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OK, every time I have to install, reinstall, or optimize someone elses XP setup I forget what I need to do, so I have to go throught dozens of magizines and find all the good useful tips that will speed up the computer and Windows.
So I made this tutoral and text file so I and everyone else can see and use on a floppy or thumb drive or something and carry it around, so you don't have to forget and can the computer without downloading anything.

And if you have something to add, just post it and I'll add it to the text file and this post.

Services to turn off:

  • Alerter
  • Application Management
  • Automatic Updates
  • ClipBook
  • Distributed Link Tracking Client
  • Error Reporting Service
  • Fast User Switching Compatibility
  • Messenger
  • Portable Media Serial Number Service
  • Remote Registry
  • Routing and Remote Access
  • Task Scheduler
  • Telnet
  • TPC/IP NetBIOS Helper
  • Uninterruptible Power Supply
To turn of the service, right click on my computer. You can choose from your desktop or from windows explorer. select manage and computer management window will appear. select services under services and applications. Now you can choose that services will be off
Services

Change "Recycle Bin" size to 1%
To change it, Right click on recycle bin on your desktop or windows explorer. The windows recycle bin properties will appear. Drug the horizontal scroll until 1%. after that click Apply and OK. You can edit properties of this recycled bin global or by drive.
Recycle Bin Properties

Registry tips:

This tips is in registry editor. to open registry window you can find some tutorials in this weblog. Do step same the other tutorials in this weblog, but the difference is in the value or key.
Auto Sort Start Menu
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MenuOrder
Go to Edit/Permissions, click Advanced, clear the "Inherit From Parent" check box, click Copy from the dialog box, click OK and then clear the "Full Control" for your account and now Windows will autp sort the start menu, but you can still do it too

Disable User Tracking
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
Add or Edit DWORD = NoInstrumentation, Value = 1
Disables Windows user tracking; better performance, much better privacy

Cache Thumbnails

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
Add or Edit DWORD = DisableThumbnailCache, Value = 1
Disables thumbnails in Windows, saving hard drive space

Kill Chrashed Apps Quicker
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Add or Edit Sring = HungAppTimeout, Value = 1000-5000
Cuts time for Windows to recongize a crashed application and allow you to kill it; default is 5000(for 5 seconds)

Faster Start Menu
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Add or Edit Sring = MenuShowDelay, Value = 0 - 400
Changes the delay that for Windows to show a menu in the start menu; value is in ms

Network Intelligently
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters
Add or Edit String = DisableTaskOffload, Value = 1
Frees processor from doing network-card work

Browse the Network Faster
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RemoteComputer\NameSpace
Delete subkeys {2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D} and {D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF}
Speeds up network browsing of old Windows machines on the LAN by ignoring their scheduled tasks and printers

Remove Compression Option In Disk Cleanup

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Compress old files
Delete the Default Value Key and the next time you start Disk Cleanup, it will skip the compression analyisis

1 Response to "Windows Xp tips, A work in progress"

  1. Anonymous Says:

    In regard to "Services to turn off:"

    The Task Scheduler should not be disabled. This service does more than provide a scheduling service to users, the system itself uses it to perform important functions. If not set to Automatic the prefetch system will be crippled and both bootup and application load performance will be impaired. This service also schedules a defrag of boot files every three days during idle time.

    The benefits of disabling services are highly overrated and the risks can be high. Microsoft's documentation of service functions is not complete, many do more than described.

    Larry Miller
    Microsoft MCSA
    CompTIA Network+, A+

The world of computer, viruses, printers, networking and internet. Make your computer run better and run faster