers – Architecture and Driver Support |publisher=Microsoft.com |date=2005-11-02 |access-date=2010-08-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100822090207/http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/archive/usbprint.mspx#EXB |archive-date=2010-08-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Support for FireWire [[Serial Bus Protocol 2|SBP-2]] scanners and storage devices is also improved.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/gg454506#E3AAC|title=IEEE1394 and the Windows platform|date=2001-12-14|website=[[Microsoft Developer Network]]|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111108214828/http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/gg454506#E3AAC|archive-date=2011-11-08|access-date=2019-04-05}}</ref>
* The {{Not a typo|[[Windows Multimedia API|waveOut]]}}, [[DirectSound]], and [[DirectShow]] APIs support non-[[PCM]] formats such as [[Dolby AC-3|AC-3]] or [[Windows Media Audio|WMA]] over [[S/PDIF]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/gg463249|title=Non-PCM Wave Formats and WDM Audio Drivers|date=December 4, 2001|website=[[Microsoft Developer Network]]|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130302091804/http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/gg463249|archive-date=March 2, 2013|access-date=April 5, 2019}}</ref>