How to make XP run faster?

kaisterkai said:
I tried once using Ubuntu on that computer cause like you guys someone recommended me to use it..
Click to expand...
No its painfully slow from a LiveCD. Not a good indication. It feels faster when installed.

To get a better indication of speed, download the iso and install virtualbox on a powerful PC.

Ubuntu only gets resource heavy if you run with fancy bling like 3D desktops cube etc.

imo Ubuntu won't have much of an edge over a stripped down WinXP.

Chances are the bottleneck is the hdd anyway....512mb is sufficient for XP.
 
HavocXphere said:
No its painfully slow from a LiveCD. Not a good indication. It feels faster when installed.

To get a better indication of speed, download the iso and install virtualbox on a powerful PC.

Ubuntu only gets resource heavy if you run with fancy bling like 3D desktops cube etc.

imo Ubuntu won't have much of an edge over a stripped down WinXP.

Chances are the bottleneck is the hdd anyway....512mb is sufficient for XP.
Click to expand...

I have all the 3d effects running and my pc is still awesome. (ok not half bad computer, dual core, 4GB ram, 512meg Nvidia GPU e.t.c.).
 
HavocXphere said:
Just watch out...some dodge tips in there too. Most tips in the dodge category have no effect though as opposed to a negative effect.
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Yea, I find the simplest with XP for best performance is:
1. load the OS
2. load drivers
3. Updates
4. Delete all temp and update uninstall files.
5. Defrag with auslogics or similar.
6. Set a fixed sized swap space (about 4096Meg, I know many say make it 1.5/3x the size of your RAM but at 512meg RAM you will want a bit more than that).
7. Install all your programs, games e.t.c.
8. Msconfig, remove all unneeded services and startup apps.
9. Run a registry cleaner
10. Defrag.

As long as you do regular maintenance after this (temps registry cleaner, defrag e.t.c.) the machine will be fast (as it can be) and stable for years to come.

forgot to add, after this you can remove all effects, set pc to run for best performance, use a solid color as your wallpaper backround instead of a photo and all the other little performance boosters.
 
HavocXphere said:
Just watch out...some dodge tips in there too. Most tips in the dodge category have no effect though as opposed to a negative effect.
Click to expand...

Yeah and so I have realised.. Some tips they ask to disable this and that..

THings that I haven't even heard of..

weird.. but didn't do it.. jsut incase something happens.. :(
 
AstroTurf said:
Yea, I find the simplest with XP for best performance is:
1. load the OS
2. load drivers
3. Updates
4. Delete all temp and update uninstall files.
5. Defrag with auslogics or similar.
6. Set a fixed sized swap space (about 4096Meg, I know many say make it 1.5/3x the size of your RAM but at 512meg RAM you will want a bit more than that).
7. Install all your programs, games e.t.c.
8. Msconfig, remove all unneeded services and startup apps.
9. Run a registry cleaner
10. Defrag.
Click to expand...
Looks good & pretty complete too. Couple of comments if I may:

The XP msconfig is a diagnostic tool, not a configuration tool. If you change it there your in diagnostic mode...until you change it back in msconfig. Dunno the exact consequences (none?) of this but I usually change the stuff manually.

I'd go with a smaller swap since the PC will be unbearably slow due to hdd thrashing at the 1gb mark already.

Please lose the registry cleaner. Due to the way the algo works they can do a lot of damage and provide near zero benefit. i.e. risk outweighs reward by a huge margin. If you really want do something with the reg find a tool to defrag the registry hive (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897426) but no cleaners.

kaisterkai said:
Yeah and so I have realised.. Some tips they ask to disable this and that..
Click to expand...
Mostly they just keep stuff that worked for 98/2000 and then MS changed it & the changes are now ignored. Like I said...look into the services....big gains to be made there w/ startup time and mem usage.
 
Msconfig is definitely the way to go for less experienced users (no slogging through the registry e.t.c.) I also like that all my changes can be undone very easily, viewed in one page and the speed of opening 1 program instead of manually going through the registry, services and (on older computers) the startup scripts.
Used it on a couple of hundred machines in the last few years, no issues at all.

I used to do all this manually but it takes a lot longer and you end up with the same results (and no easy way of undoing what you have done if something goes wrong).

I put the swap at 4GB so more resource intensive programs (games/3d design etc) have the resources they need, I have found 4GB to be the sweet spot, anything smaller and resource intensive apps crash, any bigger and the pc slows down horribly. Note, must be at the beginning (or near the beginning) of the drive. Several defrag programs allow you to move it.

Many registry cleaners are not so good but as xp is pretty old most will actually work quite well. My personal favorite is Registry Mechanic (it can also set many of the features for you and optimize your services, compact/defrag the registry e.t.c.).

Anyway it is all personal preference/experience. If it works for you, perfect :)
 
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