PC Optimisation

Folks,

Been years since I did PC support for my sins. Have this HP pavillion at home running XP Home edition. Do not intend to spend money on it. Other than defrag what else can I do to optimise this boxes performance?

Cheers

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rwmidl

Check out Black Viper’s Windows XP x86 (32-bit) Service Pack 3 Service Configurations | Black Viper's Website | www.blackviper.com

Also go to msconfig and turn off any un-needed programs at the startup.

Ahriakin

CCLeaner is a good addition. The same company do a very good free Defrag (defragler). Run CCLeaner before your defrag to make sure you don't waste time on junk files.
Depending on the ram (say 2GB+) force the Kernel to never page (it's a registry hack, or it's included with just about any tuning app. out there).
Use Autoruns to disable any startup programs you don't need (it's more detailed than msconfig though the latter works well too), don't forget to check the services section too (just set those you 'might' need occasionally to manual instead of auto startup).

bertieb

Turgon wrote: »

Have this HP pavillion at home running XP Home edition. Do not intend to spend money on it. Other than defrag what else can I do to optimise this boxes performance?

Blat it and stick Ubuntu Desktop/Linux Mint (etc) on there instead

I'm not helping am I?

Turgon

rwmidl wrote: »

Check out Black Viper’s Windows XP x86 (32-bit) Service Pack 3 Service Configurations | Black Viper's Website | www.blackviper.com

Also go to msconfig and turn off any un-needed programs at the startup.

Cheers. I followed the service disabled advice on there cautiously as who knows precisely what type of PC requirements are met by that suite of running services. Disabling some of those things may break things you may actually need depending on your own set up. My wireless network and internet browsing is now shafted. I will have to go back and start lighting up services one at a time and see what it takes to fix a few things. Should be worth it though.

Turgon

bertieb wrote: »

Blat it and stick Ubuntu Desktop/Linux Mint (etc) on there instead
I'm not helping am I?

Old PC that most likely would need a million drivers to find and download for the hardware. Would most likely be a nightmare to get USB flash or floppy disk drive or CD-ROM working so I could insert a disc with the drivers.

Reminds me of the agony of getting a Novell server installed from a DOS partition. Without the CD ROM dos drivers configure you are screwed

Actually the same could be said for old Novell clients. DOS NIC drivers, autoexec.bat, config.sys, novell drivers, net.cfg..fun:)

ConradJ

When was the last time you used Linux, dude? I'll near as damnit promise you wouldn't need to install any driver and everything will work out of the box with Ubuntu.

SneakDogg

Ahriakin wrote: »

CCLeaner is a good addition. The same company do a very good free Defrag (defragler). Run CCLeaner before your defrag to make sure you don't waste time on junk files.
Depending on the ram (say 2GB+) force the Kernel to never page (it's a registry hack, or it's included with just about any tuning app. out there).
Use Autoruns to disable any startup programs you don't need (it's more detailed than msconfig though the latter works well too), don't forget to check the services section too (just set those you 'might' need occasionally to manual instead of auto startup).

I agree with CCleaner. You can also right click the hard drive or go to the control panel and do a regular old fashioned "disk cleanup." Also, uninstall all junk and unused programs and use the registry cleaner on ccleaner to clear out old entries. I also recommend installing MS Security Essentials as your virus protection.

Turgon

ConradJ wrote: »

When was the last time you used Linux, dude? I'll near as damnit promise you wouldn't need to install any driver and everything will work out of the box with Ubuntu.

Linux? Never touched it. Done quite a bit of UNIX in my time. So do you think my widescreen monitor, USB hub, HP printer and scanner and creative speakers and netgear wireless adapter and CD-writer and old 100M onboard network port will just work if I slam ubuntu on a PC bought in 2001?

Cool.

ConradJ

The only thing that *may* give trouble is the wireless, otherwise I think this little journey may be a pleasant surprise for you. You could always try run Ubuntu from the livecd to check fo' sho' too!

MickQ

Killing unwanted services is a good start. Change them to manual or disabled (services.msc).

Get your hands on autoruns from sysinternals, and go through it slowly, unticking boxes primarily in the logon, startup and schedule areas.

Runalyzer from safer-networking is also a good autorun substitute/pairing.

chkdsk [drive] /f /r (leave overnight?)

Clean out the temp folders, particularly the temp internet files.

Then a decent defrag util. I like using O&O defrag. Set it for a complete defrag, files by last accessed/modified/name - whichever you need most.

Lastly, backup and defrag your sys reg. Make a system state backup (and test it) before you do, just so that you have it handy. You know why.
Sysinternals pageDefrag will take care of that.

Or burn an iso of ubuntu and test it out. It'll also go on a memory stick.

You'll find loads of decent free cleaning programs scattered about the webosphere. A trial version will work handy for now.

veritas_libertas

Turgon wrote: »

Linux? Never touched it. Done quite a bit of UNIX in my time. So do you think my widescreen monitor, USB hub, HP printer and scanner and creative speakers and netgear wireless adapter and CD-writer and old 100M onboard network port will just work if I slam ubuntu on a PC bought in 2001?

Cool.

I'm thinking it would. Give it try with an Ubuntu Live CD.

rsutton

The best way to get your PC up to full speed is to format and reinstall Windows. Unfortunately Windows gets slower over time and while you can slightly improve performance using a lot of the tricks already mentioned, nothing gets it as fast as a reinstall. Always take a full backup before formatting any PC!

Daniel333

With the exceptions of older video cards Linux does better with driver detection than most people give it credit for.

Been a while since my drivers were not installed right off the bat.

Anyhow, the like was said above Try a Linux CD if it works there it will work when you install.

rsutton

Daniel333 wrote: »

With the exceptions of older video cards Linux does better with driver detection than most people give it credit for.

Most of my Linux experience was in the mid 90's, I'm still scarred from getting drivers working back then. I'm sure it's a breeze now though.

MickQ

Ubuntu makes it a doddle. It's worked on about 30 different machines and H/W configs I've put it on.
One particular customer of mine kept on messing up his laptop. So much so that I'd keep an image of it just for him. He kept on coming back so many times that I'd update the image stored with the MS patches and antivirus!
Eventually I got bored of it and stuck ubuntu on it. He hasn't had any problems since.

Turgon

The PC ran a bit better today without any changes. Cold boot. Can browse the web now.

Linux is out of the question. I paid for MS Office and that wont run on Linux? Also my files are a Windows format. Will they work on linux?

MickQ

Office files will open (with varying success in complete accuracy) in OpenOffice.Org on ubuntu. OOo comes with ubuntu (last time I checked).

I'm sure you have a 1GB memory stick or blank CD/DVD lying around somewhere that will do for burning a copy of it. Don't be afraid to play with it (live cd) without installing it. It won't overwrite any of your files or drives without you telling it to.
If you're really paranoid about it, burn the cd and load it from a sibling/friend's computer to get a feel of how it boots, looks and works.

crrussell3

MickQ wrote: »

Office files will open (with varying success in complete accuracy) in OpenOffice.Org on ubuntu. OOo comes with ubuntu (last time I checked).

Libre Office > Open Office

Pash

you spend half your life in a shell of some kind Turgon, Linux will be fine for you

In all honesty, it depends who you intend to sit onto this box. I would never put any of my family members on anything other than a MAC or a windows XP/7 desktop. Linux imho is not my cup of tea for a desktop, but as others have said, live cd it up and see if you like.

Turgon

Pash wrote: »

you spend half your life in a shell of some kind Turgon, Linux will be fine for you

In all honesty, it depends who you intend to sit onto this box. I would never put any of my family members on anything other than a MAC or a windows XP/7 desktop. Linux imho is not my cup of tea for a desktop, but as others have said, live cd it up and see if you like.

hehehe..im not a linux phobe, just never played with it much

nimrod.sixty9

Ace Utilities hands down. Its not free, but it is free long enough to get an old rig running smooth again. I recommend checking it out.

impz

Turgon wrote: »

Linux is out of the question. I paid for MS Office and that wont run on Linux? Also my files are a Windows format. Will they work on linux?

Install Wine. then install MS office via Wine.

MickQ

nimrod.sixty9 wrote: »

Ace Utilities hands down. Its not free, but it is free long enough to get an old rig running smooth again. I recommend checking it out.

Seconded. I forgot its name, but the trial will give you some life back in the old machine. Then it's up to you as to what to do after.