Tips For Dispatch Up Windows XP, Afterwards Utilizing 'Defrag'

If you're still relying on 'Defrag' to advance arrangement performance, you are abaft the times. Defragmenting is the action of reorganizing all files on a harder drive so that anniversary book is abiding into a individual ceaseless or abutting area on the disk. Abounding arrangement builders and technicians still accept that defragmenting a harder drive on a approved base will accumulate a apparatus operating at aiguille performance. That was accurate with earlier PCs, but today we accept 7200 rotations per minute deejay drives with bigger seek and cessation times; abounding accommodate an 8MB accumulation buffer. For today's machines, defragmentation no best has a big appulse on arrangement performance.

Defragmenting is still an important task. Excess adeptness burning and over heating can anon chronicle to a burst harder drive. If a book is not abutting if the computer's operating arrangement requests it, added gluttonous on the deejay is required. Added importantly, if a harder drive crashes, the likelihood of auspiciously convalescent abstracts from the damaged drive improves abundantly if the abstracts is abutting rather than fragmented. Defrag just doesn't cut it anymore if it comes to dispatch up a PC.

The afterward tips will advance arrangement achievement on any PC active Windows XP and some will advance arrangement aegis as well:

(Note - If your computer is on a Local Area Arrangement or LAN at your business or you accept a laptop that is at times on a abode LAN, don't change ANY agreement settings afterwards approval from your Arrangement Administrator).

Before you begin, do a advancement of your capital data

For abstracts on assuming a able advancement in Windows XP, go to Microsoft.com and admission 'Backup Windows XP' in the seek bar.

There are a few basal arrangement attributes that may charge to be adapted so that the arrangement will acquiesce you to accomplish all-important changes:

I. Accomplish abiding that you're logged on to your apparatus as an 'Administrator'

II. Accomplish abiding that you can appropriately cross 'System Files'-

Open any binder and go to 'Tools' > 'Folder Options...' > 'View'

Under 'Advanced Settings' accomplish abiding that the afterward boxes are checked:

'Display the capacity of arrangement folders'

'Show hidden files and folders'

Make abiding that the afterward boxes are NOT checked:

'Hide extensions for accepted book types'

'Hide adequate operating arrangement files'

III. Enable the 'Run' affection in the 'Start' menu

Hit the 'Start' button. If 'Run...' is not arresting in the 'Start' card do the following:

'Right-click' on the 'Task Bar'. Go to 'Properties' > 'Start Menu'

If 'Start menu' is selected, baddest and advance 'Classic alpha menu' instead.

(Many bacilli alter the 'Folder.htt' book activated by the Windows XP 'Start Menu' with a base VBScript. Already infected, anniversary time you advance Windows Explorer to appearance a binder you will assassinate a virus that will badly apathetic down your machine.)

After selecting 'Classic alpha menu' hit 'Apply' afresh go to 'Customize...' and accomplish abiding that the 'Display Run' box is checked.

Now, let's crank it up!

Eliminate all spyware

Utilize chargeless programs such as AdAware by Lavasoft and SpyBot Seek & Destroy by Safer Networking. Already these programs are installed, accomplish abiding that there aren't any items listed or arrested in the 'Ignore' section. Be abiding to analysis for and download updates afore starting a scan.

Run a complete virus scan

Update your anti-virus software and run a complete arrangement virus scan. Abounding bacilli are advised for the sole purpose of clarification arrangement resources. Accomplish abiding that you alone accept one anti-virus software amalgamation installed. Unlike anti-Spyware programs, bond anti-virus software is a cinch way to spell adversity for arrangement achievement and reliability.

Run 'Disk Cleanup'

Open 'My Computer' from the desktop. 'Right-click' on your capital harder drive, (usually 'C:'). Baddest 'Properties' and columnist 'Disk cleanup'. Acquiesce it to run. Already finished, the 'Files to delete' window will appearance the book categories on the deejay that can be deleted or compressed. Analysis the boxes by those that you don't charge and columnist 'OK'.

Check anniversary harder drive with 'scandisk'

With time and abundant use, abstracts and concrete problems can advance that acutely abatement arrangement performance. Defragmenting the drive can help, but there are added issues such as absent clusters and bad sectors that the defragmentation account cannot touch. It's a acceptable abstraction to run XP's congenital in absurdity blockage account on your drives every 2-3 months. This account will browse your disks for errors and optionally attack to absolute them.

Open 'My Computer' from the desktop. 'Right-click' on your capital harder drive, (usually 'C:'). Baddest 'properties' afresh 'tools' and beneath 'error checking' baddest 'check now…'. Analysis both 'Automatically fix book arrangement errors' and 'Scan for and attack accretion of bad sectors'. Restart your machine. 'Scandisk' will run during startup and can yield a while depending on the admeasurement of your drive.

Clean out your 'Temporary Internet Files' and 'Cookies' binder 'Start' > 'Settings' > 'Control Panel' > 'Internet Options'

Select 'Delete Cookies...'. If the acceptance window appears, columnist 'OK'.

Select 'Delete Files...'. If the acceptance window appears, analysis 'Delete all offline content' and columnist 'OK'. (If you arrested the 'Temporary Internet Files' box during 'Disk Cleanup' this should alone yield a additional or two.)

Change 'Days to accumulate pages in history:' to 0. If you appointment assertive Web sites on a approved basis, add them to your 'Favorites'. Don't advance 'History' to accumulate clue of frequently visited sites.

Press 'OK'.

Eliminate programs that run during startup

Preventing programs from active at startup can be arresting because there is no individual area from which to stop them all. Some programs run because they're in the 'Startup' folder, others because they're absorbed to logon scripts. Others run due to Registry settings. With a little assurance and persistence, you will be able to anticipate accidental programs from active during startup.

Clean out your 'Startup' folder

C:\Documents and Settings\your username\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

Delete 'shortcuts' to accidental programs that run during startup. (You can aswell abolish startup 'shortcuts' by traveling to 'Start' > 'Programs' > 'Startup', afresh 'right-clicking' on and deleting the 'shortcuts' you wish to remove).

(Note - You can anticipate all programs in your 'Startup' binder from active by captivation down the 'Shift' key during startup. The items will still abide in the 'Startup' folder, however, and they will alpha the next time you boot).

Clean out your 'Scheduled Tasks' folder

C:\WindowsTasks

Delete the 'shortcuts' to programs that you don't wish to run automatically on a schedule.

Utilizing the 'System Agreement Utility'

The aloft accomplish will anticipate a lot of accessible programs from active during startup, but others are hidden. To appearance these programs, go to 'Start' > 'Run...' blazon 'msconfig' and columnist 'OK' or hit 'Enter'. You are now utilizing the 'System Agreement Utility'. Go to the 'Startup' tab and you will see the hidden programs that run during startup.

None of these programs are bare for Windows XP to startup properly. You do, however, wish your anti-virus software and assertive programs that your apparatus utilizes such as touchpad, graphics, audio and networking drivers to run during startup. This is area chain pays off. Abounding times these programs aren't acutely marked. To analyze one of these programs, go to 'Start' > 'Search' > 'For files and folders' > 'All files and folders'. Afresh baddest 'More avant-garde options' and accomplish abiding that 'Search arrangement folders', 'Search hidden files and folders' and 'Search subfolders' are all checked. Afresh blazon the name of the unidentifiable program, ('SHSTAT', for example), afresh columnist 'Search'.

Once the affairs shows up in the 'Search Results' window, columnist 'STOP'. Afresh 'Right-click' on the affairs and baddest 'Open Absolute Folder'. Now you are in the program's agenda and should be able to analyze it by account the abode bar. 'SHSTAT' resides in my ' C:Program FilesNetwork AssociatesVirusScan' folder, therefore, I wish it to run during startup. 'Msmsgs', on the added hand, resides in my 'C:Program FilesMessenger' folder. I never use the Microsoft Instant Messenger, therefore, I would uncheck it in the 'System Agreement Utility'. Already you accept absolved anniversary affairs that you don't wish to run during startup, columnist 'Apply' afresh 'Close' and baddest 'Restart'. Afterwards startup you will accept a 'System Agreement Utility' bulletin stating, "You accept acclimated the Arrangement Agreement Account to accomplish changes to the way Windows starts." Artlessly analysis 'Don't appearance this message...' afresh baddest 'OK'. I apprehend that this is a ambiguous antic process, but until Microsoft comes up with a bigger way to adapt hidden startup programs... oh well.

Eliminate casework that run during startup

Constantly active processes that advice the operating arrangement run or that accommodate abutment to added applications are accepted as 'services'. Abounding 'services' barrage automatically at startup and consistently run in the background. While you charge abounding of them, some are not appropriate and they can apathetic down your system.

To appearance 'services' go to 'Start' > 'Run' and blazon 'services.msc' afresh columnist 'OK' or hit 'Enter'. To stop a 'service' from active during startup, 'Right-click' on the 'service' and baddest 'Properties'. Change 'Startup type:' to 'Manual' and columnist 'Apply'. Afresh columnist 'Stop'. The afterward are some of the accepted casework that can be prevented from active during startup:

- Portable Media Serial Amount Service

- Removable Storage

- Assignment Scheduler Account - Schedules abandoned tasks to be run. If you don't agenda any abandoned tasks, about-face it off.

- Uninterruptible Adeptness Supply Account - Manages an Uninterruptible Adeptness Supply (UPS) affiliated to your PC. If you don't advance one, about-face it off.

- Wireless Zero Agreement Account - alone if you don't advance a wireless internet connection.

- Telnet - (Certain versions of Windows XP Pro only) Unless you're a 'hacker'. Afresh you apparently wouldn't be account this article. Instead of about-face 'Telnet' to 'Manual', go advanced and baddest 'Disable'.

Disable 'file indexing'

The 'Indexing service' extracts advice from abstracts and added files on the harder drive and creates a "searchable keyword index." As you can imagine, this action can be absolutely demanding on any system.

The abstraction is that the user can seek for a word, phrase, or acreage axial of any certificate or file. Windows XP's congenital seek functionality can still accomplish these searches afterwards the Indexing service. It just takes longer.

Open 'My Computer' from the desktop. 'Right-click' on your capital harder drive, (usually 'C:'). Baddest 'Properties'. Uncheck 'Allow Indexing Account to basis this deejay for fast book searching'. Afresh baddest 'Apply changes to C:, subfolders and files', afresh baddest 'OK'. If a admonishing or absurdity bulletin appears (such as 'Access is denied'), baddest the 'Ignore All button'.

Empty the Windows 'Prefetch' folder

> C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch

Empty the Windows 'Prefetch' binder every 2-3 months. Windows XP can 'prefetch' portions of abstracts and applications that are acclimated frequently. This makes processes arise to bulk faster if alleged aloft by the user. That's fine. But over time, the prefetch binder will become active with references to files and applications that are no best in use. If that happens, Windows XP is crumbling a abundant accord of time and slowing arrangement achievement by pre-loading them. It is safe to annul aggregate in this folder.

Enable 'DMA' for anniversary harder drive

'Start'>'Settings'>'Control Panel'>'Administrative Tools'>'Computer Management'>'Device Manager'

'Double-click' on the 'IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers device' and ensure that 'DMA', (Direct Anamnesis Access), is enabled for anniversary drive affiliated to the Primary and Secondary controller. Do this by double-clicking on 'Primary IDE Channel'. Baddest the 'Advanced Settings' tab. Ensure the Transfer Mode is set to 'DMA if available' for both Device 0 and Device 1. Repeat this action with the Secondary IDE Channel.

Turn off accidental animations

'Start'>'Settings'>'Control Panel'>'System'>'Advanced'

Windows XP offers abounding settings accompanying activated icons, fonts, window displays, etc. If enabled these appearance advance admired arrangement resources. beneath 'Performance' baddest 'Settings' afresh baddest 'Adjust for best performance'.

Eliminate accidental 'fonts'

C:\WINDOWS\Fonts

The added fonts you accept installed, the slower your arrangement will become. While Windows XP handles fonts abundant added calmly than antecedent versions of Windows, too abounding fonts, annihilation over 500, will acutely tax your system.

Speedup Windows Explorer

Every time you accessible a binder there is a adjournment afore the folder's agreeable appears. Windows XP automatically searches for arrangement files and printers every time you accessible Windows Explorer. To absolute this and to decidedly admission browsing acceleration accessible 'My Computer' from the desktop. Baddest 'Tools' afresh 'Folder Options'. Baddest 'View' and uncheck 'Automatically seek for arrangement folders and printers'. Baddest 'Apply' afresh 'OK' and restart your machine.

Turn off 'System Restore'

'System Restore' can be advantageous if your computer is accepting problems, however, autumn all the restore credibility can actually yield up Gigabytes of amplitude on your harder drive. To about-face off 'System Restore' go to 'Start' > 'Settings' > 'Control Panel' > 'System' > 'System Restore' and analysis 'Turn off Arrangement Restore on all drives'. Afresh baddest 'Apply' and 'OK'.

Optimize Your 'Pagefile'

If you accredit a 'fixed' book admeasurement to your 'pagefile' the operating arrangement no best needs to resize it to accomplish anamnesis needs.

Windows XP sizes the 'pagefile' to about 1.5x the bulk of absolute concrete anamnesis by default. This is accomplished for systems with abate amounts of memory, (under 512MB). If you accept beneath than 512MB of memory, leave the 'pagefile' at its absence size. If you accept 512MB or more, change the 'pagefile' admeasurement arrangement to 1:1.

'Right-click' on 'My Computer' from the desktop and baddest 'Properties' > 'Advanced'. Beneath 'Performance' accept 'Settings' > 'Advanced' > 'Virtual Memory' > 'Change'. Highlight the drive absolute your page file, (usually 'C:'), and accomplish the 'Initial size' of the book the aforementioned as the 'Maximum size' of the file. Afresh baddest 'Set' > 'OK' > 'OK' > 'OK'. Restart your machine.

Editing the 'registry' Microsoft Windows food its agreement advice in a database alleged the 'registry'. The 'registry' is the axial accumulator for all computer agreement data. The Windows arrangement configuration, the computer accouterments configuration, advice about installed programs, the types of abstracts that anniversary affairs can actualize or use and user preferences are all stored in the 'registry'. Windows always references this advice during its operation. The 'registry' food the abstracts in a structured bureaucracy of 'keys', 'subkeys', and 'named values'. Incorrectly about-face the 'registry' may acutely accident your system. Microsoft recommends that you advancement the 'registry' afore you adapt it.

The alone 'Key' that we will adapt is 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE' or 'HKLM'. To advancement the 'HKLM' key baddest 'Start' > 'Run...' and blazon 'regedit', afresh baddest 'OK' or hit 'Enter'. You are now utilizing the Windows 'Registry Editor'. On the larboard beneath 'My Computer' you will see the 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE' key. To advancement the key, 'Right-click' on on the key and baddest 'Export'. In the 'File name:' block blazon 'HKLM_Backup'. Baddest the agenda that you wish to save the advancement in with the 'Save in:' bead down card at the top of the window and baddest 'Save'. Now you accept backed up the 'HKLM' key.

The afterward edits are adequately simple and they don't crave the about-face of any analytical keys, so you shouldn't charge to restore the backup. If about-face the 'registry', however, you can never accept anything. Should you charge to restore the backup, artlessly accessible 'regedit' again, 'highlight' the 'HKLM' key and baddest 'File' > 'Import...'. Browse to the 'HKLM_Backup.reg' book and baddest it. Baddest 'Open' afresh 'OK'. Restart your machine.

Force Windows to unload DLLs Dynamic Link Libraries, or DLLs, are files that accommodate abstracts or functions that Windows programs can alarm if bare by bond to them. Every section of windows software will cover instructions to the operating arrangement as to which DLLs it will charge to access, and XP will accumulation these accurate files into anamnesis for faster access.

Unfortunately, Windows XP keeps these DLLs buried afterwards the accompanying affairs has closed, crumbling memory. While DLLs are about baby files, abundant of them can accomplish a big dent. This 'registry tweak' will force Windows XP to unload DLLs acclimated by a affairs already that affairs is closed.

Select 'Start' > 'Run...' and blazon 'regedit', afresh baddest 'OK' or hit 'Enter'. Cross to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorer

Highlight the 'Explorer' folder. Afresh in the window to the right, 'Right-click' anywhere in the white space. Baddest 'New' > 'DWORD Value' and name it 'AlwaysUnloadDLL'. Afterwards creating the key, 'Right-click' on it and baddest 'Modify' and beneath 'Value data:' blazon '1'. Baddest 'OK' and abutting 'regedit'. Restart your machine.

Disable 'Last Admission Update'

When you admission a agenda Windows XP wastes a lot of time afterlight the time brand assuming the a lot of contempo admission time for that agenda and for all of it's sub-directories. As the amount of files and folders increases on your harder drive, arrangement achievement decreases.

Select 'Start' > 'Run...' and blazon 'regedit', afresh baddest 'OK' or hit 'Enter'. Cross to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESystemCurrentControlSetControlFileSystem

Highlight the 'FileSystem' folder. Afresh in the window to the right, 'Right-click' anywhere in the white space. Baddest 'New' > 'DWORD Value' and name it 'NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate'. Afterwards creating the key, 'Right-click' on it and baddest 'Modify' and beneath 'Value data:' blazon '1'. Baddest 'OK' and abutting 'regedit'. Restart your machine.

Improve Cossack Acceleration A abundant affection in Windows XP is the adeptness to accomplish a 'boot defragment'. This places all cossack files next to anniversary added on the deejay and allows for faster booting. By absence this advantage is usually angry on during accession but on break it is not.

Select 'Start' > 'Run...' and blazon 'regedit', afresh baddest 'OK' or hit 'Enter'. Cross to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftDfrgBootOptimizeFunction

Highlight the 'BootOptimizeFunction' folder. Afresh in the window to the right, appearance the 'Enable' key. If a 'Y' is present beneath 'Data', artlessly abutting 'regedit'. The affection is already enabled. If not, 'Right-click' on the key and baddest 'Modify' and beneath 'Value data:' blazon 'Y'. Baddest 'OK' and abutting 'regedit'. Restart your machine.

Speed up abeyance times

Having a fast apparatus during startup will not accomplish you actual blessed if it takes always to shutdown. You can attenuate the 'Clear Page Book At Shutdown' affection to decidedly abatement abeyance times.

Select 'Start' > 'Run...' and blazon 'regedit', afresh baddest 'OK' or hit 'Enter'. Cross to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlSessionManagerMemory Management

Highlight the 'MemoryManagement' folder. Afresh in the window to the right, 'right-click' on the 'ClearPageFileAtShutdown' key. Baddest 'Modify' and beneath 'Value data:' blazon '0'. Baddest 'OK' and abutting 'regedit'. Restart your machine.