PCtips speedup Windows XP computer

Tips on how to speed up your windows XP computer.

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If you've had your computer for six months or more, you've
probably noticed it's not as fast as when you first purchased it.

With just a little bit of work, cleaning up your computer, you'll be
amazed at how much faster your Windows XP computer will be.

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In this session, to get the best performance out of your computer

We are going to:

Scan the computer for Adware, Spyware and Viruses.
Remove unwanted programs.
Empty the recycle bin.
Clean your temporary files.
Remove recent documents.
Start the computer in safe mode.
Defragment the hard drive.

Please read all the contents of this page before you start (it'll make it easier for you)

Things to do and check before we start to clean up the computer.

Check that the hard drive isn't full, Windows XP needs at least 200mb to run.
(Go to Start, click myComputer, right click (C:) drive then click properties).

Now would be a good time to scan the computer, with a good anti virus program like
Norton. If you haven't got an anti virus program you can get Norton anti virus from here
Next you'll need to scan your computer for Adware and Spyware, you can get a free scan Here .

Now that you are Adware, Spyware and virus free, lets continue...

1. Book mark this page, so you can come back if you need to.

2. Empty your recycle bin. (Right click recycle bin - then empty).

3. Remove programs and games you don't use anymore.

Go to start, control panel, "add remove programs".

4. Clean Temporary Files To Speed Up Your Computer

Windows loves to write files all the time to your hard drive and until you run out of room on your hard drive or ask it to clean it up, it will leave old temporary files there. Windows XP comes with a handy program that cleans them up.
To clean up temporary files on your hard drive with Windows XP, go to:

Start - Programs - Accessories - System Tools - "Disk Cleanup" (this can take a few mins).

5. Remove recent documents.

All windows operating systems will keep a cache of eveything you have ever

looked at over a period of time, that mounts up to a lot of memory loss on your

computer. For the easiest way to remove your recent documents, see below:

(This method will not remove any files. It will only remove the cashe)

Right click "start"

Click "Properties"

Then click the" Start Menu" tab.

Make sure "start menu" is checked. Click the "Customise" button

Click the "Advanced" tab.

Click the "Clear List" button.

(Sometimes this can take a few mins).
You can close all open windows now.

Now defragment the hard drive.

You may have more than one hard drive. You would have to defrag each drive seperately.
Your main hard drive is normally C: if you can't see another letter in the defragmenter, this would mean there is only one hard drive

To defrag windows XP go to: Start - Programs - Accessories - System Tools - Disk Defragmenter

(it's normally better to defragment in safe mode. To start computer in safe mode see below).

Once the defragmentation is done, close the report box and start the defrag again,

repeat this until it takes less than a minute to defragment . Now restart the computer.

You should now experience a dramatic increase in performance!!!

To start your windows XP computer in safe mode using the F8 method

Read all of this paragraph, before you start.
1. Restart your computer.
2. When the machine first starts again it will generally list some equipment that is installed on your machine, amount of memory, hard drives installed etc. At this point you should gently tap the F8 key repeatedly until you are presented with a Windows XP Advanced Options menu.
3. Select the option for Safe Mode using the arrow keys on your keyboard.
4. Then press enter on your keyboard to boot into Safe Mode.
5. Hit the enter key on the next screen. (boot Windows XP Home Edition eg)
6. Click on the "administrator" on the next screen
7. Click the "yes" button on the next bit. (now your in safe mode)
The graphic card driver, doesn't work in safe mode, so don't worry that all your icons are BIG
everything will go back to normal when you restart.
8. Do whatever tasks you require and when you are done reboot to boot back into normal mode.

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