Maximum Speed for XP
Everything perimits. Including your PC. In time, even the most powerful PC will lose its agility. There are a lot of things that helps this. Thankfully, the most of them can be destroyed. I will show you how.
You miss the times when nothing seems to be between you? Well, those times are gone now. You are older, slower, and more stubborn… And still, hopeful You can do a lot of things. Because always is a place for better. But for the moment you need to make a facelift for your XP machine. The computer starts slow, the windows are super slow… like everything moves “matrix” if you know what I mean, and that until everything gets stuck.Defragmentation, virus scan, updating used software, registry cleaning are some of the things you should often get done. This helps the efficiently of your system. Then it’s more…
On your Hard Disks, more and more data is building up. More, you delete and add new ones very often. So, the conditions of disk fragmenting are getting done.
Let’s say that on your HDD you will delete two files placed on different spots, and, you want to replace them with a single file that has an aprox. the same size as those two put together. In the logical way, the HDD will split into those two free spaces and when it will access it, it will lose precious time reading from the two locations. However, this is only the start of the fragmenting. The files will be copied in smaller and smaller sizes and the computer will access them slower and slower. Here comes the defragmentation, having the role of rearranging the files so when they are accessed it will be as close as the real one(when it’s not affected by fragmentation)
The Disk Defragmenter tool included in XP (Start – All Programs – Accessories – System Tools - Disk Defragmenter offers classic defragmentation. But there is a whole series of dedicated programs, every one of them having it’s own advantages.
Recommended application: Smart Defrag.
Still defragmentation doesn’t get rid of the big quantity of data that gets into our computer without knowing. Along with the messy music collection and video collection there are obscure files like temporary files, old internet navigation files, twin files, shortcuts to applications that doesn’t exist anymore. This ballast not only
takes space from your hard drive, but but makes operations like defragmentation to take a very long time. Also, the Windows’s registry, along with others system settings, it consists of a database where the installed programs are kept. Windows should delete these signatures from the database. However, that’s why I advise you, again, to use a dedicated program that will delete useless temporary files and internet cake files, also with useless registry entries.
Recommended Application: CCleaner
Now you have a lot of applications, a lot of useful applications that you let in your PC to die there with you. In many application’s case, the trial version is expired and, even if the presence of them doesn’t justify the useless used space from your HDD, making harder for you to get to the wanted applications, even those who use the most.
The easiest way for uninstalling an application is to go to Start – Control Panel – Add or Remove Programs. Here you select the application and click the Change/Remove button. Unfortunately, some of the application doesn’t come with a uninstall function or at least they are corrupt. The useless programs stay, and then, the same effect: rush hour for your system and then stuck! And then, again, you will need to use a dedicated program.
Recommended Application: Revo Uninstaller Free Edition
Access to the window where you can install/uninstall background programs is simple:
1.Go to Start – Run and write “msconfig” and click OK.
2.In System Configuration Utility window select Startup tab. A list with active startup and background programs will show up. Uncheck those that you consider useless.
3.Confirm with Apply and then click OK. The new settings will be set after you restart your computer.
There is a more elegant way to get rid of the useless desktop shortcuts with Cleanup Wizard inside Windows.
1.Right click on the desktop and select Properties.
2.In the Desktop tab select Customize Desktop. The Desktop Items window will come up.
3.Here check Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 days then click Clean Desktop Now.
4.The Desktop Cleanup Wizard window will come up. Click Next. A list of shortcuts will appear with the last time they were accessed. Those who were never accessed are already checked. It along with these you want to check others check them.
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The pro’s will always have classic interface. If you want speed, follow the steps:
To change the theme:
1.Right click on desktop and select Properties – Themes. Select Windows Classic, then confirm with Apply.
2.Now go to the Desktop tab and in the Background list select None. No background image but you’ll have speed.
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3.Now go to the Appearance tab and click the Effects button. Uncheck all options, so all the menu effects will disappear.
4.Now go to the Settings tab and in the Color quality list select Medium (16 bit). Less color, more speed!
Revitalize XP
You already know that in “rebuilding” XP is important deleting useless files and cleaning registry. If we defragment the hard disk then our XP will be like new one.
Step 1: Cleaning where you work
CCleaner is a polyvalent application. Once you discovered its benefits, it will become like your best friend. You can download it from here.
Uhen installing CCleaner make sure you uncheck the Add Yahoo Toolbar (optional)
box.
After you installed the program it should look like this:
Click Analyze so the program will analyze your system for useless files. After the analyisis are complete click Run Cleaner.
Now that the temporary files are deleted next we will get rid of the useless registry files that remained from older install files or invalid formats.
Click the Registry tab in the left.
Next click Scan for Issues and wait for scanning. After the scan is done click Fix selected issues…
Step 2: Another way of defragmentation.
With how data are transiting your hard disk, the more it defragmenting has to occur more often. And as Windows Defrag is too demanding, Smart Defrag will be a “clever” solution. You can download the application from here.
After you installed the application it should look like this:
The program will start an automatic defragmentation as soon is it started. The applications has three options of defragmentation: Defrag Only, Fast Optimize and Deep Optimize. Now, we will select
Deep Optimize for maximum performance. Make sure the Enable Auto Defrag box is checked or click Recommended under Auto Defrag tab.
