Pretty good article for the most part, Transmission. I've got to diagree with a couple of items, though.
Item #2- Removing XP-SP2. I've yet to see Service Pack 2 cause any issues with CoH specifically. Most of the cases of functionality problems after installing SP2 are due to Firewall configuration problems- just open the appropriate ports on the built-in firewall, or turn the thing off. On top of that, SP2 includes a load of patches for security holes that can leave you wide open to a lot of attacks/infections- and as much crap as there is floating around waiting to glom up an unguarded machine, you need all the built-in protection you can get.
Item #3- Turning off Background Services. Granted, a lot of what's loaded in the background is unneeded fluff, especially if you've bought a brand-name system off the rack like HP or IBM. The biggest issue to me though is the statement that anti-virus programs are "only really needed when browsing the web or checking email." I say, leave the anti-virus stuff turned ON. There are a host of viruses out these days that do not rely on email or website downloads to spread, but that self-spread by peer-to-peer connections. This is especially risky for folks on broadband connections, since they are continually connected to the Internet when their machines are on- regardless of whether they are using any programs online at the moment. If you don't think this is a serious risk, I invite you to come to work with me for a day and see the kind of mess that can happen when people ignore advice and don't keep their anti-virus software running and updated properly, even if they have NEVER used any online-related apps themselves.
Sorry if I sounded a bit harsh on those two things, but they're a couple of pet peeves I have. Comes from spending years doing tech support for a whole school system, I expect-- honestly, teachers make some of the worst students when you're trying to tell them something... the ones here do, anyway. :p
At any rate, aside from those two things, I think it's a pretty good slug of advice. Many users probably haven't heard of the bulk of those options, and the performance increases they'll find should raise a few eyebrows when they try it.
GRISSOM: A, B, C, D or all of the above. Standoff with the police -- guy gets shot in the chest, runs back into his burning house inhaling smoke as he goes. The roof collapses and the air conditioning unit falls on his head, he dies. What killed him?
i agree with most of what u have here but i tried disabling some of the background services but that screwed me over for getting the internet.
for removing SP2 i wont do that because of all the annoying popups that ive gotten even without a webpage up and running.
i tried the gpedit.msc but my comp cant find the file and i even did a search for it. but will try something else after a rebot.
and im gonna try some of the other things that might help with bringing up the speed some.
i agree with most of what u have here but i tried disabling some of the background services but that screwed me over for getting the internet.
Can you give more details? What services did you disable, what is your setup comprised of, etc.?
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for removing SP2 i wont do that because of all the annoying popups that ive gotten even without a webpage up and running.
That isn't related to SP2, what you are refering to is known as the Messenger service, follow the steps on this page to git rid of that problem.
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i tried the gpedit.msc but my comp cant find the file and i even did a search for it
After some research I found out that the group policy editor is not available in the Home version of Windows Xp. Guide has been modified to reflect this new information.
Well I was planning on adding #11 through #20 today (hardware based tweaks such as benchmarking and overclocking) but I realized after going through the rough draft that they may be a little too complex to go into here and would probly end up being rather lengthy.
So instead ill give you:
11- The Alternative to the above for the not so daring. Most of the above tweaks are well known and can be found in a user friendly GUI (graphical user interface) based program. There are a ton out there but the one that I've found that ranks high on ease of use yet still includes most of the popular tweaks for Windows is TweakXP- pro. So if you wish to give it a try you can find out more at their home page:
TweakXP Pro*It's not freeware but it does allow you to try it free for 30 days.
12- Benchmarking and Overclocking In car terms Overclocking would be the same as adding Nitrous Oxide to your car. It is risky and can do damage if not done correctly but the increase in speed is unquestionable. Where Benchmarking would be the same as hooking your car up to a Dynamometer (Dyno Testing) to measure the performance gain.
Read as much as you can find on this subject before attempting it, also use an old computer or find one cheap to practice on.
Please visit the following to find out more on Benchmarking and Overclocking:
My 2 cents. DON'T REMOVE SP2. Just disable the firewall. The features of SP2 are good and improve system stability and security. The firewall is useless so just disable it and use your own.
Oh! one more thing. There's a list on www.theeldergeek.com of all services as well as whether they're important or not. By running services.msc (start->run, type "services.msc" enter), you can access your process list and prevent stuff from running and starting with windows that shouldn't.
