Free
up disk space
By freeing disk space, you can improve the
performance of your computer. The Disk Cleanup tool helps you free up
space on
your hard disk. The utility identifies files that you can safely
delete, and
then enables you to choose whether you want to delete some or all of
the
identified files.
Defragment
Your Hard Drive
Over time, the data on your hard drive gets
scattered. Defragment your hard drive puts your data back into
sequential
order, making it easier for Windows to access it. As a result, the
performance
of your computer will improve
Scan
Your Hard Disk
Has your computer ever crashed, making it
impossible to shut it down properly? Have you ever experienced a power
outage?
These problems and others can cause damage to your system files.
Windows
provides a utility called scandisk that will automatically detect and
fix much
of the damage, improving your system's performance in the process.
Scan
for Viruses
Viruses can wreak havoc on your computer.
Detecting and cleaning viruses is an excellent way to improve your
system's
performance. There are many antivirus programs to choose from, but the
About
Guide to Antivirus Software provides a list of the Top 7 Antivirus
Programs for
Windows.
Check for Spyware
and Adware
Spyware is software that allows companies
to monitor what websites you visit or even access your computer. Adware
is
software that displays advertisements. Both use system resources and
slow your
computer down. Detecting and removing the programs will improve system
performance.
Uninstall
Unneeded Programs
Removing programs that you no longer use
can free up space on your computer and speed up your system's
performance.
However, you need to uninstall the programs properly to see much
improvement;
deleting them is not enough.
Adjust
Visual Effects for Better Performance
Windows XP provides a number of interesting
visual effects like animated windows and fading menus. These effects,
however,
can slow down your computer. In this tutorial, you'll learn how to
customize
the visual effects to match your preferences and performance needs.
Stop
Programs from starting on Windows boot
One way you can speed up your computer is
to prevent programs from launching themselves at start-up. Not only do
the
unwanted programs delay the start of Windows, they also continue to
slow down
your computer since they use system resources.
Disable
The Unwanted Services
Disable Services you do not use or need.
Open control panel, open Administrative Tools, and select Services.
Disabling
the wrong Services may lead to serious problems that you may not notice
right
away. Please consult a reference such as overclockersclub.com for
information
on specific Windows XP Services.
Some
Tips
If this is your first defrag, do it after
the disk clean up twice, then a disk defrag, and then another disk
clean up.
Do all the above steps quite often to keep
the speed of your PC going.
Although time-intensive, a re-partition and
re-format of the hard disk drive, along with a clean installation of
Windows XP
will improve performance. Performing this task will remove all of your
existing
data, so a back-up or file copy is recommended first. Only save the
files you
created, as you will need to reinstall each application on the new
installation
of Windows. If you did not change the default location when saving
documents,
it may be safe to copy only the user folder and all files and folders
within it
(ie: "C:\Documents and Settings\(your user name)"). Typically, most
users will need to be sure to copy these files:
- Documents created using applications such as
Microsoft Word or similar office suite programs
- Bookmarks/Favorites from your Internet browser
- Fonts installed that are not included by
default with Windows (note that some fonts are installed by
applications).
- E-mail in-box and folders if you use an e-mail
client that does not use an Internet browser
- Any schedule data for programs such as Outlook
- Financial records for programs such as Quicken
Optimize the registry either manually or
with a third-party application. Many of these registry cleaner
programs are
available on the Internet, including commercial applications that are
released
as free trials. If you are not familiar with the registry, do not edit
it
manually -- the registry is vital to Windows' operation.
