If your computer still has the capacity and you can afford it, add as much RAM memory as possible!

Make sure that all your applications (programs) and hardware are running with the latest drivers. Sometimes one tends to upgrade the system from Windows98 to XP but neglects to install the XP drivers for the various programs and hardware such as printers, joysticks, etc. Simply go the the applications' web sites, download and install the latest XP drivers. It is easy to do as most drivers install automatically or the instructions will be on the web sites.

If you can afford it, upgrade your computer's graphics card. This will immediately speed up your system. If you cannot afford it, no problem, there's more you can do!

This is the expensive stuff! If you can afford to upgrade your processor and motherboard (e.g. to a Pentium4 - 3.0Mz) and a faster hard drive (7200rpm) . . .

Here we start with the FREE stuff! If speed is really important and you are prepared to sacrifice looks, removing icons from your desktop and any theme you may be running (change to Windows Standard) will improve the speed. Removing the sounds at start up will also improve the speed at which your computer starts up.

If your PC has an Intel CPU with a chipset (see motherboard manual) you can install the Intel Application Accelerator. Download it free from Intel at: www.intel.com/support/chipsets/iaa and install it. Run it and have a look at what choices it offers you.

The startup of your PC is very important. Some programs you install will automatically make sure they are loaded every time you start your computer. This will make your computer take longer to start up and will reduce the amount of memory available for you to run other applications.

Use XP's System Configuration to fine tune the startup: Click on "Start" then "Run", type in "msconfig" and press "Enter" (or click OK). Select the "Startup" tab and you will see a list of applications that run every time Windows starts. You will most probably recognise some in the list. If you do not want a particular application to start with Windows, simply un-check it. Use this golden rule: "Not sure? Leave it!"

Many applications startup when you start your computer. To see the main ones you can use "Crtl+Alt+Del". This will bring up the Task Manager and you can see applications currently running and how much memory each uses. Now, to view ALL applications running you have to go deeper than this. Click on "Start" then "Run", type in "services.msc" and "Enter". There is the list of all applications available to Windows. If you wish to disable any of them in order to free up memory in future, select the desired application, right-click, select "Properties" and then select "disable" in the "Startup type".

Microsoft provides a great tool to improve startup time. This little program will analyse your booting procedure (disk activity, CPU usage, Driver delays) and help you to find out what is taking long to start up. Download free from Microsoft web site performance section at: www.microsoft.com/hwdev/platform/performance/fastboot/BootVis.asp and install. After installation, run the program, click on "Trace", then "Next Boot + Driver Delays", choose 1 Trace, after which your computer will restart. The Bootvis program will start automatically and display the information allowing you to make necessary adjustments. You might wish to allow BootVis to optimise your system for you. Click on "Trace" then "Optimize System".

You can measure your system's performance using the built-in monitor facility supplied with your XP system. Click on "Start" then "Run", type in "perfmon.msc" and "Enter". Monitor various aspects of your system such as CPU, memory, etc.

We're going for speed and in order to get it we must forfeit the fancy goodies/looks. To remove the frills and increase speed go to Control Panel, double-click on System, select the Advanced tab. Then, under Performance click on Settings and select "Adjust for best performance". This will give you the Windows classic look. If you are not happy with it, simply return to the Performance Settings and select either "Let Windows choose the best for your computer". You will lose speed if you select "Adjust for best Appearance".

Prefetching can boost your speed because Windows will start applications and preload its most used files. To make changes to prefetching you must do it through the system registry. Make these two changes:

1. To go to the Registry Editor, click on "Start" then "Run", type in "regedit" and "Enter". In the editor go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHNE, then SYSTEM, (to open you must click the + sign in the little square at left of name) then CurrentControlSet, then Control, then Session Manager, then Memory Management and then PrefetchParameters. In the list you will see "EnablePrefetcher". Right-click EnablePrefetcher and select "Modify". In Value Data type in "1". You can type 0, 1, 2 or 3. Where 0=disable, 1=enables applications launch prefetcher, 2=enable application boot prefetcher and 3=enables both 1 and 2.

2. Prefetching uses memory. In order to ensure that you have maximum memory at all times, one more adjustment must be made to the prefecthing section.
(if you are no longer in the Registry Editor you must go back there) To go to the Registry Editor, click on "Start" then "Run", type in "regedit" and "Enter". In the editor go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, then SOFTWARE, then Microsoft, then Windows, then CurrentVersion and then Explorer. Now, right-click anywhere on the right pane. Click on "New", select DWORD Value, give it the label name "AlwaysUnloadDLL" and give it the value of 1 to disable caching. The value 0 will re-activate it. Computer must be restarted.

One annoying thing about Windows is the delay after you click the Start button and "All Programs". Lets speed this up to make it fly!
go to the Registry Editor, click on "Start" then "Run", type in "regedit" and "Enter". In the editor go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER, then Control Panel and then Desktop. On the right pane, right-click on MenuShowDelay and select "Modify". Reduce the 400 value (we use 30 and it's pretty quick). Must restart computer. You'll notice the speed straight away!

Memory is faster than any hard drive. Therefore, applications will run much faster off your RAM memory and cache.
Virtual memory is not real memory but space of your hard drive that is used to act as a memory when more memory is needed than the one available in your system. If you have a second physical hard drive, you could make it the one that holds the virtual memory in order to "alleviate" the drive from which Windows and your applications run.
To change the virtual memory to your second drive, do the following:
(Make these changes only if you have 2 physical hard drives, not one large drive that has been partitioned into 2). Go to Control Panel, double-click on System, select the Advanced tab. Then, under Performance click on Settings and select the Advanced tab. Next, under Virtual Memory select Change. You will see the present configuration and the recommended size allocation. First, select the alternative drive (usually D:), click the Custom size option and enter double the recommended amount in the respective blocks, then click on Set. Next, select your C: drive, click on "No paging file" and then click Set. You have now changed your Virtual Memory to the alternative drive with double the size and disabled it in the C: drive. Restart your computer.