1.) To decrease a system’s boot time and increase system performance, use the money you save by not buying defragmentation software — the built-in Windows defragmenter works just fine — and instead equip the computer with an Ultra-133 or Serial ATA hard drive with 8-MB cache buffer.

2.) If a PC has less than 512 MB of RAM, add more memory. This is a relatively inexpensive and easy upgrade that can dramatically improve system performance.

3.) Ensure that Windows XP is utilizing the NTFS file system. If you’re not sure, here’s how to check: First, double-click the My Computer icon, right-click on the C: Drive, then select Properties. Next, examine the File System type; if it says FAT32, then back-up any important data. Next, click Start, click Run, type CMD, and then click OK. At the prompt, type CONVERT C: /FS:NTFS and press the Enter key. This process may take a while; it’s important that the computer be uninterrupted and virus-free. The file system used by the bootable drive will be either FAT32 or NTFS. I highly recommend NTFS for its superior security, reliability, and efficiency with larger disk drives.

4.) Disable file indexing. The indexing service extracts information from documents and other files on the hard drive and creates a “searchable keyword index.” As you can imagine, this process can be quite taxing on any system.

The idea is that the user can search for a word, phrase, or property inside a document, should they have hundreds or thousands of documents and not know the file name of the document they want. Windows XP’s built-in search functionality can still perform these kinds of searches without the Indexing service. It just takes longer. The OS has to open each file at the time of the request to help find what the user is looking for.

Most people never need this feature of search. Those who do are typically in a large corporate environment where thousands of documents are located on at least one server. But if you’re a typical system builder, most of your clients are small and medium businesses. And if your clients have no need for this search feature, I recommend disabling it.

Here’s how: First, double-click the My Computer icon. Next, right-click on the C: Drive, then select Properties. Uncheck “Allow Indexing Service to index this disk for fast file searching.” Next, apply changes to “C: subfolders and files,” and click OK. If a warning or error message appears (such as “Access is denied”), click the Ignore All button.

5.) Update the PC’s video and motherboard chipset drivers. Also, update and configure the BIOS. For more information on how to configure your BIOS properly, see this article on my site.

6.) Empty the Windows Prefetch folder every three months or so. Windows XP can “prefetch” portions of data and applications that are used frequently. This makes processes appear to load faster when called upon by the user. That’s fine. But over time, the prefetch folder may become overloaded with references to files and applications no longer in use. When that happens, Windows XP is wasting time, and slowing system performance, by pre-loading them. Nothing critical is in this folder, and the entire contents are safe to delete.

7.) Once a month, run a disk cleanup. Here’s how: Double-click the My Computer icon. Then right-click on the C: drive and select Properties. Click the Disk Cleanup button — it’s just to the right of the Capacity pie graph — and delete all temporary files.

8.) In your Device Manager, double-click on the IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers device, and ensure that DMA is enabled for each drive you have connected to the Primary and Secondary controller. Do this by double-clicking on Primary IDE Channel. Then click the Advanced Settings tab. Ensure the Transfer Mode is set to “DMA if available” for both Device 0 and Device 1. Then repeat this process with the Secondary IDE Channel.

9.) Upgrade the cabling. As hard-drive technology improves, the cabling requirements to achieve these performance boosts have become more stringent. Be sure to use 80-wire Ultra-133 cables on all of your IDE devices with the connectors properly assigned to the matching Master/Slave/Motherboard sockets. A single device must be at the end of the cable; connecting a single drive to the middle connector on a ribbon cable will cause signaling problems. With Ultra DMA hard drives, these signaling problems will prevent the drive from performing at its maximum potential. Also, because these cables inherently support “cable select,” the location of each drive on the cable is important. For these reasons, the cable is designed so drive positioning is explicitly clear.

10.) Remove all spyware from the computer. Use free programs such as AdAware by Lavasoft or SpyBot Search & Destroy. Once these programs are installed, be sure to check for and download any updates before starting your search. Anything either program finds can be safely removed. Any free software that requires spyware to run will no longer function once the spyware portion has been removed; if your customer really wants the program even though it contains spyware, simply reinstall it. For more information on removing Spyware visit this Web Pro News page.

11.) Remove any unnecessary programs and/or items from Windows Startup routine using the MSCONFIG utility. Here’s how: First, click Start, click Run, type MSCONFIG, and click OK. Click the StartUp tab, then uncheck any items you don’t want to start when Windows starts. Unsure what some items are? Visit the WinTasks Process Library. It contains known system processes, applications, as well as spyware references and explanations. Or quickly identify them by searching for the filenames using Google or another Web search engine.

12.) Remove any unnecessary or unused programs from the Add/Remove Programs section of the Control Panel.

13.) Turn off any and all unnecessary animations, and disable active desktop. In fact, for optimal performance, turn off all animations. Windows XP offers many different settings in this area. Here’s how to do it: First click on the System icon in the Control Panel. Next, click on the Advanced tab. Select the Settings button located under Performance. Feel free to play around with the options offered here, as nothing you can change will alter the reliability of the computer — only its responsiveness.

14.) If your customer is an advanced user who is comfortable editing their registry, try some of the performance registry tweaks offered at Tweak XP.

15.) Visit Microsoft’s Windows update site regularly, and download all updates labeled Critical. Download any optional updates at your discretion.

16.) Update the customer’s anti-virus software on a weekly, even daily, basis. Make sure they have only one anti-virus software package installed. Mixing anti-virus software is a sure way to spell disaster for performance and reliability.

17.) Make sure the customer has fewer than 500 type fonts installed on their computer. The more fonts they have, the slower the system will become. While Windows XP handles fonts much more efficiently than did the previous versions of Windows, too many fonts — that is, anything over 500 — will noticeably tax the system.

18.) Do not partition the hard drive. Windows XP’s NTFS file system runs more efficiently on one large partition. The data is no safer on a separate partition, and a reformat is never necessary to reinstall an operating system. The same excuses people offer for using partitions apply to using a folder instead. For example, instead of putting all your data on the D: drive, put it in a folder called “D drive.” You’ll achieve the same organizational benefits that a separate partition offers, but without the degradation in system performance. Also, your free space won’t be limited by the size of the partition; instead, it will be limited by the size of the entire hard drive. This means you won’t need to resize any partitions, ever. That task can be time-consuming and also can result in lost data.

19.) Check the system’s RAM to ensure it is operating properly. I recommend using a free program called MemTest86. The download will make a bootable CD or diskette (your choice), which will run 10 extensive tests on the PC’s memory automatically after you boot to the disk you created. Allow all tests to run until at least three passes of the 10 tests are completed. If the program encounters any errors, turn off and unplug the computer, remove a stick of memory (assuming you have more than one), and run the test again. Remember, bad memory cannot be repaired, but only replaced.

20.) If the PC has a CD or DVD recorder, check the drive manufacturer’s Web site for updated firmware. In some cases you’ll be able to upgrade the recorder to a faster speed. Best of all, it’s free.

21.) Disable unnecessary services. Windows XP loads a lot of services that your customer most likely does not need. To determine which services you can disable for your client, visit the Black Viper site for Windows XP configurations.

22.) If you’re sick of a single Windows Explorer window crashing and then taking the rest of your OS down with it, then follow this tip: open My Computer, click on Tools, then Folder Options. Now click on the View tab. Scroll down to “Launch folder windows in a separate process,” and enable this option. You’ll have to reboot your machine for this option to take effect.

23.) At least once a year, open the computer’s cases and blow out all the dust and debris. While you’re in there, check that all the fans are turning properly. Also inspect the motherboard capacitors for bulging or leaks. For more information on this leaking-capacitor phenomena, you can read numerous articles on my site.

1. To reduce the boot time and improve performance, do not use third-party defrag software, simply use the artificial Defragmenter tool (built-in) Windows, will not be much different. And also, you should use a hard drive with Ultra-133 type or Serial ATA (SATA) with 8-MB buffer.

2. If RAM PC is less than 512 MB, then you should add memory capacity. It is relatively inexpensive and will help improve your system’s performance dramatically.

3. Make sure the file system used by Windows XP is NTFS. How to check:

a. Open Windows Explorer (My Computer)
b. Right click on drive C:
c. Click Properties.

If it turns out the file system you are using FAT32, then to change it is in the following way:
- Backup important data used to it.
- Click Start> Run> type CMD
- After the Command Prompt window appears, type:

Code:

CONVERT C: / FS: NTFS

Note: do not be interrupted when doing this conversion, and also in a state free from viruses. The file system used by the bootable drive (usually C can be FAT32 or NTFS. I highly recommend NTFS for its superior security, reliability, and efficiency is greater.

4. Disable File Indexing. File Indexing service extracts information from documents and other files available on the hard drive and create a “searchable keyword index” (index search keywords). Can imagine, this process is very burdensome system.

How it works as follows:

A user searches for word, phrase, or property inside a document, from which documents hundreds or thousands, and he did not know the name of the document sought. Windows XP with built-in search is still able to do these kinds of searches without the Indexing service. It just takes longer. Operating systems have to open each file when asked to help find what the user wants.

Most people do not need this search feature. Which usually requires a large corporate environment where thousands of documents are located at least one server. Akan tetapi jika hanya semacam system builder, yang kebanyakan kliennya adalah bisnis kecil dan menengah, dan jika para klien tidak membutuhkan fitur tersebut, saya rekomendasikan supaya mendisfungsikannnya (disable) layanan tersebut.

how to disabled it:

a. Open Windows Explorer (My Computer)
b. Right click on drive C:
c. Select Properties
d. Uncheck (checklist) “Allow Indexing Service to index this disk for fast file searching.”
e. Click the Apply button, appears: Apply changes to “C: subfolders and files”
f. Click the OK button.

If there is a warning or error message appears (such as “Access is denied”), click the Ignore All button.

5. Update drivers VGA and chipset motherboard, including BIOS updates and configuration. Find info, info about the BIOS settings right on the Internet.

6. Clear the Prefetch folder windows every 3 months or more.

Windows XP to record some of the data or applications that are often used to make the process appear to load faster when called by the user. This is good, but for a long time, the prefetch folder may become overloaded with references to files and applications no longer in use. If that happens, Windows XP is wasting time and slowing system performance, while doing load applications or files. Nothing is important in these folders, and entire contents are safe to delete.
Located in the folder: C: \ WINDOWS \ Prefetch \

7. Once a month run the disk cleanup.

How:

a. Open Windows Explorer (My Computer)
b. Right click on drive C:
c. Select Properties
d. Click the Disk Cleanup and delete all temporary files.

8. In Device Manager, double-click the IDE ATA / ATAPI Controllers device, and make sure DMA was enabled (enabled) for each drive that is connected to the Primary or Secondary Controller and controller.

Do this by way of:

a. Double click on Primary IDE Channel. then click the Advanced Settings tab.
b. Make sure the Transfer Mode is set to “DMA if Available” for both Device 0 and Device 1.
c. Do the same thing on Secondary IDE Channel.

9. Wiring Upgrade.

To increase your hard disk technology, pengakabelan needed that would encourage better performance.
Be sure to use the cable 80-wire Ultra-133 for all IDE devices and use appropriate connectors with socket Master / Slave / Motherboard.

Device his reply was just one, must be connected to the very end connector of the ribbon cable (data cable), not the connector is in the middle of the ribbon cable, if not, there will be a signal problem. In ultra DMA hard disk, this could signal a problem preventing disk maximize their potential.

10. Remove all spyware from your computer.

Use free programs such as Lavasoft AdAware or SpyBot artificial Search & Destroy. After the program is installed, be sure to check and download updates if any, before performing a search on computer spyware.
Any program found to be removed safely. All programs are free to ask for spyware to run will not work anymore. If free programs were still needed to stay just one more install.

11. Dispose of all programs or unnecessary items from the routine (routin) Windows startup using MSCONFIG utility.

How:

a. Click Start> Run> type MSCONFIG> click OK
b. Click the StartUp tab?> Then remove the checklist (tick) from the unwanted programs.

Not familiar with these items? Visit the WinTasks Process Library. The site includes system processes, applications and also known about spyware and penjelsannya reference. Or can identify the name of these items directly by using google.

12. Discard any unused programs from the Add / Remove Programs in Control Panel.

13. Turn off some or all of the animations that are not needed and turn off (disable) active desktop.

In fact, to optimize performance, turn off all animation. Windows XP offers many settings are different in this section.

How:

a. Click the System icon in Control Panel
b. Click the Advanced tab
c. Click the Settings button in the Performance box.
d. Remove the checklist (tick) what options did not want to run.
Or can just click on the Radio Button: Adjust for best performance.

14. Kalo can edit the Registry of Windows XP, do to improve the performance of XP.

Can use the software tweak or edit the registry manually. In the Internet has a lot of spread.

15. Visit Microsoft’s Windows update site regularly and download all updates labeled Critical.


Download any optional updates at your discretion. (remember, if the Windows XP operating system software was pirated, do not try to update, can be given a “rubber stamp” as a sign of pirated Microsoft that it will slow down the system when booting and running).

16. Anti-virus updates once a week or even daily. Make sure only one of the installed software. Combining more than one antivirus will only invite the disease for performance and kahandalan computer.

17. Make sure the font is installed less than 500 type on the computer. The more fonts, the slower the system. Although Windows XP is more efficient in handling the font from the previous version, but the excess fonts will result in lower system.

18. Do not partition your hard drive. (Optional only)

NTFS File System Windows XP run more efficiently on one large partition. Not more safety data on a separate partition, and format is not required to re-reinstall the Operating System (OS). One partition is working so there is no restriction by the partition but will be limited by the size of hard drive capacity itself. So no need to resize partitions meghabiskan time and risk of data loss.

19. Perform checks of the system RAM to ensure proper operation.

I recommend to use a free program memtest86.
Once downloaded, can make a bootable CD or floppy disk (at your option) which will conduct tests on 10 kinds of memory the PC malakukan automatically after booting from the CD or floppy disk created. Let all the tests run until at least past the end of the 3 tests 10 tests. If the program finds an error, turn off and unplug the computer power, pull the RAM memory, replace with others and do more tests. Remember, a damaged memory can not be repaired, and can only be replaced.

20. If there is a CD or DVD recorder / writer, find the updated firmware from the manufacturer. In some cases, upgrades can prove the speed recorder and usually free.

21. Non-enable (disable) service (service) is not important.

Windows XP install many services that are not needed. To determine what services are not needed, go to Black Viper site for Windows XP configurations.

22. If a single view of Windows Explorer having problems when displaying the file and prevent the operating system, do the following:

a. Open My Computer
b. Click Tools
c. Click Folder Options?
d. Click the View tab
e. Slide / roll down to “Launch folder windows in a separate process”, enable this option. After the computer is restarted, this option will run.

23. At least once a year, open the computer case and clean all the dust and “ruins”. Meanwhile, also check the fan, whether the rotation was proportional.