XP Tips

Here are some tips to help with speeding up XP and download speeds, most of these tips are for XP pro!
First lets stop programs from starting up that we don't need!

1. In Windows XP, go to Start > Run

2. Type MSCONFIG in the "Open:" box and then either press enter on your keyboard or click on the OK button.

3. This launches Microsoft's System Configuration Utility. Click on the Startup tab (the tab at the far right).

****Also in the BOOT.INI tab there is a check box to boot the computer in "safe mode" you can check and un-check this box as an alternative to boot computer in safe mode.

4. This takes you to a page with a list of "startup items." Startup items are programs that are automatically loaded every time you turn on your computer. Some startup programs are absolutely necessary, others are simply a waste of RAM.

In Windows XP, all of Windows' essential programs are loaded through something called "Windows Services." This means that most of the startup items you see in XP are completely optional and can be turned off (uncheck box) However, a good rule of thumb is to disable only those programs that you recognize and don't need to have running all the time, ( like adobe, or itunes, printer software, nero, reader, ect...) When in doubt, leave it on.

Now reboot. When computer reboots you will get a pop-up, this basiclly says that you made changes and do you want a reminder, check the box in the lower left corner and then ok.

SERVICES!Unnecessary services don't just subject you to security risk. They also slow down the operation of your computer. So, don't get lazy here and think you can just deal with the infections later. Go ahead and turn that junk off and recapture your system from these resource hogs. You get to services by going to Control Panel, Administrative Tools, then Services. You should see a long list of services, some running and some dormant. Use this checklist to help determine which services you can live without.

If you don't know how to find Windows Services in Windows XP, click on Start, Control Panel, Administrative Tools, and Services. Below is a simple step by step to finding and changing your services on Windows XP. Keep in mind that your view settings may make your's appear slightly different, but will be the same basic path.

Click on start, then click on Control Panel.

In Control Panel, click on Administrative Tools

In Administrative Tools, click on Services.

Choose the service you wish to modify.

Once you select the service you wish to modify, you have several buttons to turn the service off immediately, drop down choices to disable a service, make it autmatic, or make it manual.

Depending on your network setup, printer, ect.. will determine on what services to turn off, some "general" safe services you can turn off are

Alerter - ClipBook - Messenger - Remote desktop help session - Remote registry - Telnet

again if you dont have a network then you can turn network stuff off, same with printer, I never print from my laptop, so printing services are off!

How to change QoS reservable bandwidth using GPEDIT.MSC Before I begin: Let me explain you what we are going to do. We are going to change QoS parameter from default 20% to 10%. You can change it to any number you like. Remember if the network card has a specific limit set on it in registry, this would have no impact on it.

Step 1: Log on as Administrator.
Step 2: Go to START-RUN and enter GPEDIT.MSC (alternatively you can go into C:\WINDOWS\system32 and click on gpedit.msc microsoft common console document.
Step 3: Navigate to Local Computer Policy -> Computer Configuraton -> Administrative Templates -> Network -> QoS Packet Scheduler. Once there screen should some thing like as shown in the snapshot below.

Step 4: Look int the right pane and select Limit reservable bandwith. You would see a description that says default limits are 20% if not configured. If this is first time you have used GPEDIT, yours is not configured
Step 5: Double click on Limit reservable bandwidth. Following window would pop up. It is in this screen that you can enabled the limits and set to a number you want. I set the number to 10% but again you can set it to 0 or whatever you wish..

Click Apply, Ok, Now were done! restart computer!

***Remember to keep antivirus up to date, and always run antivirus in safe mode, you can press F8 while computer is booting or through the BOOT.INI tab!