For consistency, before carrying
out the tuning tips suggested below,
switch to classic view in the control panel. To do this, Start > Control
Panel > "Switch to Classic View".
Then, switch to classic view for the menu. To do this, Start > Control
Panel > Taskbar and Start Menu > Start Menu Tab > Classic Start Menu.
If you require further information on a particular tip, click on the
associated
1. Processor scheduling should
be set to background services and not
Programs.
Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Advanced > Performance
Settings > Advanced Tab > Background Services
2. Visual effects should be set to a minimum.
Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Advanced > Performance
Settings > Visual Effects Tab > Adjust for best performance
3. Switch Off Desktop Background Image
Right Click Desktop > Properties > Desktop Tab > Background None
4. Disable Screen Saver
Right Click Desktop > Properties > Screen Saver > None
5. Disable Fast User Switching
Start > Settings > Control Panel > User Accounts > Change the
way
users log on or off > Untick Use Fast User Switching
6. Switch Off Power Schemes
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Power Options > Always On >
Turn
off monitor and turn off hard discs to Never
7. Switch Off Hibernation
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Power Options > Hibernate >
Untick Hibernation
8. Activate DMA on Hard Discs/CD ROMS
Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Hardware > Device
Manager > IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers > Right Click Primary IDE
channel and Secondary IDE channel > Properties > Advanced Settings
Tab > Transfer Mode to "DMA if available" for both devices.
9. Disable System Sounds
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices >
Sounds
Tab > Sound Scheme to None.
10. Do Not Map Through Soundcard
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices >
Hardware Tab > (highlight your soundcard from the list) > Properties
> Audio Devices > (highlight your soundcard from the list) >
Properties, and check the "Do not map through this device" checkbox.
11. Disable System Restore
Start > Settings > Control Panel> System > System Restore Tab.
Tick
the "Turn off System Restore on all Drives"
12. Disable Automatic Updates
Start > Settings > Control Panel> System > Automatic Updates >
Turn
off automatic updating. I want to update my computer manually
13. Startup and Recovery Options
Start > Settings > Control Panel> System > Advanced > Startup
and
Recovery Settings > Untick Automatically Restart
14. Disable Error Reporting
Start > Settings > Control Panel> System > Advanced > Error
Reporting > Disable Error Reporting
15. Disable Remote Assistance
Start > Settings > Control Panel> System > Remote > Untick
Allow
remote assistance invitations to be sent from this computer
--------
17. Speed Up Menus
Start > Run > Regedit > HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Control Panel >
Desktop
Folder. Set MenuShowDelay to 1
18. Disable Offline Files
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Folder Options > Offline Files
Untick "Enable Offline Files"
19. Disable Remote Desktop
Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Remote > Untick
"Allow
users to connect remotely to this computer"
20. Disable Internet Synchronise Time
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Date and Time > Internet Time
>
Untick "Automatically synchronize with internet time server"
21. Disable Hide Inactive Icons
Start > Settings > Taskbar and Start Menu > Taskbar TAB > Uncheck
"Hide Inactive Icons"
22. Disable Automatic Desktop Cleanup Wizard
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Display > Desktop > Customise
Desktop > Untick "Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 days"
23. Disable NTFS Last Access Time Logging (NTFS File Systems Only)
Start > Run > regedit > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > System >
CurrentControlSet > Control > Filesystem. Add a new DWORD value -
"NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate" and set value to 1.
24. Disable Notification Area Balloon Tips
Start > Run > regedit > HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft
>
Windows > CurrentVersion > Explorer > Advanced. Create a new DWORD
value called EnableBalloonTips and set to 0.
25. Disable CDROM Autoplay
Start > Run > regedit > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > System >
CurrentControlSet > Services > Cdrom. Set autorun to 0.
26. Disable Disc Indexing Service
Right Click Start > Explorer > Right Click Each Disc > Properties
>
Untick "Allow Indexing Service to index this disc for fast file
searching"