11 New Tips for Boosting Windows XP Performance

By Andy McDonough

August 21, 2006

(11 New Tips for Boosting Windows XP Performance :  Page 1 of 1 )

Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) is not scheduled until the second half of 2007, and Microsoft's first shot at its successor, Windows Vista, may not be due out before "early 2007." Meantime, many system builders (and their clients) will be keeping today's WinXP SP2 systems running for some time.

That makes now the perfect time for revisiting your deployed XP boxes and making sure your clients are getting the best possible performance from their systems. Your clients will be happy with a faster-running OS; some may even be amazed. This is also a golden opportunity for system builders to check in with clients and pick up a little extra income from performing just such tune-ups.

In this article, I'll show you ways to restore the zip of WinXP-based PCs both old and new. I'll also show you the places to look for WinXP problems that can develop over time, and how to fix them. I'll also look at performance-saving set-up issues, and how to battle the demons--like fragmented disks and unused network devices--that can steal precious CPU cycles and memory from your systems.

First, deciding whether a WinXP system needs a mere tune-up or a full-blown repair is a judgment call you'll have to make. Listen and learn before rushing to judgment. For instance, if a client complains that their system's performance has taken a sudden hit, or that stability has suddenly become an issue, you're probably looking at a hacked machine, virus attack, or failing hardware. In all three cases, a repair job is in order. But if a client complains about an older model PC that simply won't run as fast as it used to, that probably means the time has come for a tune-up. That's where this article comes in.

Also, before starting a tune-up, spend some time observing the system's operation. Note how long it takes to restart. How quickly does it access commonly used applications, such as e-mail clients or browsers? You may want to time the start-up of for the system's word processing program, or measure how long the machine needs to save a typical file.

 Page 1 of 1