Langa Letter: Ten Ways To Make Windows XP Run Better Dec.

10, 2001
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Fred Langa o33ers ti"s on $ow to o"ti/i?e Windows XP 3or your own work sty#e so you don@t $a!e to #i!e wit$ its
de3au#t settings.
By Ared Langa
Microso3t s$i"s eac$ co"y o3 Windows wit$ Bde3au#tB settings t$at are designed to -e
Bgood enoug$B 3or /ost "eo"#e. T$e de3au#t settings are a kind o3 #owest co//on
deno/inator, ensuring t$at t$e o"erating syste/ wi## work okay 3or t$e /yt$ica#
Ba!erage user.B
But, i3 you@re reading t$is, c$ances are you@re not an a!erage user. =ou "ro-a-#y know t$at you can un#ock /uc$
/ore o3 your syste/@s "otentia# -y c$anging Windows@ de3au#t settings to suit your own "articu#ar working sty#e and
circu/stances.
Today, 1@## te## you 10 t$ings 1 do to /ake /y co"ies o3 Windows XP Pro3essiona# run -etter. 1@## a#so eC"#ain w$y 1
/ake t$ese c$anges, so you can -etter decide i3 using t$e sa/e tweak %or so/e !ariation+ wi## work 3or you.
D3 course, 10 is an ar-itrary nu/-er. T$ere are actua##y t$ousands o3 "ossi-#e tweaks4 Microso3t@s "rinted BXP
Resource 8it Docu/entationB is 1,&EE "ages #ongF ;o/e tweaks #isted $ere are Bti" o3 t$e ice-ergB t$ings, and can
#ead you to additiona# su-#e!e#s o3 syste/ adust/ents to eC"#ore.
Gac$ XP user wi## a""roac$ t$e o"erating syste/ in a s#ig$t#y di33erent way. =ou /ig$t rankHorder t$ese 10 tweaks
di33erent#y or de!e#o" an entire#y di33erent #ist. 1n 3act, 1 $o"e you do. P#ease c$eck out /y 10 tweaks, and t$en use
t$e discussion area associated wit$ t$is artic#e to "ost your own.
By t$e ti/e we@re done, we s$ou#d $a!e an aweso/e co##ection o3 rea#Hwor#d, rea#H#i3e tweaks t$at can $e#" /ake
XP work ust t$e way we want it toHHinstead o3 t$e way Microso3t wants it to.
Before Digging In
Tweaking isn@t 3or e!eryone. 13 you@re using XP and you #ike it asHis, #ea!e t$ings a#one. Don@t /ake need#ess
c$anges to your o"erating syste/, es"ecia##y since so/e c$anges are $ard to undo. Likewise, weig$ eac$ suggestion
against t$e #ike#y -ene3it you@## gain. Don@t tear a"art a working o"erating syste/ or su-syste/ un#ess you -e#ie!e
t$e resu#ts are tru#y wort$ it.
D3 course, -e3ore you do signi3icant syste/ work on any o"erating syste/, a#ways /ake a 3u## -acku". =ou need to
-e a-#e to restore t$ings to t$e way t$ey were -e3ore, i3 a c$ange doesn@t work out t$e way you intended.
1n XP, it@s a#so a good idea to /ake a BRestore PointB %c#ick Control Panel/Performance and
Maintenance/System Restore+ and se#ect BCreate a restore pointB -e3ore eac$ and e!ery
c$ange. ;yste/ Restore can ro## -ack /any /inor syste/ c$anges wit$out reIuiring you to restore your 3u## -acku".
.#so, it /akes no sense to try to tune and tweak an o"erating syste/ t$at@s 3unda/enta##y inco/"#ete or -roken. ;o,
-e3ore you start c$anging anyt$ing, rig$tHc#ick on My Computer and se#ect Properties/Hardware/Device
Manager to ensure a## your $ardware is set u" and running "ro"er#y. 1n addition, use Windows 6"date to down#oad
and insta## a## current "atc$es and dri!er u"dates.
Dnce you@re ready to go, di!e inF
1) Tune XP's Visual Performance
De"ending on $ow you set it u", XP /ay $a!e reser!ed a su-stantia# a/ount o3 your 5P6 $orse"ower 3or t$ings
#ike ani/ating !arious deskto" e#e/ents, "#acing s$adows under /enus and cursors, and rounding t$e u""er corners
o3 o"en windows. 1n t$e aggregate, t$ese !isua# e33ects can s#ow down screenHdrawing o"erations signi3icant#y.
.#so, XP /ay $a!e se#ected a Bco#or de"t$B 3or your !ideo syste/ in eCcess o3 w$at you rea##y need4 t$is, too, can
s#ow down screen o"erations.
To adust t$e co#or de"t$, rig$t c#ick anyw$ere on an e/"ty "ortion o3 your deskto" and se#ect Pro"erties,;ettings.
Aor /ost nor/a# -usiness users, t$e 5o#or :ua#ity setting s$ou#d -e set to Mediu/ %1& -it+. <ig$er settings do
/atter in "$oto,!ideo editing and si/i#ar a""#ications, -ut 3or /undane t$ings #ike We- -rowsing, GH/ai#, and word
"rocessing, t$e Mediu/ setting is 3u##y adeIuate, and it@s 3aster.
To adust XP@s deskto" ani/ations and !isua# e33ects, rig$t c#ick on My Computer and se#ect
Properties/Advanced/Performance Settings. =ou can c$oose to acti!ate,deacti!ate indi!idua# ite/s
or use t$e genera# B-est "er3or/ance,-est a""earanceB -uttons. W$en you@!e /ade a c$ange, c#ick Apply, and
you@## see t$e e33ects a#/ost i//ediate#y. %By t$e way: ;e#ecting Best Per3or/ance /akes your deskto" #ook !ery
/uc$ #ike t$e c#assic deskto" in WinE(,Win28.+ GC"eri/ent unti# you@!e 3ound t$e /iC o3 s"eed and !isua# e33ects
t$at works -est 3or you.
2) Improve XP's Folder Views
Windows XP@s de3au#t 3o#der !iew, wit$ its giant icons, /akes /e 3ee# as t$oug$ 1@/ staring at a co#oring -ook
instead o3 a -usiness co/"uter. But you can easi#y c$ange t$e 3o#der !iew to so/et$ing /ore restrained, s"aceH
e33icient, and use3u#.
D"en My Documents. 1n t$e 9iew /enu, se#ect Status Bar, List, and Arrange cons !y "ame. 7eCt,
rig$t c#ick on an e/"ty s"ot in t$e My Documents too#-ar and se#ect Customi#e. 5$oose any o3 t$e
Availa!le $ool!ar Buttons you wis$ and c#ick Add. %1 se#ect t$e 6ndo, De#ete, 5ut, 5o"y, and Paste
-uttons.+ GCit t$e dia#og.
7ow c#ick to t$e $ools /enu and se#ect %older &ptions. 6nder t$e 9iew ta-, te## XP to s$ow you t$e 3u##
"at$, to s$ow $idden and syste/ 3i#es, not to $ide any 3i#e eCtensions, and not to $ide "rotected 3o#dersHH"#us any
ot$er settings you want. W$en you $a!e t$e 3o#der o"tions set t$e way you desire, c#ick t$e BApply to all
foldersB -utton at t$e to" o3 t$e dia#og. T$is adusts a## windows o"ened -y GC"#orer, so t$ey@## in$erit t$e !isua#
c$oices you /ade 3or t$is one window.
) !us"omi#e "$e Tas%&ar
Rig$t c#ick on an e/"ty s"ot in t$e Task Bar %t$e -ar neCt to t$e ;tart -utton+. 6nc$eck Loc' t(e $as'!ar.
T$is #ets you resi?e !arious "ortions o3 t$e task-ar t$e way you want t$e/. 7ow, eC"#ore t$e ot$er Task-ar settings
to see i3 any wi## work 3or you.
Dne 1 a#ways se#ect is Too#-ars,Deskto". 1 "#ace t$e new Deskto" too#-ar 3ar to t$e rig$t on t$e Task-ar, o!er -y t$e
c#ock area. W$ene!er 1 want access to so/et$ing on t$e Deskto" t$at@s co!ered wit$ o"en windows, 1 can use t$is
new Deskto" too#-ar as a s$ortcut to get to t$e ite/ on t$e Deskto" wit$out $a!ing to c#ose or /o!e any o"en
window.
') (us" )a* +,o+ To P$oning-.ome
By de3au#t, XP wants to contact t$e Microso3t ser!ers to autoHsearc$ 3or "atc$es, down#oads, and u"dates. 1t a#so
wants to send Microso3t in3or/ation a-out any cras$es you eC"erience. T$e 3or/er can -e an annoyance i3 t$e autoH
u"date cyc#e kicks in at an ino""ortune ti/e. T$e #atter is a "otentia# security $o#e, -ecause t$e cras$Hre"orting
in3or/ation inc#udes a /iniHdu/" o3 XP@s /e/ory contents4 it can inc#ude sni""ets o3 o"en docu/ents, "asswords
you@!e recent#y ty"ed, and so on.
=ou can turn o33 -ot$ -e$a!iors -y rig$t c#icking on My Computer, se#ecting Properties, and 3irst c$oosing
t$e Automatic )pdates ta-. ;e#ect eit$er $urn &ff or, /ini/a##y, "otify me.
7ow se#ect t$e .d!anced ta- and c#ick on Grror Re"orting. 5$eck BDisa-#e error re"orting,B -ut #ea!e Bnoti3y /e
w$en critica# errors occurB c$ecked.
/) !on"rol 0our Tras$
By de3au#t, -ot$ t$e Recyc#e Bin and 1nternet GC"#orer@s 5ac$e want to consu/e ridicu#ous a/ounts o3 your $ard
dri!e s"ace. Rig$t c#ick on t$e Recycle Bin, se#ect Properties, and on t$e J#o-a# ta-, decide $ow /uc$
s"ace you want t$e Recyc#e Bin to consu/e, eit$er 3or a## dri!es in your syste/, or on a "erHdri!e -asis. %1t@s a
"ercentage o3 t$e tota# s"ace. 1 adust t$e s#ider way to t$e #e3t, so 1@/ using Bon#yB a 3ew $undred /egs o3 s"ace 3or
tras$.+
;i/i#ar#y, o"en 1nternet GC"#orer, and se#ect $ools/nternet &ptions. 6nder Te/"orary 1nternet Ai#es,
c#ick t$e Settings -utton and se#ect a reasona-#e si?e 3or t$is cac$e area. Jenera##y s"eaking, i3 you $a!e a 3ast
connection, ' M-ytes to 10 M-ytes is adeIuate4 2' M-ytes or so is usua##y enoug$ wit$ a s#ower dia#Hu" connection.
1) 2ein In )*s"em 2es"ore
Like t$e ite/s in 7o. ', a-o!e, ;yste/ Restore is an incredi-#e s"ace $og. 1t /ig$t -e wort$ it, i3 ;yste/ Restore
were a tru#y co/"#ete and 3oo#"roo3 3or/ o3 -acku", -ut it@s not. .t -est, ;yste/ Restore can and wi## get t$e core
o"erating syste/ running again a3ter a -ad cras$, -ut it doesn@t return a## 3i#es to t$e "reHtrou-#e state, and it can@t
re/o!e a## traces o3 a "rogra/ t$at went -ad. .s a resu#t, ;yste/ Restore@s use3u#ness is #i/ited, and so s$ou#d -e its
a""etite 3or disk s"ace.
Rig$t c#ick on My Computer, se#ect Properties, and se#ect t$e System Restore ta-. ;e#ect your /ain
dri!e %usua##y 5:+, c#ick Settings, and /o!e t$e s#ider to reser!e a reasona-#e a/ount o3 disk s"ace. Wit$ a good
regi/en o3 dai#y -acku"s, you can e!en /o!e t$e s#ider a## t$e way to t$e #e3t. %1 do.+
13 you $a!e /ore t$an one dri!e, you /ay wis$ to turn o33 ;yste/ Restore entire#y 3or nonHsyste/ dri!es. T$ere@s
#itt#e, i3 any, -ene3it to -e gained -y $a!ing t$e/ /onitored. .nd i3 you@re rea##y re#igious a-out /aking a 3u##
-acku" -e3ore you a#ter your syste/ or insta## new so3tware, you /ay wis$ to co/"#ete#y turn o33 ;yste/ Restore
3or a## dri!es.
3) Improve XP's Vir"ual 4emor* )e""ings
Dn its own, Windows "#aces your Bswa"3i#eB or B"aging 3i#eB %a "ortion o3 your $ard dri!e t$at@s used as a kind o3
"seudoHR.M+ on your 5: dri!e, and sets it u" so it can grow and s$rink as needed. <owe!er, you /ay -e a-#e to do
-etter. Aor eCa/"#e, i3 you $a!e /ore t$an one "$ysica# disk in your syste/, you /ay get -etter "er3or/ance 3ro/
eit$er "#acing t$e swa"3i#e on t$e #esserHused disk %assu/ing it@s t$e sa/e s"eed as t$e "ri/ary disk+ or -y s"#itting
t$e swa"3i#e across two disks. =ou a#so /ay see /odest i/"ro!e/ents in res"onsi!eness i3 you set t$e swa"3i#e to a
3iCed si?e, so Windows won@t waste ti/e growing and s$rinking t$e 3i#e on de/and.
;wa"3i#e /anage/ent $as -een so/ew$at o3 a -#ack art in "re!ious !ersions o3 Windows, -ut t$e XP <e#" ;yste/
actua##y $as good in3or/ation on t$e su-ect %a 3irst 3or WindowsF+. ;e#ect Help And Support 3ro/ t$e ;tart
/enu, and do a searc$ 3or B!irtua# /e/ory.B Be sure to c$eck out t$e Bre#ated to"icsB de#i!ered -y t$e searc$ 3or
additiona# good in3or/ation.
5) !on"rol XP's .idden Devices
Aor reasons known on#y to t$e "rogra//ers in Red/ond, XP /ay de#i-erate#y $ide certain syste/ de!ices 3ro/
you. W$i#e t$is /ig$t /ake a kind o3 sense in, say, XP <o/e edition, t$ese de!ices re/ain $idden e!en in t$e
Pro3essiona# edition.
Aor eCa/"#e, i3 you@re used to Windows E(@s networking a""#et, you /ay -e sur"rised -y $ow c#ean and unc#uttered
XP@s networking a""#et is. But XP /ay si/"#y -e $iding #ots o3 networking e#e/ents 3ro/ you. To see i3 t$is is t$e
case, rig$t c#ick on My Computer, se#ect Properties, Hardware, and Device Manager. 1n De!ice
Manager, se#ect *iew and S(ow Hidden Devices.
De"ending on $ow XP was set u", you /ay 3ind a nu/-er o3 networking de!icesHHBMini"ortsBHHt$at t$e 7etworking
a""#et didn@t dis"#ay. 1n /y case, 1 3ound unnecessary PPDG, PPTP, L2TP, and Dia# Dut e#e/ents. 1 disa-#ed a##
t$ese unneeded e#e/ents, #ea!ing on#y t$e 1P /ini"ort ena-#ed, and t$us restored so/e sense o3 contro# o!er /y
networking setu". De"ending on $ow your syste/ is set u", you /ay 3ind ot$er $idden de!ices, or no ot$ers. 1t
!aries $uge#y. But at #east now you@## know i3 XP is $iding t$ings 3ro/ you.
6) Ta%e T$e Bra%es 7ff 0our ,e"wor% )e""ings
XP@s de3au#t network settings 3or MaCi/u/ Trans/ission 6nit, Recei!e Window, and suc$, /ay or /ay not -e
idea# 3or your circu/stances. T$e on#y way to know is to take a c#ose #ook: Aor eCa/"#e, D;L Re"orts and
;"eedJuide $a!e eCce##ent 3ree in3or/ation, on#ine tests, and e!en oneHc#ick tweaks t$at can auto/atica##y o"ti/i?e
a## or so/e o3 XP@s interna# "#u/-ing 3or $ig$Hs"eed connecti!ity. D;L Re"orts a#so o33ers a 3ree, si/"#e network
tweaking too# ca##ed DrT5P t$at #ets you instant#y and easi#y adust a !ariety o3 "ara/eters4 t$is too# /akes iterati!e
testing a sna", as you eC"eri/ent to 3ind t$e -est settings 3or your "articu#ar setu".
%1ncidenta##y, w$en WinXPHs"eci3ic so#utions aren@t o33ered, use t$ose 3or Windows 20004 t$at@s t$e c#osest /atc$
3or XP.+
18) Loc% T$e Door
XP $as a -ui#tHin deskto" 3irewa##, -ut it@s turned o33 -y de3au#t. To turn it on: Rig$t c#ick on My "etwor'
Places, Properties, rig$t c#ick on your connection %e.g. Loca# .rea 5onnection+, se#ect Properties again,
t$en Advanced, and t$en c#ick t$e -oC 3or Protect My Computer.
But note t$at t$e -ui#tHin 3irewa## is !ery -asic, as t$e 3ree LeakTest too# wi## de/onstrate 3or you. . t$irdH"arty
3irewa## %suc$ as Kone.#ar/ wi## do a /uc$ -etter o- t$an XP@s -ui#tHin 3irewa##.
.nd w$ate!er you use 3or deskto" security, -e sure to test your syste/ using any o3 t$e sa3e, 3ree, on#ine security
scans. Be sure to 3o##ow any suggestions t$e sites /ake to c#ose security $o#es detected -y t$e tests. Aor eCa/"#e,
t$ere are eCce##ent tests a!ai#a-#e at:
;$ie#ds 6"
D;L Re"orts Port ;can
D;L Re"orts Au## ;can
We@!e a#so discussed /any ot$er security ser!ices in ear#ier co#u/ns, suc$ as t$is one.