Windows XP Tweaks

Cindy · 08:45 PM

If you have any tried and tested Tweaks please post them here

Moving the Page File

This is a debatable tweak some say its faster some say there is hardly any difference, my self i believe it to be an improvement within a systems structure.

Windows uses its page file as a temporary workspace, and if this workspace is to small Windows will run slowly the optimum size is about one and a half times of memory in your PC (Ram), so if you have 512MB of Ram your page file should be at least 768MB within C: and that's room you could use also Windows may work faster if the page file is on a different drive to Windows (a separate physical HDD).

To execute this (in Windows XP Home / Pro SP2)

Click the start button, right-click My Computer and select Properties from the menu. Go to the Advanced tab and click the Settings button under Performance. Select the Advanced tab in the next window and click the Change button under Virtual Memory, all drives and partitions can now be seen. Set drive C: to the minimum 2MB and maximum 50MB, a minimum page file should be left in place on the boot partition as It is used in various circumstances by the system, Memory/crash dumps being the most important. Choose the second drive/1st partition and enter its values as before on C:,or setting a minimum and maximum of the same value is reasoned to stop fragmentation, (500MB min and 500MB max) Note 500MB is used just as an example figure (reboot to initialize). You now have more room on your C: drive and your PC may work faster.

Cindy

SERVICES . MSC

To stop programs and unused services.

Click START click RUN and in the RUN BOX TYPE SERVICES . MSC (lower case text) HIT ENTER this will open the SERVICES window and shows everything running on your PC click /highlight on any one and XP will tell you about it (top left) and if you double click it a window will open that will give you the option (to stop it running, start it running, to put it on hold "manual" and if it is needed by XP it will start it, if your not sure use the manual setting then if it is not needed by XP it wont start it.

Cindy

Move My Documents Folder

Right click on the My Documents folder > choose Properties > Click on the Move... button > Expand My Computer and choose the drive you want to move it to > click the Make New Folder button and name it anything you like > click Apply > a screen will pop-up, click yes.
Which partition or drive isn't important but programs that access the My Documents folder may launch faster if you put it on a separate drive and as close to the beginning of that drive as you can.

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