Tweaking Windows XP

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HOW TO - TWEAK XP

How To Tweak XP For Maximum Performance

Before we start going through the tips & tweaks I've picked up over time let me warn you that some of them involve modifying the registry. Always backup your registry before modifying it. You can do this by going to Run & typing Regedit. Now go to File -> Export and save it somewhere safe. If you ever want to go back 2 the way it was you can just double click the save file and it will add the original back. An alternative to this is to set a System Restore point so if it goes wrong you can just hop back to the way it was.

To increase system performance

Right click my computer. Click properties.
Click advanced.
Click settings (under performance).
Click Adjust for best performance.
Scroll to the bottom and check the last one “use visual styles on windows and buttons”.

How to disable XP's crap built in CD Burner

Click the start button.
Select Run.
Type services.msc and click ok.
Go to IMAPI CD-Burning Com Services open it and click on start up type, change to "Disabled".


These Settings will fine tune your systems memory

You need at least 256MB of ram to do this:

Go to start\run\regedit -and then to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management

1.DisablePagingExecutive -double click it and in the decimal put a 1 - this allows XP to keep data in memory now instead of paging sections of ram to harddrive yeilds faster performance.

2.LargeSystemCache- double click it and change the decimal to 1 -this allows XP Kernal to Run in memory and improves system performance a lot.

3.Create a new dword and name it IOPageLockLimit - double click it and set the value in hex - 4000 if you have 128MB of ram or set it to 10000 if you have 256MB set it to 40000 if you have more than 512MB of ram -this tweak will speed up your disckcache.

Reboot


Unable to delete from Avi files from HD

XP holds files in it's memory even after you have closed the application using them making it impossible to delete them from your harddrive. To fix this:

Start -> Run -> Regedit
Find the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.avi\shellex\PropertyHandler\ directory and delete the "DEFAULT" key.

Tweak The Swap File

For Users with 256 MB RAM or more this tweak will boost their Windows- and Game-Performance.
What it does: It tells Windows not to use any Swap File until there is really no more free RAM left.

Open the System Configuration Utility by typing msconfig.exe in the RUN command. There in your System.ini you have to add "ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1" under the 386enh section.

Restart your Windows and enjoy better Game performance

Disable Services

XP Pro runs a lot of services by default that are pointless if your not on a corporate network, the following services are ones that I safely disable thereby freeing up memory but check what each one does first to make sure your not using it for something:

Go to Run and type services.msc, right click on each service, properties and choose disable.

Alerter
Application Layer Gateway Service,
Application Management
Automatic Updates
Background Intelligent Transfer
Clipbook
Distributed Link Tracking Client
Distributed Transaction Coordinater
Error Reporting Service
Fast User Switching Compatibility
IMAPI CD-Burning
Indexing Service
IPSEC Services
Messenger
Net Logon
Net Meeting
Remote Desktop Sharing
Network DDE
Network DDE DSDM
Portable Media Serial Number
Remote Desktop Help Session Manager
Remote Registry
Secondary Logon
Smartcard
SSDP Discovery Service
Telnet Themes
Uninterruptible Power Supply
Universal Plug and Play Device Host
Upload Manager
Webclient
Wireless Zero Configuration
WMI Performance Adaptor


Speed Up The File System

NTFS is a great file system, but its feature-set comes at a slight cost in performance. You can negate this a little with the following tips:

* By default NTFS will automatically update timestamps whenever a directory is traversed. This isn't a necessary feature, and it slows down large volumes. Disable it by going to Run and type regedit:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem and set 'DisableNTFSLastAccessUpdate' to 1.

* NTFS uses disparate master file control tables to store filesystem information about your drives. Over time these core MFT files grow and become fragmented, slowing down all accesses to the drive. By setting aside a little space, MFT's can grow without becoming fragmented.

In the same key where you disabled the last access feature creat a new DWORD value called 'NtfsMftZoneReservation' and set it to 2.


Disable DLL Caching

Windows Explorer caches DLLs (Dynamic-Link Libraries) in memory for a period of time after the application using them has been closed. This can be an inefficient use of memory.

1. Find the key [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer].

2. Create a new DWORD sub-key named 'AlwaysUnloadDLL' and set the default value to equal '1' to disable Windows caching the DLL in memory.

3. Restart Windows for the change to take effect.


Tweak The Prefetch

1. Run "Regedit"
2. Goto [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters\EnablePrefetcher]

3. Set the value to either 0-Disable, 1-App launch prefetch, 2-Boot Prefetch, 3-Both ("3" is recommended).

4. Reboot.

It will decrease the boot time but double and increase the performance of your XP.


SpeedUp Your Connection By 20% (Cable Users Only)

1.Log on as "Administrator".
2. Run - gpedit.msc
3. Expand the "Local Computer Policy" branch.
4. Then expand the "Administrative Templates" branch.
5. Expand the "Network" branch.
6. Highlight the "QoS Packet Scheduler" in left pane.
7. In the right window pane double-click the "Limit Reservable Bandwidth" setting.
8. On the settings tab check the "Enabled" item.
9. Change "Bandwidth limit %" to read 0.
10. Then go to your Network connections Start=>Control Panel>Network & Internet connections>Network Connections and right-click on your connection. Then under the General or the Networking tab, (where it lists your protocols) make sure QoS packet scheduler is enabled.

It may take effect immediately on some systems. To be sure, just re-boot.

Hope everyone finds these useful.
 
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Ok, I did this.. but some reason..my laptop is slower than usuall..
 
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Wow, that screwed up my pc more than ever.
 
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ive gave these tips to a few friends they never had any troble thats why i say make sure to Always backup your registry before modifying it they all did it with out a hitch and no troble so i can only say maybe you guys miss did some thing
 
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Heh, why would you change your system configuration anyways knowing you'd be at risk of messing it up? I haven't tried this and i wouldnt "tweak" what has already been implemented into my hardware for a tad bit better of performance. My pc runs fine on normal settings with a symple spyware/virus scanner.
 
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Here's a different method of getting a faster startup:
1. Download Microsoft's bootvis.exe
2. Run, and extract the file (I just put it on the desktop.)
3. Run bootvis.exe and under <i>File</i>, go <i>New -> "Next Boot and Driver Trace"</i>, when the next prompt pops up, just click ok, you will be asked to reboot.
*REMEMBER THIS NEXT STEP*
4. After rebooting, bootvis will automatically run again, then choose <i>Trace -> Optimize System</i>, you will be prompted to reboot again, upon restart, a box will popup saying something like "Optimizing system, this process may take a few minutes."
5. Tadah, you are done.
After this I couldn't believe how much faster my computer was starting, I think it boots at least 10 seconds faster now, so I'd say it's worth a shot to try it out.
 
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There are a few services on your list that alot of people use. For instance, many MP3 scripts require the winamp plugin that uses DDE. In addition the ALG is used by alot of other programs. I also have issues with you picking UPNP . . . You expect people who have comps hooked up to lans to function properly?

Some of these tweeks aren't a bad idea, but others should only be done with care. For instance loading the WinXP system into RAM instead of running it off the disk cache certainly does make your machine run faster, but at what cost? Look at all the RAM you burn. Unless you want Doom3 running off of your disk cache, I'd suggest not following this guide.

Further, and most importantly, this guide does little to nothing about describing what's being done to your machine performance wise. Unless you are a competent computer technician, I wouldn't use it at all.
 
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I took Opti's program and used it, sped up my boot by at least 5 seconds. I also killed alot of services I *know* my computer dosn't use, and killed some programs from my startup, and my machine runs better than ever.

Most of that guide I would steer clear of however. I've tried them before, only to screw my system and be forced into sitting there for 3 days trying to figure it out or doing a format.
 
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I tried opti's program too but It just froze when it was restarting at the loading bar...Maybe it doesn't work with sp2.?
 
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i tryed Prime tool and i have sp2 and it didint crash but even after doining it i dont really notice a diff but it didint hurt to try it
 
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Cucumba said:
Bootvis doesn't always work if you have a streamlined boot sequence already.
Yah, and just coming off a cold boot, I really noticed the difference, as opposed as to just testing it with the ol' three finger salute/restart methods.
 
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I don't think I'd try any of that stuff. Bottom line, I'd have to be pretty desperate to need such a relatively minor improvement boost.
 
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SaiyanPrideXIX said:
I don't think I'd try any of that stuff. Bottom line, I'd have to be pretty desperate to need such a relatively minor improvement boost.
Even though some stuff is pretty minor, like a 10 second faster start up, It's like carrying around a lucky charm... what have you got to lose? (Some of the more serious stuff, where you're going in the registry... you may have a little bit more to lose =P)
 
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is there a way to know wut that program changed?! cuz now windows use 260mb, used to only take 130 and i want all the free ram possible for games i dont really care if windows is slow :O
 
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Pink_Fat_buu said:
is there a way to know wut that program changed?! cuz now windows use 260mb, used to only take 130 and i want all the free ram possible for games i dont really care if windows is slow :O
No, but you can always whip out the System Restore feature in XP. I know its bailed me out countless times.
 
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Pink_Fat_buu said:
is there a way to know wut that program changed?! cuz now windows use 260mb, used to only take 130 and i want all the free ram possible for games i dont really care if windows is slow :O
Bootvis wouldn't change what is assigned where in what memory. It only streamlines the priorities given to boot programs.
 

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