Despite the release of Microsoft Vista and the possible release of Windows 7 in the distant future, many computer users still stick to the tested and stable version of Windows XP. Just last month, Microsoft announced that it will extend its support of Windows XP to 2014, a good news for the Windows XP fans. Since we are still stuck around with Windows XP for another half a decade, it makes sense to fine tune our current operating system for better performance. Unless you are satisfied with the annoying UAC function in Vista.
5 Quick Performance Tips
1) Force XP to unload DLL files after closing a programDynamic Link Libraries, or DLLs, are files containing data or functions that programs can associate when needed by linking to them. Just for your information, any data file with the same file format can be called a resource DLL.
The trouble is that Windows keeps these DLLs cached even after the program is close, hogging up precious memory. Though the DLLs are tiny, a lot of them does make the number significant. Hence it is vital to implement this registry tweak, which will force Windows XP to unload DLLs upon the closure of a program.
To do this, first run REGEDIT.
-Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer.
-Create a new key named 'AlwaysUnloadDLL' and set the default value to '1'
2) Turn off the indexing service
Indexing in Windows XP allows for constant creation and updating of the files stored in the computer. This index is basically used for reducing the time taken to search a file on the computer. Hence, if you are a light user of the search function, disable it will give a significant boast in performance.
To turn off file indexing, go to
-Control Panel >Add/Remove Programs>Windows Components
-Uncheck 'Indexing Service.'
3) Use the prefetch switch to load applications faster
-The '/prefetch:1' switch helps most Windows application load slightly faster. You can try out this by editing the shortcuts to the program.
-Right click the shortcut and hit 'properties.'
-In the 'target' box, put '/prefetch:1' at the end of the line.
-Press 'OK'
Note that this may cause loading errors in some programs. If it does not work, simply remove the /prefetch:1 entry from the shortcut.
4) Reduce wait time after XP boots
Still remember the initial lag when you seem to load finish all your startup programs? This can take anywhere from a few seconds to a couple of minutes to clear up, an annoyance to many who do not have much patience. Googling the Internet shows that this delay is generally caused by Windows XP's networking services looking for other computers. You can now disable the function through the following means.
-Run 'services.msc'
-Set the startup type dropdown box to 'disabled.' Click 'Ok.'
-You will need to re-enable the workstation service should you wish to network your PC in the future.
5) Optimize your page file size
If your computer is brand new with excessive ram, forget about this tip. Page file is mainly used for slower computers. By default, Windows XP sizes the page file to about 1.5X the amount of actual physical memory. A rule of the thumb: If you have less than 512MB of memory, leave the page file at its default size. If you have 512MB or more, change the ratio to 1:1 page file size to physical memory size.
-To change the page file size, right click 'My Computer' and select Properties.
-Under the advanced tab, select settings for Performance
-Enter the appropriate value. You may need to restart.
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