How do you speed up xp?

pnave01

New Member
Reaction score
0
Was just curious as to what programs and tweaks everyone here uses to speed up a system with XP home or Pro that is starting to running slow.

Thanks everyone
 
Was just curious as to what programs and tweaks everyone here uses to speed up a system with XP home or Pro that is starting to running slow.

Thanks everyone



Depends on if the XP system in question is for me or a customer. If its for a customer I don't get too tweak happy. I also don't mess with many of the background services, or bundled programs.

If the system is mine, the sky is the limit. A list of tweaks I do for my XP would fill two or three pages.
 
Autoruns and disable most of the programs under the "Logon" tab. Then run CCleaner on both the normal settings as well as Registry.
 
My normal speed up service includes -->more memory <--:D

Hard Drive(s)-->Properties-->Uncheck Allow Indexing

My Computer-->Properties-->Advanced-->Performance Settings-->Uncheck all except background images, common tasks, drop shadows, (visual styles...depends on user preferences)

msconfig-->Startup-->uncheck whatever isn't needed

regedit-->HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Run\-->delete msconfig, and any other that's not needed

regedit-->HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Control Panel/Desktop-->AutoEndTasks=1, HungAppTimeout=1000, WaitToKillAppTimeout=2000, ShowMenuDelay=150

Folder Options-->View-->Uncheck Search for Network and Printers, check show hidden, uncheck hide system

Hard Drive(s)-->Delete Recycler

Folder Options-->View-->check hide hidden, check hide system

Run CCleaner

Clean Registry

Auslogic Registry Defrag-->Reboot

Power Defrag--> Triple Pass
 
Thanks everyone for all your help. As soon as i get my test rig up and running (hopefully in a week) i will be testing all the programs and tweaks that i have seen here.

Once again thanks alot for all this help, your all helping my buisness become the success that i dream it will be.
 
Here is what I tend to do...

1. Start menu > run > msconfig > startup tab and disable all of the programs or files you dont need to run on boot up.

2. Disable un-needed services in the services.msc directive from the run box as well.

You really need to delete the registry entries. Msconfig is just used for troubleshooting and not actually removing the programs from starting. If you deselect the programs in msconfig, then every time your computer loads it will boot in diagnostic mode and not a normal boot.

Unless of course you choose the option to boot normally, then all the programs in the registry will load.

At least thats how I use msconfig...... Just for troubleshooting startups.
 
Download & install MSConfig Cleanup and you can choose which of the disabled startup items to remove. You can also use programs like RegSeeker to disable or remove staturp entries directly in the registry.

I personally think its just better to learn how to edit the registry and remove the entries. Its not that hard and only takes a minute or two. No need to install additional software.

Sure a non-computer tech may find those programs handy but if your working on PC's for a living, I hope you know how to remove start up programs from the registry manually.

Anyways, just my opinion.
 
I personally think its just better to learn how to edit the registry and remove the entries. Its not that hard and only takes a minute or two. No need to install additional software.

Sure a non-computer tech may find those programs handy but if your working on PC's for a living, I hope you know how to remove start up programs from the registry manually.

Anyways, just my opinion.

Not a big deal, but I'm curious why. I would think an efficient, portable app such as Autoruns would be faster and safer.

Am I missing something?

Steve
 
Not a big deal, but I'm curious why. I would think an efficient, portable app such as Autoruns would be faster and safer.

Am I missing something?

I agree. It is faster and more efficient. Some people just like doing things a certain way. I had a former college pro. of mine tell me that he could do anything I could do in the GUI through command line and do it faster. I proved him wrong many times.

Although it might come in handy to know how to edit the registry manually or use command line for everything, If there is a program out there with a nice GUI and it does just as good of a job, thats what I'll use.

A really good example of this is one of my favorite programs, its called your uninstaller. When you remove a program through add/remove programs in Windows it leaves garbage files and reg entries all over your system. Depending on the size of the program it may be just a few or in the case of Office 2007 if you uninstall it using add/remove it will leave over 1000 entries in the registry. Your uninstaller finds and deletes all of these. To do this manually would take hours even if you knew exactly what to look for.
 
Last edited:
I personally think its just better to learn how to edit the registry and remove the entries. Its not that hard and only takes a minute or two. No need to install additional software.

Sure a non-computer tech may find those programs handy but if your working on PC's for a living, I hope you know how to remove start up programs from the registry manually.

Anyways, just my opinion.

Have you used Autoruns? There's far more parsed on startup than just the items visible in MSConfig, it will also help you identify any broken links that can severly slow down boot-up times and can help identify links to viruses, malware and rootkits.

I wouldn't advise a non-techie to use Autoruns unless they are absolutely sure they know what they're doing, its easy to render a system unusable in the wrong hands.
 
Not a big deal, but I'm curious why. I would think an efficient, portable app such as Autoruns would be faster and safer.

Am I missing something?

Steve

Yeah I guess its just personal preference. I'd rather just invoke the editor
and remove the entries. I'm sure Autoruns is a good program.

Generally, if I can accomplish something using utilities built into windows then I prefer that route. It just seems easier to me.. rather then finding, downloading, installing programs.. relying on their cdrom drive to be operational, usb, or any other media.
 
.......
A really good example of this is one of my favorite programs, its called your uninstaller. When you remove a program through add/remove programs in Windows it leaves garbage files and reg entries all over your system.

Gunslinger,

I took a look at your uninstaller today. It really looks powerful. I didn't see a way to make it portable (at least legally). I've been using Revo Uninstaller and it seems pretty good and it comes in a portable version.

Have you by any chance and opportunity to compare them?

Thanks for your time....
Steve
 
Gunslinger,

I took a look at your uninstaller today. It really looks powerful. I didn't see a way to make it portable (at least legally). I've been using Revo Uninstaller and it seems pretty good and it comes in a portable version.

Have you by any chance and opportunity to compare them?

Thanks for your time....
Steve


I have used Revo Uninstaller and it seems to work fine, although less powerful than your uninstaller.
 
Back
Top