XP Tweakz

I don't remember where I got this, but I posted it elsewhere and thought someone here might find it usefull.

Just some various XP tweaks...



Install an ASPI Layer:

WinXP does not install an ASPI layer. Most of the problems with WinXP and CD burning software are ASPI layer problems. After installing WinXP, before installing any CD burning software do a few things first:

1. Open up "My computer" and right click on the CD Recorder. If your CD recorder was detected as a CD recorder there will be a tab called "Recording". On this tab uncheck ALL of the boxes. apply or OK out of it and close my computer.

2. Next install the standard ASPI layer for NT. Reboot when asked.
Disable Autorun:

Start -> Run... -> type "gpedit.msc"


+-Computer Config
'-+-Administrative Templates
'-+-System
3. Double Click 'Turn off Autoplay'
Customise MP3 Ripping in WMP8:

NOTE: This applies only if you have the mp3 plugin installed, I think MS removed it in certain versions of WMP8, I'm not sure about the specific details however...
Open regedit and enter the following:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/MediaPlayer/Settings/MP3Encoding]
"LowRate" =dword:0001f400
"MediumRate" =dword:00027100
"MediumHighRate" =dword:0002ee00
"HighRate" =dword:0003e800

This corresponds to 64, 128, 192 and 256 Kbps.

You can change this to your liking using the following dword hex values:

320 Kbps = dword:0004e200
256 Kbps = dword:0003e800
224 Kbps = dword:00036b00
192 Kbps = dword:0002ee00
160 Kbps = dword:00027100
128 Kbps = dword:0001f400
112 Kbps = dword:0001b580
64 Kbps = dword:0000fa00
56 Kbps = dword:0000dac0

Clear Page file on shutdown:

Open Control panel -> Administrative tools -> local security policy

+-local policies
'-+-security options

Enable "Shutdown: Clear Virtual Memory Pagefile"

Increase BROADBAND speed:

This is for broad band connections. I didn’t try it on dial up but might work for dial up.
Log on as local "Administrator" user account, not just as user with admin rights.

Start -> Run... -> type gpedit.msc
+-local computer policy
'-+-Computer Configuration
'-+-Administrative templates
'-+-Network
'-+-QoS Packet Scheduler
Double click "limit reservable bandwidth" Select "enabled" then set "Bandwidth limit %" to 0

Remove Shared Documents from My Computer:

Open regedit and browse to key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Explorer/ MyComputer/NameSpace/DelegateFolders

Delete the {59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee} sub-key.
Remove Windows Messenger:

Start -> Run... -> type "gpedit.msc"
+-Computer Configuration
'-+-Administrative Templates
'-+-Windows Components
'-+-Windows Messenger
Here you can enable:
"Do not allow Windows Messenger to be run"
"Do not automatically start Windows Messenger initially"

Check Firmware of your drives:

Right click My Computer -> Manage

+-Removable Storage
'-+-Libraries
Right click required drive -> Properties -> Device Information

Faster Shutdown:

Open regedit and set the following keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\
"HungAppTimeout" = 5000 (Default value)
"WaitToKillAppTimeout" = 4000 (Default is 20000).

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\
"WaitToKillServiceTimeout" = 4000

Another thing that helps to speed up shutdown:

Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services
Set "NVidia Driver Helper service" to Manual

Tip from Gavin Ballard @ TweakTown
Tweak XP Prefetcher:

The XP Prefetcher service monitors programs that initialize during startup, then in future fetches them quickly. You can improve its performance. Open regedit and set the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters
"EnablePrefetcher" = 5

Disable ZIP Folders:

Windows XP has built-in support for .ZIP files, however the system uses a sizeable portion of resources doing this. To disable:

Start -> Run... -> type "regsvr32 /u zipfldr.dll"

Unload unused DLLs:

Explorer often leaves DLLs cached in memory for a long period of time after they have been finished with. To turn off this behavior open regedit and create key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
"AlwaysUnloadDLL" = DWORD:1

Set to 0 to disable.

Note: A restart is needed for this to take effect.
Manually Set L2 Cache:

Open regedit and browse to key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\
"SecondLevelDataCache"
Be sure to edit this key in Decimal mode.

Disable Windows File Protection:

To totally disable Windows File Protection, Open regedit and browse to key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
"SFCDisable" = FFFFFF9D

Automatically Kill Programs At Shutdown:

Open regedit and browse to key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
AutoEndTasks = 1

Memory Performance Tweaks:

Open regedit and browse to key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management Disable Paging Executive
XP pages sections RAM to the hard drive. We can stop this happening for a performance boost. (256+ MB RAM needed)
"DisablePagingExecutive" = 1

System Cache Boost
This will allocate all but 4MB of system memory to the file system cache allowing the XP Kernel to run in memory. The 4MB of memory left is used for disk caching, this tweak improves performance by a fair bit but can, degrade performance in some apps. (256+ MB RAM needed)
"LargeSystemCache" = 1

Speeding Up Network Shares:

When you connect to another computer, Windows checks for any Scheduled tasks on that computer. This can take up to 30 seconds. Open regedit and browse to key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/Current Version/Explorer/RemoteComputer/NameSpace

Delete the {D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF} sub-key and reboot.

Prioritizing IRQs:

The main components of your computer have an IRQ number assigned to them we can boost performance of that IRQ by increasing its priority. The component that will benefit most from this is the System CMOS/real time clock.

Open System Properties (Windows+Break) -> Hardware -> Device Manager

Double click the component you want the IRQ for and click Properties -> Resources

If there is no IRQ number, select another device. Open regedit and browse to key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/System/CurrentControlSet/Control/PriorityControl
IRQ#Priority (where ’#’ is the IRQ number) = DWORD:1

Hey greeat article,
If I set my M-Audio Audiophile 2496 card's IRQ to highest priority will I see any performance improvement?

Is there any risk of causing slower overall system performance by doing so?

thanks

Also
Is there any way to get XP to actually shutdown when I click shutdown instead of hanging at the "it is now safe to shutdown your computer" screen?

RedSkull said:

Also
Is there any way to get XP to actually shutdown when I click shutdown instead of hanging at the "it is now safe to shutdown your computer" screen?

Click to expand...

I think you should be able to as long as: 1) your MB/BIOS supports it 2) you enable it in the BIOS... Check it out and see if it works, or 3) in Control panel, under Power Options, Advanced click the box at the bottom that says shutdown...

I dont see any option under Power Options - advanced


My BIOS /MB should be fine, with Win ME just last week it shut down fine...

I havent changed any BIOS settings, but ill check it out..

Make this a sticky

good thread

RedSkull said:

Hey greeat article,
If I set my M-Audio Audiophile 2496 card's IRQ to highest priority will I see any performance improvement?

Is there any risk of causing slower overall system performance by doing so?

Click to expand...

Hard to say. You may see some increased performance, but it could also slow down other things. I'd just play around with it and see what you think.

Make this a sticky

Click to expand...

I second that...good tips, lets keep adding to it folks!

Also
Is there any way to get XP to actually shutdown when I click shutdown instead of hanging at the "it is now safe to shutdown your computer" screen?

Click to expand...

You must have ACPI support for this to work...if you don't, you will have to turn your computer off manually...if you have to do that now, then there is a good chance your mobo doesn't support it, unless an updated BIOS does..

Nah, there is a way to auto-shutdown even non-ACPI computer. I know cuz the system I built for my folks based in the ECS K7S5A would not auto-shutdown:

this is ripped from a TweakXP post, and it worked for me:

Many people have been having problems with their system not automatically closing down when they 'turn off' their PC. This is because of the APM setting which is not enabled. To enable it, right click on my computer goto properties select hardware and click device mangager.
Click view and then on show hidden devices. You should see the NT ATM / Legacy Interface mode with a red cross on it. Double click it and on the screen that appears at the bottom choose enable from the drop down menu.

Your PC should now automatically switch off completely on shutdown.

Click to expand...

Well i did change my computer from ACPI to Standard PC as I read it gives better latency for DAWs


maybe that is the culprit...