Tags: Increased productivity. Several ways to optimize Windows XP How to increase the performance of Windows XP

When purchasing a new PC with a pre-installed operating system, be it a laptop or a desktop computer, any user is more or less faced with the task of customizing it to suit their needs. There are no universal recipes for such settings, and there cannot be - some people like the decoration of the working steel, non-standard icons, translucent windows, etc.; On the contrary, some people find these excesses annoying, while others don’t care at all how the operating system is configured. The Windows XP operating system provides users with quite wide opportunities for setting up an individual profile, and it would be a sin not to take advantage of them.
In this article we will look at the main methods of tuning an operating system for maximum performance using the Windows XP Professional operating system (English version) as an example. Setting up the “deprived” operating system Windows XP Home Edition, as well as the OS for “illiterates”, that is, the Russian-language version of Windows XP, is carried out in a similar way.

The main idea of ​​tuning the operating system for maximum performance is to remove all the frills that, although they decorate the desktop and windows, slow down the system's performance due to smooth opening, etc.

In addition, it is necessary to disable unnecessary services and optimize the operating system for a specific computer configuration.

To configure the operating system, you can use both specialized configuration utilities (so-called tweakers) and tools from the operating system itself. The second method seems to us more flexible and interesting, so we will step by step consider manual configuration of the operating system.

Stage 1. Getting rid of excesses

So, first of all, let's give the desktop a classic look. To do this, right-click on the Taskbar and select Properties from the menu that appears. In the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box that opens, on the Start Menu tab, set the Classic Start menu switch (Fig. 1). After this, the usual icons will appear on the desktop: My Computer, My Network Places, etc.

Then we need to get rid of the wallpaper, guided by the principle that the most beautiful wallpaper is its complete absence. To do this, right-click anywhere on the desktop and select Properties from the menu that opens. In the Display Properties dialog box that opens, on the Desktop tab, select None as the desktop wallpaper (Fig. 2).

In the same Display Properties dialog box, on the Screen Saver tab, you can adjust the power consumption scheme (Monitor power group, Power button). In the Power Options Properties dialog box that appears after clicking the Power button, on the Power Schemes tab, select the Always On power consumption scheme and block Turn off hard disks (Fig. 3).

The next step is to get rid of all visual effects, shadows, etc., that is, to give the desktop and all Windows XP windows a strict look. To do this, in the Control Panel window, select the System item and on the Advanced tab of the System Properties dialog box, click on the Settings button in the Performance group. In the Performance Options dialog box that opens, on the Visual Effects tab, set the Adjust for best performance switch, which corresponds to eliminating all visual effects (Fig. 4).

Rice. 4. Increase PC performance by eliminating visual effects

Another step in tuning the OS for maximum performance is done in the Display Properties dialog box on the Apperance tab. After clicking the Effects... button, a dialog box of the same name will appear, in which you need to uncheck the Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts and Use the following transition effect for menu and tooltips (Fig. 5), which will allow you to disable the use of screen font smoothing.

Stage 2. Swap file optimization

wop file is a disk space that is used by the operating system to store data if there is not enough RAM. Essentially, a swap file is slow RAM, so when a program starts swapping, it appears as if the computer is freezing.

If you have 256 MB of memory or more installed on your computer, then it is best to fix the size of the swap file, that is, make its minimum and maximum sizes the same, and the more memory in your PC, the smaller the size of the swap file can be. We do not recommend abandoning the swap file at all. The point is that even if the swap file is never used at all, some programs check for its presence and only run if the swap file is available.

As a rule, the minimum size of a swap file is set equal to the amount of RAM, and the maximum size is 2-2.5 times larger. The optimal situation is when the size of the swap file is fixed at 512 MB, provided that 256 MB of RAM is installed, and 1024 MB if the RAM size is 512 MB or more.

To set a specified swap file size, in the System Properties dialog box, go to the Advanced tab and in the Virtual memory group, click the Change button. The Virtual Memory dialog box that opens allows you to set the size and location of the swap file (paging file) (Fig. 6).

Stage 3. Disabling unused services

At this stage, the ability to roll back the operating system to a given configuration is disabled. This feature, in principle, is very convenient, but at the same time it slows down the operating system somewhat, and in addition, there are more effective ways to ensure operational reliability, for example, creating a disk image or BackUp system files.

To disable the rollback feature, in the System Properties dialog box, go to the System Restore tab and check the Turn off System Restore on all drives checkbox (Figure 7).

You can slightly increase the speed of the disk subsystem by disabling the indexing service to quickly search for files. However, it is recommended to do this only if the number of files on the disk does not amount to tens of thousands. Otherwise, it is better to leave the service activated.

To disable the file indexing service, right-click on the hard drive icon and select Properties from the menu that opens. In the Local Disk Properties dialog box, uncheck Allow Indexing Service to index this disk for fast file searching (Figure 8).

Of course, indexing services and OS rollback capabilities are far from the only services in the operating system. The remaining services, of which there are many in the Windows XP operating system, can be managed through the Services snap-in (Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services).

After launching the Services snap-in (Fig. 9), the services that are available for configuration are displayed in the form of a table. Each line contains a description of the service, its state and startup type. By selecting the line with the desired service and double-clicking on it with the left mouse button, you can view a detailed description of the service, its status, dependencies, and the operating system file that starts the service.

If the startup type is set to Auto, the service will automatically start when Windows starts. Services with a startup type of Manual can be started manually, and they can also be started by other dependent services. If the service is disabled, it will not start. To get maximum performance, you can stop some services or set the startup type to Manual. It is not recommended to set the startup type to Disable unless you are sure that the service is not in use.

Before you start experimenting with services, review what services are running on your computer. To do this, enter command mode and run Command Promt. Run the Net Start command, which will display a complete list of all running services.

Below is a list of services (this list may vary depending on your computer configuration) with brief recommendations.

Alerter(default setting Manual) - a message service that sends and receives messages sent by administrators or the alert service. This service is not related to Windows Messenger. The service can be disabled - in this case, the notification will not be sent.

Application Layer Gateway(default setting Manual) - Application layer gateway service that implements support for third-party protocols to provide shared Internet access using a firewall. If you are not using a firewall, you can disable the service.

Application Management(default setting is Manual) - this service is necessary for the operation of software installation programs. You can leave the service startup type unchanged.

Automatic Updates(default setting Automatic) is an automatic update service that controls the automatic download of critical Windows XP updates. (We have already talked about how to disable this service earlier, but you can also do this through the Services snap-in.)

Background Intelligent Transfer Service(default setting is Manual) - this service is used for background data transfer over the network. This service can be disabled.

COM+ Event System(default setting Automatic) - support for the system event notification service, which ensures automatic distribution of events to COM components. It is not recommended to change the startup type of this service.

COM+ System Application(default setting Manual) - controls the configuration and monitoring of COM+ components. If this service is disabled, most COM+ components will not function correctly. Therefore, it is better not to change the startup type of this service.

Computer Browser(default setting Automatic) - maintains a list of computers on the network and provides it to programs upon request. If the service is disabled, the list will not be created or updated. If the computer is not online, the service can be disabled.

Cryptographic Services(default setting Automatic) - A cryptographic service that provides three management services: the directory database service, the secure root service, and the key service. If Cryptographic Services is disabled, management services will not work.

DHCP Client(default setting Automatic) is a DHCP client service that manages network configuration by registering and updating IP addresses and DNS names. If the computer is not on the network (neither local nor global), then the service can be disabled.

Distributed Link Tracking Client(default setting Automatic) - a client for tracking changed links, supporting links of NTFS files moved within a computer or between computers in a domain. If your computer does not use the NTFS file system, you can disable this service.

Distributed Transaction Coordinator(default setting is Manual) - a distributed transaction coordinator that spans multiple resource managers such as databases, message queues, and file systems. If this service is disabled, transactions will not be executed. It is not recommended to change the service startup mode.

DNS Client(default setting Automatic) - a service that resolves DNS names for this computer. If the computer is offline, you can disable the service, but in this case you will not be able to resolve DNS names and host Active Directory domain controllers.

Error Reporting(default setting Automatic) - An error logging service that allows you to log errors for services and applications running in a non-standard environment. If everything works fine, then the service can be disabled.

Event Log(default setting Automatic) - an event log that provides support for event log messages issued by Windows programs and system components and viewing of these messages. This service cannot be disabled.

Fast User Switching Compatibility(default setting Manual) - Fast User Switching Compatibility Service that manages applications that require support in a multi-user environment. If the computer has only one user, then this service can be disabled.

Help and Support(default setting Automatic) - Help and support service that provides help and support functionality on your computer. If there is no need for this service, then it can be disabled.

Human Interface Device Access(default setting Disabled) - HID (Human Interface Devices) access service that provides universal access to devices and enables and supports the use of keyboard shortcuts. If there are no HID devices, then the service can be disabled (in fact, this service is disabled by default).

IMAPI CD-Burning COM(default setting Manual) - CD burning service that controls CD burning using IMAPI (Image Mastering Applications Programming Interface). The service can be disabled, but then the computer will not be able to burn CDs. This service sometimes causes problems with recording discs with external programs.

Indexing Service(default setting Manual) - file indexing service that provides quick access to files using a flexible query language. This service can be disabled. (We previously showed how to disable this service without using a snap-in.)

IPSec Services(default setting Automatic) - IPSEC services that manage IP security policy. If the computer is not on the network and the TCP/IP protocol is not used, this service can be disabled.

Logical Disk Manager(default setting Automatic) - Logical Disk Manager is responsible for discovering and monitoring new hard drives and reporting information about hard drive volumes to the Logical Disk Manager management service. If this service is disabled, dynamic disk status and configuration information may be out of date. Disabling is possible if you are not planning to install new disks or change the configuration of logical disks.

Logical Disk Manager Administrative Service(default setting Manual) - Logical Disk Manager administration service that configures hard drives and volumes. This service is only required during configuration processes and is disabled at other times. It is recommended that you do not change the startup type of this service.

Messenger(default setting Automatic) - a service that sends administrative alerts over the network from the server to clients. This service is not related to Windows Messenger. If the computer is not online, the service can be disabled.

MS Software Shadow Copy Provider(default setting Manual) - a service that manages shadow copies obtained using volume shadow copying. In principle, the service can be disabled, but in this case there will be no way to manage shadow copies.

Net Logon(default setting Automatic) - a network logon service that supports end-to-end account authentication for domain computers. If your computer is not online, you can disable the service.

NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing(default setting Manual) - a service that allows users to access the Windows desktop using the NetMeeting program. If you are not using this feature or your computer is not online, you can disable this service.

Network Connections(default setting Manual) - network connection service that manages objects in the Network and Dial-Up Connections folders. If the computer is not online and does not use a modem to access the Internet, the service can be disabled.

Network DDE(default setting is Manual) is a network DDE service that provides network transport and dynamic data exchange (DDE) security for programs running on the same or different computers. If the computer is not on the network, the service can be disabled, but then network transport and DDE security will not be available.

Network DDE DSDM(default setting Manual) - a service that provides dynamic data exchange between shared network resources. If your computer is not online, you can disable the service.

Network Location Awareness (NLA)(default setting is Manual) is a network location service (NLA) that collects and stores network location and configuration information, and notifies applications when they change network settings. If your computer is not online, you can disable the service.

NT LM Security Support Provider(default setting Manual) - a service that provides security to programs that use remote procedure calls (RPC). If your computer is not online, you can disable the service.

Performance Logs and Alerts(default setting Manual) - a service that manages the collection of performance data from local or remote computers and ensures that this data is recorded in logs or triggers alerts. The service can be disabled, but performance data will not be collected if you do so.

Plug and Play(default setting Automatic) - a service that allows the computer to recognize changes in installed equipment and adapt to them; either without requiring user intervention or reducing it to a minimum. It is not recommended to change the service startup type.

Portable media serial number(default setting Automatic) - a service that receives serial numbers of all portable media devices connected to the system. The service can be disabled.

Print Spooler(default setting Automatic) - a print spooler that loads files into memory for later printing. If there is no printer connected to your computer, you can disable the service.

Protected Storage(default setting Automatic) - A service that provides secure storage of sensitive data, such as private keys, to prevent unauthorized access by services, processes, or users. The service can be disabled.

QoS RSVP(default setting Manual) - a service that provides notifications on the network and local traffic management for QoS programs and management programs. QoS RSVP reserves a portion (20%) of the communication channel bandwidth for itself. If QoS programs are not used, the service can be disabled. But in order to not reserve part of the communication channel bandwidth, you need to run the Group Policy snap-in (Start -> Run -> gpedit.msc), in which in the Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/Network/QoS Packet Scheduler section you need to limit the reserved bandwidth (Limit reservable bandwidth) by setting the Bandwidth limit (%) value to 0.

Remote Access Auto Connection Manager(the default setting is Manual) is a remote access auto-connection manager that creates a connection to a remote network when a program accesses a remote DNS or NetBIOS name or address. This service can be disabled if the computer is not online.

Remote Access Connection Manager(default setting Manual) - remote access connection manager that creates a network connection. If you do not intend to create new network connections, you can disable the service.

Remote Desktop Help Session Manager(default setting Manual) - Remote Desktop Help session manager that controls Remote Assistance capabilities. This service can be disabled if the computer is not online or if the ability to remotely control the assistant is not used.

Remote Procedure Call (RPC)(default setting Automatic) - A remote procedure call (RPC) service that powers many other services. This service cannot be disabled.

Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator(default setting Manual) is a remote procedure call (RPC) locator that manages the RPC name service database. It is not recommended to change the service startup type.

Remote Registry(default setting Automatic) is a remote registry service that allows remote users to change registry settings on a computer. It is best to disable this service.

Removable Storage(default setting Manual) - a service that manages removable storage devices such as ZIP, magneto-optical drives, etc. If these devices are not used, the service can be disabled.

Routing and Remote Access(default setting Manual) - a service that allows routing and remote access. If there is no such need (and most likely, this is the case), then the service can be disabled.

Secondary Logon(default setting Automatic) - a secondary login service that allows you to run processes as another user. If the service is disabled, this type of user registration is not available.

Security Accounts Manager(default setting Automatic) - Security Account Manager that stores security information for the local user account. This service can be disabled if the computer is not online.

Server(default setting Automatic) - a server service that provides support for sharing files, printers, and named pipes for a given computer over a network connection. If the computer is not online, the service can be disabled.

Shell Hardware Detection(default setting Automatic) - a new device detection service that allows you to launch the installation wizard when you connect new devices to your computer. It is not recommended to change the service startup mode.

Smart Card(default setting Manual) - smart card service that controls access to smart card readers. If your computer does not use smart card readers, you can disable the service.

Smart Card Helper(default setting Manual) - smart card support module that provides support for older smart card readers (without PnP). If this service is disabled, legacy smart card readers will not be supported on this computer.

SSDP Discovery(default setting Manual) - SSDP discovery service, which is responsible for discovering UPnP devices on the home network. If you don't have a home network, you can disable the service.

System Event Notification(default setting Automatic) - System event notification service that logs system events such as Windows logons, network logins, and power changes. It is not recommended to change the service startup type.

System Restore Service(default setting Automatic) - system recovery service that performs system recovery functions. It is advisable to disable this service. (How to do this in another way was described above.)

Task Scheduler(default setting Automatic) - a task scheduler that allows you to configure a schedule for automatic execution of tasks on this computer. If this service is stopped, these tasks cannot run at the scheduled time. It is recommended to disable this service.

TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper(default setting Automatic) - support service for NetBIOS over TCP/IP and resolution of NetBIOS names and addresses. If the computer is not online, the service can be disabled.

Telephony(default setting is Manual) - a service that provides support for the Telephony API (TAPI) for programs that manage telephone equipment and IP voice connections on a computer, as well as through the network on servers where the corresponding service is running. If the computer is not online and the Internet is not used, the service can be disabled.

Telnet(default setting Manual) - a service that allows a remote user to log into the system and run programs. But if the computer is not online or if this feature is not needed, then this service can be disabled.

Terminal Services(default setting is Manual) is a terminal service that allows multiple users to connect interactively to a computer and displays the desktop and applications on remote computers. If the computer is not used as a terminal server, then it is better to disable the service.

Themes(default setting Automatic) - a service that provides theme management. It is recommended to disable this service.

Uninterruptible Power Supply(default setting Manual) - a service that controls the operation of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) connected to the computer. If the UPS is not used, it is advisable to disable the service.

UPnP Device Host(default setting Manual) - a service that supports universal PnP devices on the computer. It is not recommended to change the startup type.

Volume Shadow Copy(default setting Manual) - volume shadow copy, which controls the creation of shadow copies of disks that are used for system recovery or other purposes. If this service is disabled, shadow disk copies will not be available for recovery and backup and restore may not work. It is not recommended to change the startup type.

WebClient(default setting Automatic) - a service that allows Windows programs to create, open, and modify files stored on the Internet. If this service is disabled, these features are not available. If you use the Internet, changing the startup type is not recommended.

Windows Audio(default setting Automatic) - audio device management service for Windows programs. If this service is stopped, audio devices and effects will not work properly. Changing the startup type is not recommended.

Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing(default setting Automatic) - a service that provides Firewall support and organization of shared Internet access. If your computer does not use the Internet, you can disable the service.

Windows Image Acquisition (WIA)(default setting Manual) - image download service (WIA), which provides images from scanners and digital cameras. If scanners and digital cameras are not used, the service can be disabled.

Windows Installer(default setting Manual) - a service responsible for installing, uninstalling or restoring software. It is not recommended to change the service startup type.

Windows Management Instrumentation(default setting Automatic) - Windows management instrumentation that provides a common interface and object model for accessing information about managing the operating system, devices, applications, and services. After disabling this service, many Windows applications may not work correctly. The service startup type cannot be changed.

Windows Time(default setting Automatic) is a Windows time service that manages date and time synchronization across all clients and servers on the network. The service can be disabled, but in this case date and time synchronization will not be available.

Wireless Zero Configuration service(default setting Automatic) - a service that provides automatic configuration of 802.11 a/b/g adapters. If your computer does not have wireless adapters installed, you can disable the service.

WMI Performance Adapter(default setting Manual) - WMI performance adapter that provides information about performance libraries from WMI HiPerf providers. The service can be disabled.

Workstation(default setting Automatic) - a service that provides support for network connections. If your computer is not online, you can disable the service.

Stage 4. Editing the registry

The next step to tuning your computer for maximum performance involves editing the registry. However, before conducting any experiments, we strongly recommend that you back up your system files.

The fastest and easiest way to Backup your system is by using the Backup Utility built into the operating system. The utility is called from the Systems Tools menu (Start -> Programm -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Backup).

Setting up the utility, which consists of determining what exactly is being saved and where the saved backup file should be located, is carried out on the Backup tab (Fig. 10).

Editing registry settings provides quite a lot of possibilities, a complete description of which would require a separate book. In this article, we will look at only the most commonly used settings that allow you to configure your operating system for maximum performance.

To begin with, it makes sense to explain what the system registry is. All operating system settings, along with the configuration of the personal computer, are collected in a single database called the system registry. From the moment the computer starts until it shuts down, the operating system continuously uses this database, monitoring the profile settings of all users, program settings, document types, network settings, etc. Unlike previous versions of Microsoft Windows, in the Windows XP family the system registry has no size restrictions.

Based on a hierarchical system, the registry provides the most convenient form for work, consisting of sections, subsections and parameters (registry keys). The Windows XP registry consists of five main keys: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, HKEY_CURRENT_USER, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, HKEY_USERS and HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG.

To configure the system for maximum performance, we will need to edit the following registry keys:

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\Desktop;
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer;
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control;
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SessionManger\MemoryManagement;
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Lanmanserver\Parameters;
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Filesystem.

Editing the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\Desktop section

Changing the value of the WaitToKillAppTimeout key, which is 20,000 by default, allows you to speed up shutdown of frozen programs. By default, the operating system waits 20,000 ms (20 seconds) before disabling frozen programs. It is recommended to set the key value to 5000 ms instead of 20,000 ms.

Similar to the previous registry key, HungAppTimeout (default value is 5000) determines the time after which an unresponsive application is considered hung. The recommended value for this key is 2000.

Changing the value of the MenuShowDelay key (the default value is 400) allows you to change the delay of pop-up menus. If you set the value of this key to 50, then all menus will appear almost instantly.

The AutoEndTasks key is used to automatically close all hung programs without any warning. In order to activate the ability to automatically close frozen programs, you must set the value of this key to 1 (the default value of the key is 0).

Editing the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer section

In this registry section, we recommend changing the value of only one key - NoInstrumentation. This key, if its value is set to 1, allows you to disable Windows XP tracking of user actions, including launched programs and opened documents. By default, this key is not in the registry, and first of all you need to add it there by selecting the key data type DWORD Value.

Editing the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control section

In this section, only one key can be edited - WaitToKillServiceTimeout. The value of this key determines the time in milliseconds that the system waits before shutting down. The default key value is 20,000, which is 20s. It is recommended to set the key value to 5000. Setting a lower value is dangerous, since in this case the operating system will kill programs before they have time to save their data.

Editing the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SessionManger\MemoryManagement section

This section allows you to optimize the operation of the operating system with memory, which can improve system performance. The following keys can be edited in this section: SecondLevelDataCache; DisablePagingExecutive; IoPageLockLimit; LargeSystemCache.

The SecondLevelDataCache key allows you to manually set the size of the processor's second level (L2) cache in the registry. As a rule, the operating system independently recognizes the size of the processor cache, but this setting will not be superfluous. If the value is not specified or equal to 0 (default), then the L2 cache size is set automatically. In order to specify the cache size value manually, you must specify the cache size in bytes as the key value in decimal notation. For example, for an Intel Pentium 4 (Northwood) processor this value is 512 bytes.

To speed up performance, the operating system leaves the executable kernel code resident in RAM instead of displacing it as needed into virtual memory on disk, that is, into a swap file. Such things happen very rarely - only when there are a lot of programs running. To eliminate this possibility altogether, you can use the DisablePagingExecutive key and set its value to 1.

To change this key relatively safely, it is recommended to have at least 256 MB of memory. Do not use this option if you are using standby and hibernate modes.

The IoPageLockLimit key sets the number of bytes that are locked in I/O operations. Changing this value may speed up file system activity. Key values ​​are specified in hexadecimal notation in the range from 0S1 to 0SFFFFFFFF bytes. By default, the key value is 0S0, which corresponds to 512 KB.

By default, this key is not in the registry, so first of all you need to add it there (data type DWORD Value).

Table 1

For example, if your computer has 1024 MB of RAM installed, then the size of IoPageLockLimit should be 1024 – 64 = 960 MB = 1006,632,960 bytes. Converting this value to hexadecimal notation, we get the value 3С000000. This means that if the RAM size is 1024 MB, the value of the IoPageLockLimit key should be equal to 3С000000. In table Table 2 shows the recommended values ​​for the IoPageLockLimit key for the most common memory sizes.

table 2

The LargeSystemCache registry key specifies the size of the file system cache. There are two values ​​for this key: 0 and 1. A value of 0 sets the standard cache size (approximately 8 MB). This key value is recommended for workstations or application servers.

A key value of 1 sets the cache size to a large size, which can grow dynamically up to the size of RAM minus 4 MB. It is recommended to set this key value for file servers.

Editing the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ Lanmanserver\Parameters section

In this registry section we will be interested in the value of the Size key, which allows us to optimize the use of RAM. The Size key can take three values: 1, 2 and 3.

A key value of 1 minimizes RAM usage. It is recommended to set this value only on workstations whose resources are not used intensively.

A key value of 2 represents a balance between cache allocation and application free memory allocation.

A key value of 3 is used only for file servers and ensures that the amount of cache memory allocated is necessary for file sharing.

The keys HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Lanmanserver\Parameters\Size and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SessionManger\MemoryManagement\LargeSystemCache are usually used together. Microsoft offers a scheme for jointly setting key values ​​depending on the PC usage model presented in Table. 3.

Table 3

Editing the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Filesystem section

Editing this section allows in some cases to increase performance when accessing hard drives. The following keys can be edited: NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation; NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate.

When the NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation key is set to 1, the operating system will not create a special table on the NTFS partition for compatibility with older applications, containing all names of files and folders (of a given logical drive), presented in MS-DOS format (eight characters in the name and three characters for file extension). Currently, such NTFS specifics are not relevant, so it is advisable to disable it to increase performance.

When the NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate key (the key must first be added with a DWORD Value data type) is set to 1, the NTFS file system will not update the last access timestamps of each file or folder. Try using this feature to increase the performance of your disk subsystem.

The Windows XP operating system, unlike older operating systems, is well-balanced and optimized for the tasks of its time. However, there are ways to improve performance a little more by changing some of the default settings.

To perform the actions below, you do not need special user rights or special programs. However, for some operations you will have to use. All settings are safe, but still, it is better to play it safe and create a system restore point.

Operating system optimization can be divided into two parts:

• One-time setup. This includes editing the registry and the list of running services.
• Regular actions that need to be performed manually: defragmenting and cleaning disks, editing startup, deleting unused keys from the registry.

Let's start with the service and registry settings. Please note that these sections of the article are for advisory purposes only. Here it is up to you to decide which parameters to change, that is, whether such a configuration is suitable specifically in your case.

Services

By default, the operating system runs services that we do not use in our daily work. The setup consists of simply disabling services. These steps will help free up your computer's RAM and reduce the number of hard drive accesses.

The first candidate for shutdown is the service "Telnet". Its function is to provide remote access via a network to a computer. In addition to freeing up system resources, stopping this service reduces the risk of unauthorized entry into the system.

In the same way, we disable the remaining services on the list:

1. "Remote Desktop Help Session Manager". Since we have disabled remote access, we will not need this service.
2. Next you should disable "Remote Registry" for the same reasons.
3. "Message Service" also subject to stopping, since it only works when connected to the desktop from a remote computer.
4. Service "Smart cards" allows us to use these drives. Never heard of them? So, let's turn it off.
5. If you use programs for burning and copying discs from third-party developers, then you do not need "COM Service for CD Burning".
6. One of the most “gluttonous” services - "Error Logging Service". It constantly collects information about failures and problems, obvious and hidden, and generates reports based on them. These files are difficult to read by the average user and are intended to be provided to Microsoft developers.
7. Another "information collector" - "Performance Logs and Alerts". This is, in a sense, a completely useless service. It collects some data about the computer, hardware capabilities, and analyzes it.

Registry

Editing the system registry allows you to change any Windows settings. It is this property that we will use to optimize the operation of the OS. At the same time, you must remember that rash actions can lead to system crash, so remember about the restore point.
The registry editing utility is called "regedit.exe" and is located at

By default, system resources are equally distributed between background and active applications (those with which we are currently working). The following setting will increase the priority of the latter.

Cleaning the registry

During long-term work, creating and deleting files and programs, unused keys accumulate in the system registry. Over time, there can be a huge number of them, which significantly increases the time required to access the necessary parameters. Of course, you can delete such keys manually, but it is better to use the help of software. One such program is CCleaner.

When purchasing a new PC with a pre-installed operating system, be it a laptop or a desktop computer, any user is more or less faced with the task of customizing it to suit their needs. There are no universal recipes for such settings, and there cannot be - some people like the decoration of the working steel, non-standard icons, translucent windows, etc.; On the contrary, some people find these excesses annoying, while others don’t care at all how the operating system is configured. The Windows XP operating system provides users with quite wide opportunities for setting up an individual profile, and it would be a sin not to take advantage of them.
In this article we will look at the main methods of tuning an operating system for maximum performance using the Windows XP Professional operating system (English version) as an example. Setting up the “deprived” operating system Windows XP Home Edition, as well as the OS for “illiterates”, that is, the Russian-language version of Windows XP, is carried out in a similar way.

The main idea of ​​tuning the operating system for maximum performance is to remove all the frills that, although they decorate the desktop and windows, slow down the system's performance due to smooth opening, etc.

In addition, it is necessary to disable unnecessary services and optimize the operating system for a specific computer configuration.

To configure the operating system, you can use both specialized configuration utilities (so-called tweakers) and tools from the operating system itself. The second method seems to us more flexible and interesting, so we will step by step consider manual configuration of the operating system.

Stage 1. Getting rid of excesses

So, first of all, let's give the desktop a classic look. To do this, right-click on the Taskbar and select Properties from the menu that appears. In the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box that opens, on the Start Menu tab, set the Classic Start menu switch (Fig. 1). After this, the usual icons will appear on the desktop: My Computer, My Network Places, etc.

Then we need to get rid of the wallpaper, guided by the principle that the most beautiful wallpaper is its complete absence. To do this, right-click anywhere on the desktop and select Properties from the menu that opens. In the Display Properties dialog box that opens, on the Desktop tab, select None as the desktop wallpaper (Fig. 2).

In the same Display Properties dialog box, on the Screen Saver tab, you can adjust the power consumption scheme (Monitor power group, Power button). In the Power Options Properties dialog box that appears after clicking the Power button, on the Power Schemes tab, select the Always On power consumption scheme and block Turn off hard disks (Fig. 3).

The next step is to get rid of all visual effects, shadows, etc., that is, to give the desktop and all Windows XP windows a strict look. To do this, in the Control Panel window, select the System item and on the Advanced tab of the System Properties dialog box, click on the Settings button in the Performance group. In the Performance Options dialog box that opens, on the Visual Effects tab, set the Adjust for best performance switch, which corresponds to eliminating all visual effects (Fig. 4).

Rice. 4. Increase PC performance by eliminating visual effects

Another step in tuning the OS for maximum performance is done in the Display Properties dialog box on the Apperance tab. After clicking the Effects... button, a dialog box of the same name will appear, in which you need to uncheck the Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts and Use the following transition effect for menu and tooltips (Fig. 5), which will allow you to disable the use of screen font smoothing.

Stage 2. Swap file optimization

wop file is a disk space that is used by the operating system to store data if there is not enough RAM. Essentially, a swap file is slow RAM, so when a program starts swapping, it appears as if the computer is freezing.

If you have 256 MB of memory or more installed on your computer, then it is best to fix the size of the swap file, that is, make its minimum and maximum sizes the same, and the more memory in your PC, the smaller the size of the swap file can be. We do not recommend abandoning the swap file at all. The point is that even if the swap file is never used at all, some programs check for its presence and only run if the swap file is available.

As a rule, the minimum size of a swap file is set equal to the amount of RAM, and the maximum size is 2-2.5 times larger. The optimal situation is when the size of the swap file is fixed at 512 MB, provided that 256 MB of RAM is installed, and 1024 MB if the RAM size is 512 MB or more.

To set a specified swap file size, in the System Properties dialog box, go to the Advanced tab and in the Virtual memory group, click the Change button. The Virtual Memory dialog box that opens allows you to set the size and location of the swap file (paging file) (Fig. 6).

Stage 3. Disabling unused services

At this stage, the ability to roll back the operating system to a given configuration is disabled. This feature, in principle, is very convenient, but at the same time it slows down the operating system somewhat, and in addition, there are more effective ways to ensure operational reliability, for example, creating a disk image or BackUp system files.

To disable the rollback feature, in the System Properties dialog box, go to the System Restore tab and check the Turn off System Restore on all drives checkbox (Figure 7).

You can slightly increase the speed of the disk subsystem by disabling the indexing service to quickly search for files. However, it is recommended to do this only if the number of files on the disk does not amount to tens of thousands. Otherwise, it is better to leave the service activated.

To disable the file indexing service, right-click on the hard drive icon and select Properties from the menu that opens. In the Local Disk Properties dialog box, uncheck Allow Indexing Service to index this disk for fast file searching (Figure 8).

Of course, indexing services and OS rollback capabilities are far from the only services in the operating system. The remaining services, of which there are many in the Windows XP operating system, can be managed through the Services snap-in (Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services).

After launching the Services snap-in (Fig. 9), the services that are available for configuration are displayed in the form of a table. Each line contains a description of the service, its state and startup type. By selecting the line with the desired service and double-clicking on it with the left mouse button, you can view a detailed description of the service, its status, dependencies, and the operating system file that starts the service.

If the startup type is set to Auto, the service will automatically start when Windows starts. Services with a startup type of Manual can be started manually, and they can also be started by other dependent services. If the service is disabled, it will not start. To get maximum performance, you can stop some services or set the startup type to Manual. It is not recommended to set the startup type to Disable unless you are sure that the service is not in use.

Before you start experimenting with services, review what services are running on your computer. To do this, enter command mode and run Command Promt. Run the Net Start command, which will display a complete list of all running services.

Below is a list of services (this list may vary depending on your computer configuration) with brief recommendations.

Alerter(default setting Manual) - a message service that sends and receives messages sent by administrators or the alert service. This service is not related to Windows Messenger. The service can be disabled - in this case, the notification will not be sent.

Application Layer Gateway(default setting Manual) - Application layer gateway service that implements support for third-party protocols to provide shared Internet access using a firewall. If you are not using a firewall, you can disable the service.

Application Management(default setting is Manual) - this service is necessary for the operation of software installation programs. You can leave the service startup type unchanged.

Automatic Updates(default setting Automatic) is an automatic update service that controls the automatic download of critical Windows XP updates. (We have already talked about how to disable this service earlier, but you can also do this through the Services snap-in.)

Background Intelligent Transfer Service(default setting is Manual) - this service is used for background data transfer over the network. This service can be disabled.

COM+ Event System(default setting Automatic) - support for the system event notification service, which ensures automatic distribution of events to COM components. It is not recommended to change the startup type of this service.

COM+ System Application(default setting Manual) - controls the configuration and monitoring of COM+ components. If this service is disabled, most COM+ components will not function correctly. Therefore, it is better not to change the startup type of this service.

Computer Browser(default setting Automatic) - maintains a list of computers on the network and provides it to programs upon request. If the service is disabled, the list will not be created or updated. If the computer is not online, the service can be disabled.

Cryptographic Services(default setting Automatic) - A cryptographic service that provides three management services: the directory database service, the secure root service, and the key service. If Cryptographic Services is disabled, management services will not work.

DHCP Client(default setting Automatic) is a DHCP client service that manages network configuration by registering and updating IP addresses and DNS names. If the computer is not on the network (neither local nor global), then the service can be disabled.

Distributed Link Tracking Client(default setting Automatic) - a client for tracking changed links, supporting links of NTFS files moved within a computer or between computers in a domain. If your computer does not use the NTFS file system, you can disable this service.

Distributed Transaction Coordinator(default setting is Manual) - a distributed transaction coordinator that spans multiple resource managers such as databases, message queues, and file systems. If this service is disabled, transactions will not be executed. It is not recommended to change the service startup mode.

DNS Client(default setting Automatic) - a service that resolves DNS names for this computer. If the computer is offline, you can disable the service, but in this case you will not be able to resolve DNS names and host Active Directory domain controllers.

Error Reporting(default setting Automatic) - An error logging service that allows you to log errors for services and applications running in a non-standard environment. If everything works fine, then the service can be disabled.

Event Log(default setting Automatic) - an event log that provides support for event log messages issued by Windows programs and system components and viewing of these messages. This service cannot be disabled.

Fast User Switching Compatibility(default setting Manual) - Fast User Switching Compatibility Service that manages applications that require support in a multi-user environment. If the computer has only one user, then this service can be disabled.

Help and Support(default setting Automatic) - Help and support service that provides help and support functionality on your computer. If there is no need for this service, then it can be disabled.

Human Interface Device Access(default setting Disabled) - HID (Human Interface Devices) access service that provides universal access to devices and enables and supports the use of keyboard shortcuts. If there are no HID devices, then the service can be disabled (in fact, this service is disabled by default).

IMAPI CD-Burning COM(default setting Manual) - CD burning service that controls CD burning using IMAPI (Image Mastering Applications Programming Interface). The service can be disabled, but then the computer will not be able to burn CDs. This service sometimes causes problems with recording discs with external programs.

Indexing Service(default setting Manual) - file indexing service that provides quick access to files using a flexible query language. This service can be disabled. (We previously showed how to disable this service without using a snap-in.)

IPSec Services(default setting Automatic) - IPSEC services that manage IP security policy. If the computer is not on the network and the TCP/IP protocol is not used, this service can be disabled.

Logical Disk Manager(default setting Automatic) - Logical Disk Manager is responsible for discovering and monitoring new hard drives and reporting information about hard drive volumes to the Logical Disk Manager management service. If this service is disabled, dynamic disk status and configuration information may be out of date. Disabling is possible if you are not planning to install new disks or change the configuration of logical disks.

Logical Disk Manager Administrative Service(default setting Manual) - Logical Disk Manager administration service that configures hard drives and volumes. This service is only required during configuration processes and is disabled at other times. It is recommended that you do not change the startup type of this service.

Messenger(default setting Automatic) - a service that sends administrative alerts over the network from the server to clients. This service is not related to Windows Messenger. If the computer is not online, the service can be disabled.

MS Software Shadow Copy Provider(default setting Manual) - a service that manages shadow copies obtained using volume shadow copying. In principle, the service can be disabled, but in this case there will be no way to manage shadow copies.

Net Logon(default setting Automatic) - a network logon service that supports end-to-end account authentication for domain computers. If your computer is not online, you can disable the service.

NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing(default setting Manual) - a service that allows users to access the Windows desktop using the NetMeeting program. If you are not using this feature or your computer is not online, you can disable this service.

Network Connections(default setting Manual) - network connection service that manages objects in the Network and Dial-Up Connections folders. If the computer is not online and does not use a modem to access the Internet, the service can be disabled.

Network DDE(default setting is Manual) is a network DDE service that provides network transport and dynamic data exchange (DDE) security for programs running on the same or different computers. If the computer is not on the network, the service can be disabled, but then network transport and DDE security will not be available.

Network DDE DSDM(default setting Manual) - a service that provides dynamic data exchange between shared network resources. If your computer is not online, you can disable the service.

Network Location Awareness (NLA)(default setting is Manual) is a network location service (NLA) that collects and stores network location and configuration information, and notifies applications when they change network settings. If your computer is not online, you can disable the service.

NT LM Security Support Provider(default setting Manual) - a service that provides security to programs that use remote procedure calls (RPC). If your computer is not online, you can disable the service.

Performance Logs and Alerts(default setting Manual) - a service that manages the collection of performance data from local or remote computers and ensures that this data is recorded in logs or triggers alerts. The service can be disabled, but performance data will not be collected if you do so.

Plug and Play(default setting Automatic) - a service that allows the computer to recognize changes in installed equipment and adapt to them; either without requiring user intervention or reducing it to a minimum. It is not recommended to change the service startup type.

Portable media serial number(default setting Automatic) - a service that receives serial numbers of all portable media devices connected to the system. The service can be disabled.

Print Spooler(default setting Automatic) - a print spooler that loads files into memory for later printing. If there is no printer connected to your computer, you can disable the service.

Protected Storage(default setting Automatic) - A service that provides secure storage of sensitive data, such as private keys, to prevent unauthorized access by services, processes, or users. The service can be disabled.

QoS RSVP(default setting Manual) - a service that provides notifications on the network and local traffic management for QoS programs and management programs. QoS RSVP reserves a portion (20%) of the communication channel bandwidth for itself. If QoS programs are not used, the service can be disabled. But in order to not reserve part of the communication channel bandwidth, you need to run the Group Policy snap-in (Start -> Run -> gpedit.msc), in which in the Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/Network/QoS Packet Scheduler section you need to limit the reserved bandwidth (Limit reservable bandwidth) by setting the Bandwidth limit (%) value to 0.

Remote Access Auto Connection Manager(the default setting is Manual) is a remote access auto-connection manager that creates a connection to a remote network when a program accesses a remote DNS or NetBIOS name or address. This service can be disabled if the computer is not online.

Remote Access Connection Manager(default setting Manual) - remote access connection manager that creates a network connection. If you do not intend to create new network connections, you can disable the service.

Remote Desktop Help Session Manager(default setting Manual) - Remote Desktop Help session manager that controls Remote Assistance capabilities. This service can be disabled if the computer is not online or if the ability to remotely control the assistant is not used.

Remote Procedure Call (RPC)(default setting Automatic) - A remote procedure call (RPC) service that powers many other services. This service cannot be disabled.

Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator(default setting Manual) is a remote procedure call (RPC) locator that manages the RPC name service database. It is not recommended to change the service startup type.

Remote Registry(default setting Automatic) is a remote registry service that allows remote users to change registry settings on a computer. It is best to disable this service.

Removable Storage(default setting Manual) - a service that manages removable storage devices such as ZIP, magneto-optical drives, etc. If these devices are not used, the service can be disabled.

Routing and Remote Access(default setting Manual) - a service that allows routing and remote access. If there is no such need (and most likely, this is the case), then the service can be disabled.

Secondary Logon(default setting Automatic) - a secondary login service that allows you to run processes as another user. If the service is disabled, this type of user registration is not available.

Security Accounts Manager(default setting Automatic) - Security Account Manager that stores security information for the local user account. This service can be disabled if the computer is not online.

Server(default setting Automatic) - a server service that provides support for sharing files, printers, and named pipes for a given computer over a network connection. If the computer is not online, the service can be disabled.

Shell Hardware Detection(default setting Automatic) - a new device detection service that allows you to launch the installation wizard when you connect new devices to your computer. It is not recommended to change the service startup mode.

Smart Card(default setting Manual) - smart card service that controls access to smart card readers. If your computer does not use smart card readers, you can disable the service.

Smart Card Helper(default setting Manual) - smart card support module that provides support for older smart card readers (without PnP). If this service is disabled, legacy smart card readers will not be supported on this computer.

SSDP Discovery(default setting Manual) - SSDP discovery service, which is responsible for discovering UPnP devices on the home network. If you don't have a home network, you can disable the service.

System Event Notification(default setting Automatic) - System event notification service that logs system events such as Windows logons, network logins, and power changes. It is not recommended to change the service startup type.

System Restore Service(default setting Automatic) - system recovery service that performs system recovery functions. It is advisable to disable this service. (How to do this in another way was described above.)

Task Scheduler(default setting Automatic) - a task scheduler that allows you to configure a schedule for automatic execution of tasks on this computer. If this service is stopped, these tasks cannot run at the scheduled time. It is recommended to disable this service.

TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper(default setting Automatic) - support service for NetBIOS over TCP/IP and resolution of NetBIOS names and addresses. If the computer is not online, the service can be disabled.

Telephony(default setting is Manual) - a service that provides support for the Telephony API (TAPI) for programs that manage telephone equipment and IP voice connections on a computer, as well as through the network on servers where the corresponding service is running. If the computer is not online and the Internet is not used, the service can be disabled.

Telnet(default setting Manual) - a service that allows a remote user to log into the system and run programs. But if the computer is not online or if this feature is not needed, then this service can be disabled.

Terminal Services(default setting is Manual) is a terminal service that allows multiple users to connect interactively to a computer and displays the desktop and applications on remote computers. If the computer is not used as a terminal server, then it is better to disable the service.

Themes(default setting Automatic) - a service that provides theme management. It is recommended to disable this service.

Uninterruptible Power Supply(default setting Manual) - a service that controls the operation of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) connected to the computer. If the UPS is not used, it is advisable to disable the service.

UPnP Device Host(default setting Manual) - a service that supports universal PnP devices on the computer. It is not recommended to change the startup type.

Volume Shadow Copy(default setting Manual) - volume shadow copy, which controls the creation of shadow copies of disks that are used for system recovery or other purposes. If this service is disabled, shadow disk copies will not be available for recovery and backup and restore may not work. It is not recommended to change the startup type.

WebClient(default setting Automatic) - a service that allows Windows programs to create, open, and modify files stored on the Internet. If this service is disabled, these features are not available. If you use the Internet, changing the startup type is not recommended.

Windows Audio(default setting Automatic) - audio device management service for Windows programs. If this service is stopped, audio devices and effects will not work properly. Changing the startup type is not recommended.

Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing(default setting Automatic) - a service that provides Firewall support and organization of shared Internet access. If your computer does not use the Internet, you can disable the service.

Windows Image Acquisition (WIA)(default setting Manual) - image download service (WIA), which provides images from scanners and digital cameras. If scanners and digital cameras are not used, the service can be disabled.

Windows Installer(default setting Manual) - a service responsible for installing, uninstalling or restoring software. It is not recommended to change the service startup type.

Windows Management Instrumentation(default setting Automatic) - Windows management instrumentation that provides a common interface and object model for accessing information about managing the operating system, devices, applications, and services. After disabling this service, many Windows applications may not work correctly. The service startup type cannot be changed.

Windows Time(default setting Automatic) is a Windows time service that manages date and time synchronization across all clients and servers on the network. The service can be disabled, but in this case date and time synchronization will not be available.

Wireless Zero Configuration service(default setting Automatic) - a service that provides automatic configuration of 802.11 a/b/g adapters. If your computer does not have wireless adapters installed, you can disable the service.

WMI Performance Adapter(default setting Manual) - WMI performance adapter that provides information about performance libraries from WMI HiPerf providers. The service can be disabled.

Workstation(default setting Automatic) - a service that provides support for network connections. If your computer is not online, you can disable the service.

Stage 4. Editing the registry

The next step to tuning your computer for maximum performance involves editing the registry. However, before conducting any experiments, we strongly recommend that you back up your system files.

The fastest and easiest way to Backup your system is by using the Backup Utility built into the operating system. The utility is called from the Systems Tools menu (Start -> Programm -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Backup).

Setting up the utility, which consists of determining what exactly is being saved and where the saved backup file should be located, is carried out on the Backup tab (Fig. 10).

Editing registry settings provides quite a lot of possibilities, a complete description of which would require a separate book. In this article, we will look at only the most commonly used settings that allow you to configure your operating system for maximum performance.

To begin with, it makes sense to explain what the system registry is. All operating system settings, along with the configuration of the personal computer, are collected in a single database called the system registry. From the moment the computer starts until it shuts down, the operating system continuously uses this database, monitoring the profile settings of all users, program settings, document types, network settings, etc. Unlike previous versions of Microsoft Windows, in the Windows XP family the system registry has no size restrictions.

Based on a hierarchical system, the registry provides the most convenient form for work, consisting of sections, subsections and parameters (registry keys). The Windows XP registry consists of five main keys: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, HKEY_CURRENT_USER, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, HKEY_USERS and HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG.

To configure the system for maximum performance, we will need to edit the following registry keys:

• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\Desktop;
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer;
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control;
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SessionManger\MemoryManagement;
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Lanmanserver\Parameters;
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Filesystem.

Editing the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ControlPanel\Desktop section

Changing the value of the WaitToKillAppTimeout key, which is 20,000 by default, allows you to speed up shutdown of frozen programs. By default, the operating system waits 20,000 ms (20 seconds) before disabling frozen programs. It is recommended to set the key value to 5000 ms instead of 20,000 ms.

Similar to the previous registry key, HungAppTimeout (default value is 5000) determines the time after which an unresponsive application is considered hung. The recommended value for this key is 2000.

Changing the value of the MenuShowDelay key (the default value is 400) allows you to change the delay of pop-up menus. If you set the value of this key to 50, then all menus will appear almost instantly.

The AutoEndTasks key is used to automatically close all hung programs without any warning. In order to activate the ability to automatically close frozen programs, you must set the value of this key to 1 (the default value of the key is 0).

Editing the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer section

In this registry section, we recommend changing the value of only one key - NoInstrumentation. This key, if its value is set to 1, allows you to disable Windows XP tracking of user actions, including launched programs and opened documents. By default, this key is not in the registry, and first of all you need to add it there by selecting the key data type DWORD Value.

Editing the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control section

In this section, only one key can be edited - WaitToKillServiceTimeout. The value of this key determines the time in milliseconds that the system waits before shutting down. The default key value is 20,000, which is 20s. It is recommended to set the key value to 5000. Setting a lower value is dangerous, since in this case the operating system will kill programs before they have time to save their data.

Editing the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SessionManger\MemoryManagement section

This section allows you to optimize the operation of the operating system with memory, which can improve system performance. The following keys can be edited in this section: SecondLevelDataCache; DisablePagingExecutive; IoPageLockLimit; LargeSystemCache.

The SecondLevelDataCache key allows you to manually set the size of the processor's second level (L2) cache in the registry. As a rule, the operating system independently recognizes the size of the processor cache, but this setting will not be superfluous. If the value is not specified or equal to 0 (default), then the L2 cache size is set automatically. In order to specify the cache size value manually, you must specify the cache size in bytes as the key value in decimal notation. For example, for an Intel Pentium 4 (Northwood) processor this value is 512 bytes.

To speed up performance, the operating system leaves the executable kernel code resident in RAM instead of displacing it as needed into virtual memory on disk, that is, into a swap file. Such things happen very rarely - only when there are a lot of programs running. To eliminate this possibility altogether, you can use the DisablePagingExecutive key and set its value to 1.

To change this key relatively safely, it is recommended to have at least 256 MB of memory. Do not use this option if you are using standby and hibernate modes.

The IoPageLockLimit key sets the number of bytes that are locked in I/O operations. Changing this value may speed up file system activity. Key values ​​are specified in hexadecimal notation in the range from 0S1 to 0SFFFFFFFF bytes. By default, the key value is 0S0, which corresponds to 512 KB.

By default, this key is not in the registry, so first of all you need to add it there (data type DWORD Value).

Table 1

For example, if your computer has 1024 MB of RAM installed, then the size of IoPageLockLimit should be 1024 – 64 = 960 MB = 1006,632,960 bytes. Converting this value to hexadecimal notation, we get the value 3С000000. This means that if the RAM size is 1024 MB, the value of the IoPageLockLimit key should be equal to 3С000000. In table Table 2 shows the recommended values ​​for the IoPageLockLimit key for the most common memory sizes.

table 2

The LargeSystemCache registry key specifies the size of the file system cache. There are two values ​​for this key: 0 and 1. A value of 0 sets the standard cache size (approximately 8 MB). This key value is recommended for workstations or application servers.

A key value of 1 sets the cache size to a large size, which can grow dynamically up to the size of RAM minus 4 MB. It is recommended to set this key value for file servers.

Editing the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ Lanmanserver\Parameters section

In this registry section we will be interested in the value of the Size key, which allows us to optimize the use of RAM. The Size key can take three values: 1, 2 and 3.

A key value of 1 minimizes RAM usage. It is recommended to set this value only on workstations whose resources are not used intensively.

A key value of 2 represents a balance between cache allocation and application free memory allocation.

A key value of 3 is used only for file servers and ensures that the amount of cache memory allocated is necessary for file sharing.

The keys HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Lanmanserver\Parameters\Size and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SessionManger\MemoryManagement\LargeSystemCache are usually used together. Microsoft offers a scheme for jointly setting key values ​​depending on the PC usage model presented in Table. 3.

Table 3

Editing the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Filesystem section

Editing this section allows in some cases to increase performance when accessing hard drives. The following keys can be edited: NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation; NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate.

When the NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation key is set to 1, the operating system will not create a special table on the NTFS partition for compatibility with older applications, containing all names of files and folders (of a given logical drive), presented in MS-DOS format (eight characters in the name and three characters for file extension). Currently, such NTFS specifics are not relevant, so it is advisable to disable it to increase performance.

When the NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate key (the key must first be added with a DWORD Value data type) is set to 1, the NTFS file system will not update the last access timestamps of each file or folder. Try using this feature to increase the performance of your disk subsystem.

There is no doubt that the operating systems of the Windows family begin to behave somewhat strangely over time: the system slows down, applications freeze, forced termination of a particular process is not carried out, surfing the Internet becomes more and more difficult, the speed of access to programs or sites crash, etc., etc. Every user has encountered this (this is not discussed). Let's see how the system can be optimized.

Why does computer performance decrease over time?

There can be any number of reasons for decreased performance. It is clear that a “clean” system “flies”, be it version XP, Vista, 7, 8 or even 10, but this continues for the time being.

Problems begin after installing a huge number of user programs and applications, frequent use of the Internet, the presence of a large amount of fragmented data, the presence of unnecessary keys and entries in the system registry, etc. In some cases, the performance of the computer can be reduced due to virus attacks. But first things first.

Ways to optimize Windows using standard methods

Windows OS developers, naturally, did not ignore system optimization. True, for this they provided the user with a minimal set of tools. Unfortunately, in any Windows system, tools for working with the system registry with automatic error correction or optimization are completely excluded from the set. There is only an editor, which is strongly not recommended for the uninitiated user.

Let's take a look using standard Windows tools. There are several methods: disk cleanup, defragmentation, changing startup settings and the paging file.

Understanding how to improve the performance of your computer using the disk space cleanup utility, it is worth saying that this method works best in conjunction with a service for removing temporary Internet files, clearing cookies and browsing history.

The cleaning program itself removes unnecessary files, and cleaning browser elements allows you to speed up your work on the World Wide Web.

Defragmentation, as such, can also be used as a program for computer performance. The fact is that when constantly installing user applications, copying, deleting or moving files on the hard drive, holes appear to form in the logical partition. So the system rushes about in search of the required file when it receives a request.

The defragmentation process allows you to move frequently used program files to the fastest areas of your hard drive, thereby reducing the time it takes to access the applications themselves.

As for startup elements, the situation is somewhat different. Probably, many users have noticed that when calling the system configuration menu with the msconfig command (Run menu), on the automatically loaded items tab, you can often see a mountain of processes that start along with the system. Naturally, each such process runs in the background (invisible to the user) mode and often uses quite a lot of system resources unnecessarily. This could include various monitoring services, updates, background diagnostic tools, etc.

How to improve computer performance in such a situation? Nothing could be simpler. You just need to disable all startup items (uncheck the boxes for running processes). In general, ideally, you can leave only two components (of course, if you do not need to run specialized processes): the ctfmon service, which is responsible for displaying the language bar in the system tray, and a constantly running real-time anti-virus scanner. Disabling background services will solve the problem of how to increase the performance of your computer on Windows 7.

As for the just mentioned “seven”, if there is a sufficiently large amount of RAM, you can also use changing the parameters of the paging file, which is responsible for physical memory. If there is insufficient RAM, services and programs are downloaded to the hard drive and use specially reserved space to free it up. How to increase computer speed in this case? If you have, say, 8 GB of RAM or more, it is generally recommended to disable the paging file so that there are no unnecessary calls to the hard drive (which, naturally, does not affect the functioning of the PC for the better). As is already clear, Windows 7 can increase the performance of a computer, and quite noticeably. This is especially evident when increasing the RAM (“seven” supports RAM up to 192 GB).

Using third party software

The fact that Windows tools are not effective enough probably doesn’t need to be explained to anyone. It is best to use third-party utilities that allow you to increase the performance of your computer more effectively without user intervention through the use of standard and additional modules included in each software package. Windows operating systems can only envy many of these tools.

Operating principles of optimization programs

As a rule, all optimization programs have a unique tool, often called one-click check and optimization. In this case, each application has its own default settings, which check and accelerate the main services and components of the system. The same defragmentation is performed much faster, and the result exceeds all expectations.

However, in the problem with the use of automated utilities, I would like to specifically mention tools such as system registry scanners with subsequent correction of errors and removal of outdated keys and incorrect entries, registry defragmenters (on the principle of defragmenting a hard drive to speed up access), complete uninstallation of programs and applications, computer cleaners garbage in the form of residual or unnecessary files, performance optimizers by correctly disabling unused background services, Internet connection boosters, etc. Let's look at some of the most well-known and popular utilities for optimizing Windows systems.

Uninstallers

The “native” Windows uninstaller (Install Shield Wizard), unfortunately, does not cope with its functions one hundred percent, leaving a lot of garbage after uninstalling programs, not only in the form of files, but also entries in the system registry.

Here it is better to turn to professional utilities. For example, iObit Uninstaller is almost the best application of its kind. It is integrated into the Programs and Features section of the Control Panel, but can also be called up manually.

What's most interesting: there is a special Forced Uninstall function. First, a standard removal of all program components is performed, and then a search for residual (undeletable) files and registry entries begins. By selecting all the components associated with the remote application, you can once and for all get rid of even the mention that such and such a program was once installed on the computer.

Advanced System Care

The Advanced System Care application is a unique program for computer performance that combines enormous functionality.

In addition to standard system scanning and optimization tools, it is worth highlighting in-depth scanning for malware, detection of potentially unwanted programs and applications, improved tools for removing software components, quick correction of incorrect system registry entries and its optimization, correction of incorrect shortcuts and links, as well as a special turbo mode that allows you not only to disable unnecessary system services in real time, but also to optimize your network connection to speed up Internet access.

Glary Utilities

Glary Utilities is another system optimization utility. As expected, it has a special 1-Click Maintenance quick cleaning mode. Of all the applications, this software product is considered to have the best one-click optimizer.

In additional modules you can find many tools that will be useful for all occasions. There is no point in describing them all, since, as a rule, they are not much different for most programs.

Asampoo WinOptimizer

Asampoo WinOptimizer is one of the simplest, but quite effective utilities for cleaning and optimizing Windows systems.

When detecting errors and correcting them, the same method is used as in all other cases. Of course, this program cannot compare with the Advanced System Care package, but it is suitable for novice users who need quick and effective system optimization. It allows you to easily improve the performance of your computer. Windows XP was originally the main platform for this application, so it is with this system that the program works best.

Windows 7 Manager

The Windows 7 Manager utility allows you to quickly and effectively solve the problem of how to increase the performance of a computer on Windows 7 (as the name suggests, it was developed specifically for this “operating system”).

In the functional set, in addition to standard modules, you can find tools for displaying detailed information about the system, including Windows and Office installation keys, changing system context menus, optimizing running system processes, an editor for some system files, and much more.

Which is better to use?

In conclusion, it is worth noting that the performance of a computer with any operating system on board can be improved using any of the programs described above. Naturally, you can use other, no less interesting utilities, for example CCleaner. As for the programs that were reviewed here, I think the best option would be the most powerful Advanced System Care package (especially since the iObit Uninstaller is already included in the installation kit). For Windows 7 systems, you can use the “Manager” designed for them. Well, simple utilities are suitable for the average user, where there is no need to use additional modules or advanced functions and settings.

Windows XP is an operating system that many users have long retired. In vain: it copes excellently with basic tasks - surfing the Internet, watching videos, working with documents. For an old computer, this is the only full-fledged and fast-working OS. To make Windows XP function even more efficiently, you can optimize its operation.

Improving the system using standard tools

Optimization is necessary, since Windows slowdowns are most pronounced when turning on and loading working components. To reduce the time from the appearance of the desktop to the ability to fully work, follow three simple steps:

• Remove the “wallpaper” and replace it with a background color that is pleasing to the eye.
• Remove all shortcuts from your desktop.
• Exclude everything unnecessary from startup.
• Work on adjusting your computer's performance settings.

The first two points may seem silly, but this actually works with older versions of Windows, and XP is no exception. Of course, the “heaviness” of a high-resolution image as a desktop background is felt only on really weak machines, but this is not an unnecessary action. Right-click on an empty area of ​​the computer desktop and select “Properties”, and then “Desktop”.

When the computer boots, all shortcuts on the desktop are polled, and if they are not there, the process will speed up significantly and the system will be less “stupid.” Buttons for launching popular programs can be located on the panel near Start. Right-click on any empty space on the panel and select a special item from the context menu called “Properties”.

In the window that opens, check the box next to “Show Quick Launch Toolbar” and uncheck the box next to “Pin the taskbar.” As long as it is not pinned, icons can be dragged directly from the desktop to the panel. Then fasten it back.

To make Windows XP boot easier, you need to remove all unnecessary programs from startup. In Start, select “Run” and enter msconfig in the empty line that appears.

In the window that opens, in the “Startup” tab, you can safely uncheck everything that is not related to Microsoft or programs that you will launch in any case immediately after turning on the computer.

A real treasure trove of settings awaits you at: Start/My Computer (right mouse button)/Properties/Advanced/Performance/Options. The settings window looks like this:

You can select the “Ensure the best performance” setting and apply it, or you can optimize your Windows XP by unchecking selected items. You can also turn off all effects. This way you will achieve maximum graphics performance. True, the operating system will look much worse. Or experiment with individual items.

This completes the optimization of XP using standard means.

Improving the functioning of the OS with third-party programs

The most popular application for optimizing and increasing the efficiency of Microsoft operating systems is CCleaner. You can download it for free on the program’s official website.

The main application window offers the following options:

• Cleaning
• Service
• Settings

You need to use CCleaner's capabilities carefully: the program works harshly and will easily delete saved passwords in the browser or the history of visited pages. In the “Cleaning” section, you can choose what exactly should be deleted and what should be left. Carefully study the “Applications” tab: it lists what will be cleared in the third-party programs you have installed.

Launched for the first time, the #1 cleaning application can free up up to several gigabytes of space on your hard drive and significantly speed up the system before it becomes clogged again. The “Registry” section is intended for experienced users. It can be used to remove incorrect registry settings. Do this only if you are 100% sure that your actions will not negatively affect the operation of Windows XP.

The “Service” section duplicates the capabilities of Uninstalling programs in the Control Panel, as well as setting up startup. There are some other options here that are not related to system optimization. In “Settings” you can configure CCleaner in more detail.

other methods

There are still ways to optimize the system. At the address in Windows XP: Start/All Programs/Accessories/System Tools/System Restore/System Recovery Options - you can disable this function and thereby delete previously created points. This will remove the ability to return to a previously saved state, but will slightly reduce the size of Windows XP on disk.

If you quite often install new programs and remove old ones, often move files between folders, copy, and so on, then the disk may need defragmentation. After this, an increase in productivity is possible. Despite the fact that the OS offers a built-in utility for this purpose, it is better to use third-party programs, such as Q&Q Defrag.

To reduce the size of the system on your hard drive, you can delete the %SystemRoot%/Driver Cache/i386/ folder. Advanced users can set the SFCQuota parameter to 0, located at: Start/All Programs/Accessories/Command Prompt (type regedit and press Enter)/ HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Windows NT/CurrentVersion /Winlogon)/. Using this action, you can reduce the system by approximately 400 MB.

These are the main ways to optimize the old but beloved version of Windows. With the right approach, they will help significantly speed up the system.

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