How to speed up Windows XP
Slim Your Startup Selections
There are certain programs that Windows will start every time you boot up your system, and during the startup phase, they're all jockeying for a slice of your CPU. Extra or unwanted items in the startup list will defintely increase your startup time, perhaps by several minutes.
To manage the list of startup programs, click on Start / Run, then type MSCONFIG. Press Enter, then select the Startup tab. If you see items in the list you know you don't need to run at startup time, UNcheck the box(es) next to them and press Apply. Some common examples are things related to AOL, RealPlayer, Napster, instant messengers, and video managers.
If you're not sure about an item, no big deal. You can turn it off, restart your PC, and see if everything seems to work. If not, you can always go back and re-enable an item in the Startup list. This helpful list may help you decide what to keep or drop.
Clean Your Registry
The REGCLEAN utility from Microsoft, though no longer officially supported for Windows XP, cleans your system registry of unnecessary entries that are created when you install or remove programs on your computer.
How many errors on your Registry?
Free download Registry Booster to repaire Registry error!
Sometimes an "orphaned" registry entry can confuse Windows during startup and cause a delay. And in general, slimming down your registry will make Windows run faster.
Note: This program is no longer officially supported by Microsoft, but many users report that it works fine on Windows XP systems. You can also try RegSeeker which is a highly rated registry cleaner.
RAM and Virtual Memory Settings
When you run out of physical (RAM) memory, Windows will use a check of your hard disk to create virtual memory. This is a nice feature, because it allows application programs to access huge amounts of memory.
The only problem with virtual memory is that it's a lot slower than real RAM. So installing extra RAM on the system board is a good idea because it's pretty cheap and easy to pop in. Find out how much your system will accommodate and install the maximum amount.
Extra RAM will probably do more to boost your overall system performance than anything else!
But getting back to Virtual Memory, it's wise to let Windows manage the amount, unless you are a Wizard, with a capital W. Go to Control Panel / System / Advanced, then press the Settings button under Performance. Click Advanced again, then press the Change button under Virtual Memory. If System managed size is selected, you're all set. If you want to fiddle with the Custom Size options, be my guest!
Turn Off Extraneous System Services
We're heading into uber-geek territory here, so be forewarned. Windows doesn't know exactly how you're going to use your computer, so it starts a whole bunch of system services that manage network connections, database access, error reporting, remote access and other nerdy-sounding things. You may not need all these services, and disabling some of them can reduce your startup time and system
overhead. But choosing which ones to nuke is a bit daunting, unless you are an expert on Windows operating system internals.
look at these explanations and advice then disable only the ones that you're sure about. If you encounter a problem, you can always go back and turn a service back on. |
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