Power User Setup for Windows XP

[kevinlt69]

Thanks Chewy It was a simple failure to follow instructions on my part. I let it run for about 2 hrs. I didn't know it keeps cycling. no problems. Thanks again for your time.

[katzdvd]

Now we are ready to do some serious work, see that My Computer icon, right click, properties again. Advanced tab, Performance-
Settings, tick adjust for best performace and tick smooth edges of screen fonts

There's a lot more that we can do here, but it's slightly dangerous, we
will wait and return. A&0(Apply and OK)

Chewy - if there is a lot more that we can do in there to free up resources, would you care to indulge us further?

With a fresh install on this pc, I am just chomping at the bit to squeeze everything out of it that I can!

[Chewy]

the next step is an iffy one for those of you who experiment

turn off system restore on all drives, turn off automatic updates

then services.msc from the run command
hunt thru the services for several optional ones like the imapi and messenger services

best to do a little research here

you will not see a big increase in performance like the earlier tweaks

lean and mean does that

and turn off that durn security center in control panel

[BR7]

The lean and mean settings are great. I can not go back to the old way it seems so slow now

[vash]

hi chewie, great guide. easy to follow. my computers runing much faster. i have a question though. im having trouble viewing HD movie trailers on yahoo, using quicktime. i just get a yellow screen with lines during playback. is there a way to configure my computers new setup to accomidate this? thanks.

[Chewy]

uninstall that piece of crud and use the alternative

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/QuickTime_Alternative.htm

[vash]

uninstall that piece of crud and use the alternative

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/...lternative.htm

after install, when i try to view a trailer, a screen trys to pop up but quickly dissappears. i tried with my firewall off with the same results. i noticed that not much was checked off in the players settings, should there be? thanks.

[Chewy]

uninstall quicktime and reboot before installing alternative?

[vash]

chewie,

how do i take away the backround color tabs from my desktop icons? thanks a bunch. again, great guide, very easy to follow.

[vash]

chewie,

how do i take away the backround color tabs from my desktop icons? thanks a bunch. again, great guide, very easy to follow.

scratch that i got it.

[beachbumm33]

Awesome guide Chewy! Thanks a bunch!!!!!!!

[dr_ml422]

This guide is mostly intended for a novice user with an older or
entry level computer, it works on faster computers also.

update:

I did not agree with this statement when I wrote this guide, however the web is a lot more dangerous now

http://users.telenet.be/bluepatchy/miekiemoes/slowcomputer.html

A couple of years ago I beta tested Windows 2003 Server, to my surprise
when it installed, everything was just like I do when I set my Windows xp up.
Now why is that? Someone that's paying $700 for an OS wants it ready to
use, not crippled like the Xp default install.

First let's start with the task bar, right click(properties), there's a whole hidden world in the right mouse click. Let's uncheck hide inactive icons.

From here on in learn to hit the highlighted Apply button.

Next the start menu tab at the top, tick Classic Start menu . Apply and OK out.

Now we are ready to do some serious work, see that My Computer icon, right click, properties again. Advanced tab, Performance-
Settings, tick adjust for best performace and tick smooth edges of screen fonts

There's a lot more that we can do here, but it's slightly dangerous, we
will wait and return. A&0(Apply and OK)

At this point you could repeat the steps and make sure everything's changed.

Now open My Computer, right click C drive, properties, uncheck allow indexing
service to....... and when it tell you a file is access denied, click ignore all. Next disk cleanup, learn to read sizes(15,000KB), see something big besides compress old files, check it and OK out.

Tools tab, just for the heck of it let's run an error check. Check automatically fix file system errors. Before we defrag, got any temporary large video files,
finish with them and delete. Make sure you have emptied the trash bin
and norton's protected also. Now defrag.

Hopefully defrag won't take so long after this.

Now let's open up C drive thru my computer.
Using view I set to icons, then under tools/folder options,
I check Use Windows classic folders, next in the View tab,
I uncheck Hide extensions(this is very important), then I uncheck hide protected system
files, now check Display contents of system folders, display full path in .., show hidden files,
and show control panel in my computer. Hit apply then go to top and hit apply to all folders.
As long as you leave the "Leave the remember each folder's view setting" checked, you can customize individual folders like my pictures later.
OK out now.
Now see all those new files on the root directory of the C drive,
Don't ever touch them, they enable windows to boot!

Use the back button and see that Control Panel in my computer,
go there, let's go to Add or Remove Programs, see a bunch of stuff you tried and never use anymore, lets get rid of them. If you don't know what something is, leave it alone(try and find out what it is tho).
While we are here, let's go to Add/Remove Windows Components.
Here's where the hidden fax feature is for Pro version, see something you never use like MSN Explorer or Windows Messenger, remove them? Leave Paint under accessories.
I don't like windows media player so I remove it, but you'll need a replacement.

hi chewy. just started this guide. can't get into the windows components to remove ms explorer or messenger. says can't locate file sonic . ini. i think. something like that. also total physical (k) is close to your recommendation but available is lil low which makes how much memory i'm using higher. let me know how i can go into components and remove player etc. etc. . thnx.

[Chewy]

once you get to add/remove programs on the left is add/remove windows components

a poweruser won't allow sonic close to his computer, it's hard to get rid of

same goes for a lot of programs that come preinstalled with a factory build

[dr_ml422]

once you get to add/remove programs on the left is add/remove windows components

a poweruser won't allow sonic close to his computer, it's hard to get rid of

same goes for a lot of programs that come preinstalled with a factory build

chewy i got that part. when i click on it it doesn't give me access. it says can't find sonic .ini.. also says see comoputer administrator. that's me though. maybe something in miscon.exe or sevices i disabled. got any suggestion. thnx.

[Chewy]

add and remove windows commponents shouldn't be controlled by anything, it's a core component, if you disabled a core service a lot could go wrong

remember you or windows never fixes itself completely, your install gets more and more corrupt as time passes, with a factory load you have to start fixing as soon as you restore, removing stuff before it gets worse, if you prepare in advance a clean install can be quick and painless

are you sure you don't have some program from HP or whoever running that takes over these lost functions? hidden administrator?

norton's new suite will lock you out of everything, after the trial runs out and you delete the program, might as well reinstall your OS