Will XP slow down over time.

[JigPu]

After 3 years I can definatly see slowdown still occuring even if it's well maintained. I just recently reformmated after a year of having XP on, and after reinstalling it was only slightly faster. If you keep a machine well maintained it will take longer, but there's no stopping the inevitable ;)

If they aren't well maintained... Well, I'm sure you know how little time it takes to get clogged up then :D
JigPu

[DuckDodgers]

I installed XP Pro on a friend computer about 3yrs ago. It has never been reinstalled. Updated with a critical updates etc.. Running 512 of memory AMD clocked to about 1.8 or so. AV program, Anti Spyware, Zone Alarm Broadband, and is the access point of a WiFi Home net. They seem to think it is slowing down. I do all the maintence on it so it is not like it is plugged up with temps etc. Do they slow down after awhile?

[xcgames]

all windows OS tends to. 3 years is a very long time and I wouldn't be suprised to see a slow system. A fresh install of XP will bring system back up to the speed. Also, if you havn't defragmented the machine for the past 3 years, you should, because fragmentation is a speed killer, especially with slow harddisks.

[I.M.O.G.]

Every OS tends to... Adding and removing programs, files that are registered and deregistered, installed applications that are no longer used... All this adds to clutter which will slow things down. If the hard drive contains a lot of data, it will perform slower also.

A system with a fresh install will generally perform better than a 3 year old install, just from the rigors of normal usage... Not to mention the fact that the PC has probably had virus infections and spyware problems which have been cleaned, but they often still leave messes behind.

[TollhouseFrank]

no matter what OS you have... after a while... they get cluttered. Defragging can only fix so much. I'm sure even Linux users would agree that they re-install linux on thier boxen every so often just for that fresh installed feel.

[tenchi86]

yeah, they all slow down. Things like changing registry, system files getting mixed up. The whole hardrive file arrengment will get out of place. Defragg along with other tools can really help this problam but they do not fully cure it.

[DuckDodgers]

I kind of figured as much. XP sure is alot different then the old Win98 I used to have to re-install every six month at the least or more based on crashed and corrupt files :( . But yeah, I would get a bit plugged up after 3 yrs.I am pretty amazed, there has never been a serious crash in that time. I build the system myself and have done all the maintanence on it the whole time. Regular defrags and scan disks etc. Never a virus infection but lotsa spyware. Anyway thanks guys for the input.

-Duck

[Binman_UK]

Yeah it'll slow down due to all the crap that we install :) - but if you take care of your machine, defrag, regularly check running processes and don't get any viruses/spyware, then XP should last a fairly long time imo.

Binny.

[cornbread]

Yeah it will slow down over time, no doubt. I usually do a fresh install at least a couple of times a year, maybe overkill for some, but it doesn't take me that long to format and get everything installed and running.

[klingens]

yeah, they all slow down. Things like changing registry, system files getting mixed up. The whole hardrive file arrengment will get out of place. Defragg along with other tools can really help this problam but they do not fully cure it

I disagree. There is a reason why Debian users upgrade all the way from Debian 2.0 to the latest sid without any problems, not even slowdowns

[TollhouseFrank]

klingens... unless the programmers of debian have found a magic cure for the eventual thrashing all harddrives take, no matter how immaculate you keep them..... i doubt that it keeps your harddrive in great shape for much longer.

[klingens]

The "cure" is called good packagemanagement and preparation. together with engineering principles like not using idiotic things like a registry. The fragmentation of filesystems can easily be reversed but they're not the cause of the slowdown. Or at least, it's a cause which can be fixed unlike the others

[tenchi86]

Another reason debain has less problams is it well is not mainstream. When I said all I was mainly pointing towards windows though other OSes mess up to. With a OS that millions use like windows you will get so many background apps and other little problams that it will slow down. Maybe debain is a ultamite OS, maybe its just that only 10 people program for it. Either way he is useing Windows. Also dont take this as a assualt towards Debian because its not, and I dont want to start a flame war.

[HeddaLora]

I do regular basic maintenance and have never noticed any particular slowing. Here's what I do:

-- Delete all temp files (c:\windows\temp\*.tmp, or on XP C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Temp)

-- Delete temporary internet files (c:\windows\temporary internet files\*.*, or on XP C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files)

-- If you use I.E., click on Tools, Internet Options, Delete Files, select "delete all off-line content", click OK

-- Click on Start, Programs, Accessories, Systems Tools, Disk Cleanup

-- Download AdAware (http://www.lavasoft.de), check for updates, run it and remove whatever it finds

-- Periodically empty the browser cache and the java plug-in cache

-- Download Diskeeper (http://www.executive.com) and defrag

-- Download, update and turn on SpywareBlaster (http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html) and SpywareGuard (http://www.wilderssecurity.net/spywareguard.html) (or your spyware removal tool of choice).

I also just installed the Microsoft AntiSpyware on one of my computers (it didn't find anything, so it looks like AdAware has been pulling its weight).