Best Tips for PC Network Service Support

How To Speed up or Optimize Windows XP?
by Ronald Soh      www.ronaldsoh.com              

1.) Get Faster Harddisk  -  use SATA harddisk with 16Mb Cache

2.) Get More RAM –  ideally 1Gb for Windows XP and 3Gb for Windows Vista

3.) Use NTFS – Upgrade/Convert from FAT to NTFS

4.) Disable file indexing

5.) Update all devices drivers and System BIOS

6.) Delete files/folders in

·         Windows Prefetch folder

·         C:\windows\$NtUninstallKBxxxxxxxxxx$ folders (where xxxxxxxxx is string of numbers)

·         C:\windows\KBxxxxxxxxxlog  (where xxxxxxxxx is string of numbers)

·         C:\windows\SoftwareDistribution\download

·         C:\windows\ServicePackFiles

http://www.pc-shareware.com/UPDATE.htm (for easier and faster Windows Update Cleanup)

http://downloads.tech-pro.net/windows-xp-update-remover_tpwu01.html (for easier and faster Windows Update Cleanup)

7.) Perform Disk Cleanup

·         RUN cleanmgr /sageset:11   è RUN cleanmgr /sagerun:11 (Profile Setting Number 11)

·         Download ccleaner (www.ccleaner.com)

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 IDE cabling – use 80-cables IDE instead of 40-cables IDE. If you are changing harddisk, then try to upgrade to SATA harddisk. You will need to check whether you have SATA connection in your PC.  

10.) Download AdAware by Lavasoft or SpyBot Search & Destroy and Remove all spyware from the computer.

11.) Remove any unnecessary programs and/or items from Windows Startup routine using the MSCONFIG.

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

13.) Disable all Visual Effects in Performance Options

14.) Tweak Windows’s Registry XP PC. (Checkout Separate Articles on this)

15.) Perform Windows Update Manually (every 2 weeks)

16.) Upgrade Antivirus software and Update the Antivirus signatures often (Recommended every 2 hours) www.kaspersky.com

17.) Reduce the number of fonts – backup unused fonts (Checkout Separate Articles on this)

18.) Defrag Harddisk regularly – use jkdefrag http://www.kessels.com/JkDefrag

19.) Check the system's RAM – use Memtest86

20.) Upgrade PC’s CD/DVD recorder’s firmware

21.) Disable unnecessary services. (Checkout Separate Articles on this)

22.) Folder Options

To improve Windows Explorer’s stability - Enable "Launch folder windows in a separate process"

To improve Windows Explorer’s Performance - Disable "Automatically search for network folders and printers" and reboot PC

23) In Display Properties è Settings è Colour Quality è 16bit (medium)

24) Work in a simple and clean Windows

• Disable Desktop’s Background Wallpaper

• Disable Screen Saver

• Disable Hibernation

• Keep desktop clean, Do not keep files on desktop.

25.) Every year, clean up system, power supply and graphics fans. Vacuum suck the dust in the PC.

26) Keep Cached Files In Internet Explorer small. Set Temporary Internet files to 50Mb

Best Tips for PC Network Service Support