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If not properly maintained, the performance of all Windows XP systems will eventually degrade. To counteract this slow-down, scheduling a computer shop visit isn’t your only option; you can correct performance issues yourself. Save money and squeeze more speed out of Windows XP!
Steps:
1. Remove Spyware and Viruses
■ Spyware and viruses are a leading cause of computer slowing. See this article to learn how to remove them.
■ Update and run your spyware and virus software weekly.
■ If you do not have tools installed to protect against malware, spyware, and viruses, download a free copy of AVG’s Anti-Virus and/or Anti-Spyware software (free for personal use). Also, Microsoft’s Windows Defender is a widely-used anti-spyware tool that is currently distributed freely as a Beta version.
2.Defragment Your Computer - This will place similar files physically closer on the hard disk to improve load speeds.
■ Click start, again, then click run.
■ Type, "dfrg.msc" in the text field.
■ Click Defrag to start it.
3.Perform a disk clean up.
■ Click start in the bottom left corner, then click run.
■ Type, "cleanmgr.exe" in the text field.
■ Press "okay". This can take a while if you have never done it before. 
4. Make Windows load faster
■ Click Start, then Run.
■ Type in ‘msconfig’ and press enter.
■ Click on the BOOT.INI tab at the top.
■ Over to the right there will be a box labeled Timeout with 30 in it. Change the 30 to a 3.
5. Speed Up Processing Time
■ Turning off the fancy Windows XP graphics will noticeably increase the speed of your computer.
■ Go to Start, (Settings), Control Panel, System. NOTE: You may need to ‘Switch to Classic Mode’ to see the System applet.
■ Go to the Advanced tab. Click the Settings button under Performance.
■Select the ‘Adjust for best performance’ radio button, then Apply, and OK.
* The graphics aren’t as flashy, but your computer will run a lot faster
Tips:
If this is your first defrag, do it after the disk clean up twice, then a disk defrag, and then another disk clean up.
For best results run defragmenter last after performing all other steps.
Do all the above steps quite often to keep the speed of your PC going.
Tagged as:speed up , windows xp
