The author intends to explicate the seven sure-fire ways to enhance the user experience. Scour through the write-up for tips that will make your operating system to perform with a crisp efficiency.
In order to speed up your operating system, you don’t need to make any major software or hardware changes to your system. Minor changes in your system’s settings can free the RAM from all the unwanted processes, and ensure that the Windows operates effectively.
1. Startup Applications
Startup applications are the ones which load when you start your operating system. These applications are shortcuts to your favorite programs such as instant messengers. Startup applications can contain antivirus programs or other important programs. These programs can slow down your system as well as the starting and shutting down process. You can selectively disable the unwanted or less-used applications safely, to experience a speedy system.
To disable startup applications – click on Start menu, type msconfig and press enter. In the msconfig utility, click the Startup tab and uncheck unwanted startup applications.
2. Reduce Visual Effects
It is definitely nice to see all the slide and fade effects but they only hog your RAM. You can disable all the visual effects or some of them, to experience a quicker responding system.
To remove visual effects – right click on My Computer icon on your desktop, click the Advanced Tab and under Performance, select Settings.
3. System Restore
It is an inbuilt XP utility that helps you restore your system to a previous good state, in case of problems. The problem is that system restore becomes responsible for continuous disk writing activity, after the system gets heavy with applications. This not only slows down your system but is also responsible for a lot of disk space usage. There are alternatives to system restore like Ghost, which you can use for system backup purpose.
To disable system restore – right click on My Computer, click Properties, click the System Restore tab and click Turn off System Restore on all drives.
4. System Sounds
When you use Windows XP, you might have heard the startup, shutdown, click, and double-click sounds. These sounds make things stop, even if it is for less than a second, until the sound is being played. Disabling them would certainly make your system more crisp and speedy.
To disable system sounds – go to Start menu, click Control Panel, double click the Sounds and Audio devices icon, click the Sounds tab and set the Sounds scheme to none.
5. Remove Wallpaper
No matter how gorgeous that wallpaper of yours looks, it is responsible for RAM consumption. Avoid using it for good. To set your wallpaper to none – right click on your desktop, click Properties, click the Desktop tab and in the background list, select None.
6. Disk Defragmentation
Disk defragmentation is a process by which data on the disk is arranged in a proper manner. Data is moved and laid out on the disk more contiguously and free space is arranged to be used effectively by the operating system. It is a process of re-organizing your data and it should definitely be used at least once a week or as per the usage, and you can see your system perform speedily and steadily.
To defrag your hard disk – click on the Start menu, click all Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools and click Disk Defragmenter.
7. Spyware
Spyware are computer programs which can collect and send your personal information to third-party companies or interfere in your working. Some spyware programs get downloaded and installed automatically from the Internet and could be responsible for continuous background processing activity. It is one of the biggest reasons for the operating system slowing down. It is essential that you download a good spyware tool from a legitimate source, and scan your system once a while to eradicate this menace.