Windows XP Information Resouces and Optimization Tips:
- Troubleshooting issues in Windows XP:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp.htm
- For a very detailed overview of customizing and working with Windows XP:
http://www.tweakguides.com/TGTC.html
- Download the 'Regular Edition' of The TweakGuides Tweaking Companion. (For less than $5, you can buy the Deluxe Edition with screenshot and other features, if you feel it would be helpful.)
- the 'regular edition' file downloaded is TGTC_XP.pdf.
- ** In this blog, I have listed the tweaks and customizations from the file that I found most useful. Most of them I have just listed as a topic, and for in-depth details, you will need to refer to the pdf file.
However, I have added the details on system maintenance in an easy-to-follow guide, since I think this is cruicial for continued acceptable operation of a computer running Windows XP. Many of the maintenance steps can also be used in newer operating systems. However, I have only verified the process in Windows XP.
- Comprehensive list of Registry Tweaks and fixes
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
- Windows Services Guides:
http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm (easier layout to follow)
http://www.theeldergeek.com/services_guide.htm
- Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx
**** Some very useful software that is used for maintaining optimal system performance:
- Download CCleaner and Defraggler:
http://www.piriform.com/defraggler
http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner
- Setup Defraggler's options to 'move large files to the outside of the disk', save settings to an .ini file, and setup a monthly defragmentation schedule. (however it is good to open the program once a month to check for software updates.)
- Optimize CCleaner as per instruction in TGTC_XP.pdf file.
- Download NTRegOpt for defragmenting the registry:
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/
- Download Erunt for backing up the registy:
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/
- Download PageDefrag to degrag and consolidate your pagefiles, system, and registry:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897426.aspx
**** System Maintenance:
- Do this before maintenance as a precautionary step
- Create a System Restore point.
- Backup the Registry using Erunt.
- Run DiskCleanup
- Run CCleaner
- Run PageDegrag
- Run NTRegOpt
- Run Defraggler to defragment your drives
- Run Defraggler to defrag the freespace
- Do a chkdsk /f on all drives.
(for sure, do these above steps after installing/uninstalling any major program, and initial load of windows, or upgrades.)
- Create a System Restore point.
- Backup the Registry using Erunt.
- Do a full manual backup of important files and folders to an External Hard-Drive, and once in a while to DVD's(including your favorites, desktop files/folders, my documents, screenshots of your Start Menu/Programs for your user-logins and All Users, Windows Media Player playlists, etc). Do this backup frequently, because once it's gone, it's gone for good usually.
**** This completes System Maintenance
**** Note: If done correctly, and depending on your system size and performance, this system maintenance activity shouldn't take longer than an hour. However, realistically, with today's systems, this could take much longer, especially if you miss doing maintenance for a few months, or even a year or so...
- There is and has never been created an auto-maintenance that will do all the above steps properly. Many tools may claim they can do this, but many of the steps may require decision making, or differ in the frequency that they need to happen.
- The purpose of performing these steps is to avoid major headaches of data loss and performance issues. However, as technology advances over the years, and all things man-made degrade, at some point in the future you will end up having to back-up all your data, and build a newer computer with more up-to-date hardware and software. Meaning, that while this is maintenance for your current computer, like a car, it will wear out eventually.
**** Some other tips I liked from the tweaking guide:
- Turn off disk indexing per drive, and disable the service.
- Startup Programs
- Speed Up / Fix Internet Explorer 8
- Task Manager Configuration
- Improve Menu Responsiveness and Shutdown Speeds
- Increase NTFS System Performance
- Icon Cache:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\EXPLORER]
Max Cached Icons=2000 (STRING VALUE)
- DNS 'Time To Live' (TTL) for a 'positive' (or working) DNS cache entry to remain active before being updated:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\DNSCACHE\PARAMETERS]
MaxCacheTtl = 10800 (Decimal DWORD)
- Windows Prefetcher:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\CONTROL\SESSION MANAGER\MEMORY MANAGEMENT\PREFETCHPARAMETERS]
EnablePrefetcher=3 (default) (DWORD)
**Note, If you wish to use full prefetcher functionality, do not disable the Task Scheduler service.
**** This modification changes the desktop to be grey, with a blue start-button (when the start-button has an active focus.) It is supposed to help with eye-fatigue as a color scheme.
1) download the UXThemePatcher (windows xp with SP3)
http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/OS-Enhancements/SP3-UxTheme-Patcher.shtml
Unzip the archive
2) Download the Replacer utility and run it.
http://www3.telus.net/_/replacer/
2.0) Open windows/system32 and copy uxtheme.dll to a new folder such as my_documents/uxtheme_original, as a precautionary backup.
2.1) Drag the original uxtheme.dll from windows/system32 onto the Replacer window and hit enter.
2.2) Drag the modified uxtheme.dll that you downloaded onto the Replacer window and press enter.
2.3) Press Y to confirm
2.4) Reboot your computer.
2.5) If anything goes wrong, use Replacer using the steps 2.1-2.4 above (using the backed-up original uxtheme.dll instead of the downloaded one) to copy the original uxtheme.dll back to the system32 directory.
3) Download the Royale Remixed by oddbasket theme
http://oddbasket.deviantart.com/art/Royale-Remixed-44294818
4) Unzip the archive, and then run 'Royale Remixed.msi' and select the theme's color scheme you like best.
(The theme now consists of 3 color schemes, Royale, Royale Noir and Royale Zune. I like Royale Noir the best which give the grey scheme with blue start-button)
**** Some tips that were not in the pdf file that I like to do that have helped performance
- Right-click on 'My Computer', click properties, then click on the 'Advanced' tab
- Click on 'Settings' under the 'Performance' section
- Select 'Adjust for best performance'
- Check the last 3 options.
- Click on 'Apply
- Click on the 'Advanced' tab
- Click on the 'Change' button in the 'Virtual Memory' section
- Set the 'Custom size' Page File size for the main system drive (usually C:\) to at least 1500 for 'Initial size' and you can set 'Maximum size' also to 1500 or more if you want to allow a larger maximum Page File. (page files are used to reduce the number of times the CPU has to go get information from the hard drive, which is a large bottle-neck)
- Click 'Set', then 'Ok'
- Click 'Ok'
- Click on the 'Error Reporting' button
- Select 'Disable error reporting' and make sure that 'But notify me when critical errors occur' is checked.
- This disables the requests to send error reports to microsoft every time an error occurs, but still notifies you of when an error does occur.
- Click 'Ok', and then restart your computer.
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