HotOverclocking.com

If you’re running Windows XP, chances are your computer has gotten gradually slower over the time period you’ve been using it. In the spirit of Spring Cleaning, we at HotOverclocking.com have put together a series of tips and tricks to help optimize your systems performance.

1. Disable File Indexing:
   How often do you honestly search for your files based off of keywords? Chances are, you rarely do, if ever. Disabling File Indexing in Windows XP will make your searches take a little bit longer, but the performance boost is well worth it
   • My Computer -> C: Drive -> Properties
   • Uncheck “Allow Indexing Service to index this disk for fast file searching”
   • Apply changes to “C: sub folders and files”
2. Uninstall And Remove Unnecessary Programs And Files:
   There’s no need to keep all of those games you’ve beat, demo’s you’ve downloaded, trial programs you’ve neglected, or even programs you use to use. It doesn’t matter if you have a 1 TB hard drive, clean it up.
   • Start -> Control Panel -> “Add or Remove Programs”

3. Disable Windows Animations / Visual Effects:
   It’s safe to assume that by now you’re no longer excited by the beautiful minimize animations or any of the other fading and sliding effects that Windows XP offers. Your operating system may not look as shiny as it use to, but you’re interested in performance, not a butterfly mouse cursor.
   • Start -> Control Panel -> “System”
   • Advanced Tab -> Settings Button -> Performance
   • Uncheck All Features
4. Delete TEMP Files and Directories:
   Temporary files aren’t something you can do without, but they’re definitely something you need to keep an eye on. These can take up a decent amount of hard drive space and slowdown Windows XP’s access to your hard drive.
   • Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Disk Cleanup
   • Check Temporary Files
   • Click OK
5. Defragment Your Hard Drive
   When you install/uninstall or add/delete programs and files onto your hard drive, sometimes fragmented files can be left behind. This clutters your hard drive, making it more difficult for Windows XP to access it quickly along with taking up unnecessary space.
   • Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Disk Defragmentor

Try these basic computer optimization tips first before you start delving into the more advanced tactics.

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