# Tips for XP



## vprguy88 (May 2, 2004)

I have just recently bought a computer with XP. I have had ME for 5 years and I would see lots of things and sites for XP but I would skip it since I had ME. I was wondering does anybody know a good site(s) that can get me to understand XP and how to make it better/run faster? 

Thank you all so much.


----------



## brindle (Jun 14, 2002)

Here's  a few things for you to read.


----------



## Fizban (Oct 20, 2005)

This site has loads of tweaks:

TweakXP.com

If you have a least 512MB of RAM and you don't use an ATI video card I recommend this one.

http://www.tweakxp.com/article37016.aspx


----------



## Fizban (Oct 20, 2005)

Remember the golden rules when tweaking though.

1. Just because a tweak works on other systems it doesn't mean it will be beneficial to you're PC.

2. One tweak at a time and reboot each time as well just to be sure.

3. Make sure you write down any settings before you change them, just in case you have problems.

You may already be aware of all that but if you're new to tweaking just be careful. You can easily screw up you're system.


----------



## praneeth03 (Dec 5, 2005)

Hi,

Since you are new to XP, one thing you should take care to have a good experience is to keep your operating system updated using microsoft windows update.

And, make sure you are running Service Pack 2, (click help and about in windows explorer)

Regards,
Praneeth


----------



## dcannaday (Dec 8, 2005)

Is there something wrong with having an ATI card, or is it that the tweak just does not work with that card? Getting a bit paranoid I guess, just got this laptop last week and it seems awesome, but it has an ATI card with dedicated memory in it. lol


----------



## Randolf34 (Nov 28, 2005)

ATI cards have done well on both XP and 98 run here with two drives in one case. XP
is also a faster operating system by itself over the fat32 based versions. It uses the NT 32bit core that was designed for networking. This makes things easier when going
online without so many issues with internet explorer.

ATI does not use NVidia software as so many other cards use. The Catalyst Control
offers a vpu recovery to prevent video hangs in programs like games from locking up a
system where it will return to the desktop instead. Some softwares have issues with
that due to their own vpu recovery methods. But they are performance rated.


----------



## Fizban (Oct 20, 2005)

As far as I know there are no problems with ATI cards and some of there cards are highly rated, it's just they don't work with the tweak I recommended. I don't know why and it does say so on the link but I thought I would mention it in my original post.


----------



## Randolf34 (Nov 28, 2005)

That is probably due to not having the NVidia softwares. ATI uses their own design in
that regard. The other brands primarily use NVidia with the exception of a few of them
with the ATI chip used under their own brand name. Some may find that the tweaks
do not work for that reason.


----------



## WhitPhil (Oct 4, 2000)

dcannaday said:


> Is there something wrong with having an ATI card, or is it that the tweak just does not work with that card? Getting a bit paranoid I guess, just got this laptop last week and it seems awesome, but it has an ATI card with dedicated memory in it. lol


The issue occurs when you set LargeSystemsCache.

The result "may be" Delayed Write Failed errors on the next boot, and the only solution is a format/reinstall. An overinstall does not resolve it. Recovery console is not reachable. System Recovery is not an option.

(been there, tried that, won't try it again!!)


----------



## commander (Jun 4, 2001)

The memory tweeks look very interesting, especially as I have a laptop with 1GB RAM. However if I understand the last post correctly, then if there are problems with the LargeSystemsCache tweek, then even if I had taken a system restore point just before applying it, I could not go back.

Can anyone confirm this? Why should this be the case?

Does the same apply to the DisablePagingExecutive tweek?

I would appreciate clarification before I try this.

Peter
UK


----------



## WhitPhil (Oct 4, 2000)

commander said:


> Can anyone confirm this? Why should this be the case?
> 
> Does the same apply to the DisablePagingExecutive tweek?
> 
> ...


In my case, after making the tweak and rebooting, I was unable to get back into Windows, either normal mode, safe mode, or command mode. Thus, could not get to any point where a restore could actually be affected.

I even did a Repair install with no affect.

As for the DisablePagingExecutive tweak, if you are running with 1GB, odds are extremely good that you always have available ram, and that any Windows code will stay in ram once it is loaded anyway. So, using the tweak should have little affect.


----------



## commander (Jun 4, 2001)

Very sorry to hear of your experience WhitPhil, has anyone else had this problem? 

Thanks for the advice on the DisablePagingExecutive tweak too. Does this mean that when XP loads, it automatically loads drivers and kernel into RAM and only kicks it out if it needs the RAM for some application?

How much RAM would be required to store the kernel? 

Peter
UK


----------



## Skivvywaver (Mar 18, 2001)

I have found that most times these tweaks really don't do allot of good but are harmless. There is also that occasional tweak that will have you "tweaking" the wall with your head.

If you aren't sure, don't tweak it.


----------



## Stoner (Oct 26, 2002)

Hidy-ho Skivvy 

I have a laptop that is only used offline.
The OS is XP home. Yep....I installed many tweaks popular at the time, and the forced install of a voice recognition app seemed to lose an awful lot of functionality 
I don't generally bad mouth XP tweaks, but if you don't know exactly the results in their entirety, sometimes you wind up with a mess 
That laptop now functions very nicely with the default install


----------



## Skivvywaver (Mar 18, 2001)

The good old days.

At one time I would try anything just to see if it would screw me up or not. I don't have the drive for that sort of thing anymore, nor the time. I "might" get back into it eventually. I don't know whether I have learned my lesson or not.

I tweak the visuals, and tweak the TCPIP for my DSL and that is about it.


----------



## WhitPhil (Oct 4, 2000)

Things to consider before you enable System cache mode

DisablePagingExecutive
The tweak "user-mode and kernel-mode drivers and kernel-mode system code can be paged to disk when not in use"

But, with lots of free ram, windows is unlikely to be paging anything out to begin with. Thus, the tweak should have nominal affect. 
Also, note it is really intended to be used on a Server where it is paramount that responsiveness be maintained.
On a workstation, that new extra nanoseconds (if needed), won't even be noticed.


----------



## Fizban (Oct 20, 2005)

O.K. guys,

To be fair it's obvious you guys know a lot more about this tweak than I do, but I do have to say I didn't recommend the tweak because the effect was minor. When I tried it on my home PC which has a 3.2 Pentium Prescott processor and 2 gb of RAM it made a big difference

Just my 2c.


----------



## Skivvywaver (Mar 18, 2001)

Fizban, I hope you don't think I was knocking you or the tweak. I wasn't at all. I am just very careful with what I tweak anymore. My joking around with Stoner is because well, he has seen me have to do a reinstall due to "tweaking".

I meant no disrespect and I can not comment on anything I have not tried.


----------



## Fizban (Oct 20, 2005)

Hey Skivvywaver it's no problem,
This site is all about discussion and I'm cool with that, thats why I come here. The reason I posted is because my tip seems to have attracted negative comments, but it worked for me and I was just sharing my experience with others.
I don't wish to fall out with anyone 

BTW how's your back? I hope your not in too much pain.


----------



## Skivvywaver (Mar 18, 2001)

I am getting much better. I am still uncomfortable but less and less each day.


----------

