How to Boost Windows XP Performance: General Tips
- 1). Clean up unwanted programs from starting up with your computer. These applications automatically execute along with your operating system, causing a delay in the system's startup time. You can do this by going to "Start>Programs>Startup" and simply deleting anything from the list presented.
Another (more advanced) method is to go to "Start>Run>" and type "MSCONFIG." Once launched, access the "Startup" tab from this utility and disable all unwanted programs from automatically being executed. If you are not comfortable with this, do not make any further alterations. - 2). Defragment your hard drive regularly. This utility speeds up your OS by organizing all data so that it can be read continuously, as opposed to searching for it in s scattered state.
Go to "Start>Programs>Accessories>System Files>System Defragmenter."
Run this application at least once a week. - 3). Disable all unnecessary services & processes.
Go to "Start>Run" and type "Services.msc" to access the services panel. Here you can take control of everything that runs on your system, from printing capabilities to network access.
Note: This is for advanced users only. - 4). Disable Windows Index Service. This is the process in which Windows constantly updates an index of all files on your system in order to make searching faster. If you do not regularly search for files, you may turn this off.
Visit "Start>Control Panel>Add/Remove Programs>Windows Components. From here, disable the "Indexing Service" option. - 5). You can also turn off all Windows animated effects that occur from your desktop and window-toggling. General effects may include the fading of a window when closing it, or the sliding of the Start menu when accessing it, as opposed to simply popping up on the screen.
Simply right click the 'My Computer' icon and select Properties. Visit the Advanced tab, and within the Performance section, click Settings.
