Turn off Remote Assistance and Remote Desktop:
Start Menu -> Classic Control Panel -> System -> Remote -> Uncheck Allow Remote Assistance invitations to be sent from this computer, and Allow users to connect remotely to this computer -> Click OK
This saves memory by disabling these services that youre most likely never going to use, and it increases XP security by preventing unknown people from trying to remotely connect to your computer.
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Set Your Virtual Memory To 1.5-3.0 Times Your Computers Memory:
Start Menu -> Classic Control Panel -> System -> Advanced Tab -> Performance Settings -> Advanced Tab -> Change -> Select Custom Size -> Set the Initial size to 1.5 x amount of memory installed in your computer (I have 1024mb, 1GB of RAM installed so Id set it to 1.5 x 1024 = 1536 MB) -> Set the Maximum Size to 3 x amount of memory installed in your computer (I have 1024mb, 1GB of RAM installed so Id set it to 3.0 x 1024 = 3072 MB). -> Click Set -> Click OK
This makes sure the paging file stays put, by doing this it will perform better, and it is optimized for the amount of memory you have so Windows XP doesnt have to keep adjusting the paging file automatically. It also helps prevent the paging file from becoming fragmented.
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Disable Windows Error Reporting:
Start Menu -> Classic Control Panel -> System -> Advanced Tab -> Error Reporting -> Select Disable error reporting -> Check But notify me when critical errors occur -> Click OK
By disabling error reporting you will no longer get those annoying messages that your program has encountered an error, and asks to send information to Microsoft, this saves memory by getting rid of the feature. I think its a good trade-off to get rid of those critical error messages. Youll still be notified when a bad error occurs.
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Turn off Indexing Service:
Start Menu -> My Computer -> Right Click Local Disk (C
(or available hard drives) -> Properties -> Uncheck Allow Indexing Service to index this disk for fast file searching -> Check Apply To All Files And Folders -> Click OK
The indexing service hogs a huge amount of system resources. It keeps certain files in memory to allow your Windows File Folder Search to run faster, so unless youre using the Windows Search multiple times per day you dont need Indexing, the search will still work, but just not as fast as it would if indexing is enabled.
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Change maximum size of the Recycle Bin to something more manageable, and get rid of the display delete confirmation dialog:
Desktop -> Right click Recycle Bin -> Properties -> Set Maximum size of Recycle Bin to a smaller, more manageable percentage like 3-5% -> Uncheck Display delete confirmation dialog -> Click OK
Lowering the maximum size of the recycle bin makes sure that it doesnt use up more than a gig or few, because its normally set to 10% of each drive you have, and 10% of 250GB is 25GB, thats a lot of space to be dedicated to your recycle bin. Unchecking the display delete confirmation dialog stops Windows from asking you every time if youre sure you want to delete the file that you want to delete, which of course we always say yes. If you accidentally delete something itll still be in your recycle so you dont have to worry.
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Disable Hibernation:
Start Menu -> Control Panel -> Power Options -> Hibernate Tab -> Uncheck Enable Hibernation -> Click OK
Hibernation is one of those things that youre just never going to use, unless you have a laptop, it makes it so that when you put your computer into hibernation mode it saves everything that was in your memory onto your hard disk. It sounds handy, but they dont make it to put it into hibernation and it just mostly wastes space and processing power. Just put your computer in stand by if you dont want to use it for awhile.
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Defragment at optimize your hard drive:
(Power Defragmenter + Contig) download at
http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Har ... nter.shtml +
http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Fil ... ntig.shtml
Install the programs in the same folder and go.
Defragmenting your hard drive is very important to the performance health of your computer, it can speed up Windows XP significantly if you never have defragmented your computer before. It takes your folders and files and moves them around on the hard drive so Windows XP can have better and faster access to them, the more files you have the more they need to be organized on the hard drive.
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Check your hard drive for errors with Disk Check:
Start Menu -> My Computer -> Right Click Local Disk (C
-> Click Properties -> Tools Tab -> Click Check Now -> Check Automatically fix file system errors, and Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors -> Click Start
The Disk Check will require a reboot, and it certainly takes some time to check the disk (1-2 hours). Disk check allows Windows to scan your hard drive for any errors, and automatically fix any errors if they are found. If you hard drive contains errors it can slow down your computer and your overall Windows XP experience.
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Uninstall unused Windows Components/Programs
Start Menu -> Add/Remove Programs -> Add/Remove Windows Components
Uncheck the Windows Components that you dont use. I uncheck Fax Services, Indexing Service, Internet Information Services, Management and Monitoring Tools, Message Queuing, Other Network File and Printer Services, Windows Messenger, Outlook Express, and MSN Explorer. Theyre probably handy tools and services for businesses, but I will never need Message Queuing and Fax services. Also while youre in the Add/Remove Programs menu look for any programs that you dont use and uninstall them as well, itll save disk space and increase performance.
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Disable unused devices in Device Manager:
Start Menu -> Right Click My Computer -> Click Manage -> Click Device Manager -> Right Click unused devices -> Click Disable
Be careful when disabling unused devices that you dont disable something that may be important to the necessary functions of your computer. Only disable something if you have an onboard sound card, or an onboard ethernet adapter that youre not using because you have PCI slots filled with a sound card or network adapter.
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Defragment your page file:
Download PageDefrag at Microsoft TechNet
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897426.aspx -> Open the .zip and run PageDefrag -> Click Accept -> Select Defragment at next boot -> Click OK
Just like the Microsoft TechNet website said one of the problems of Windows XP/2000/NT is that files that are in use cannot be defragged, and that includes the pagefile. This program will defrag your pagefile at the next boot to ensure its working to its maximum efficiency.
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Disable unused Windows XP services:
Start Menu -> Run -> Type Services.msc
Its important to always save the best for last. This last tweak is going to provide the most performance out of all other tweaks, and it takes the longest to implement. After youve opened up the Services windows youre going to go down the list and look for services that you dont need, then right click on them, go to Properties, pull down the Startup type: menu and click Disabled, then click OK. Its not hard but you have to go through the list of services and figure out whats needed and whats not. Actually, someone else has already done that. Head over to Black Vipers Windows XP Service Configurations. He has a table built that tells you what safe to disable and what you should leave alone, but if you dont want to take time deciphering his table Ill just tell you which ones you can go ahead and disable with no problems.
Disable These Services:
Application Management
Clipbook
Computer Browser
Error Reporting Service
HID Input Service (Note: This service will disable the multimedia functions on many multimedia keyboards, so if you have a multimedia keyboard it is recommended that you do not disable this service)
Indexing Service
Net Logon
NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing
Network Location Awareness (NLA)
Network Provisioning Service
Portable Media Serial Number Service
QoS RSVP
Remote Desktop Help Session Manager
Remote Registry
Secondary Logon (If you only have one user on your computer)
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper Service
Telnet
Uninterruptable Power Supply
WebClient
Windows Time
WMI Performance Adapter
Imposter10
Windows XP Professional SP3
