Aqua-Soft ForumsGuys!
This tutorial is meant for increasing the performance of Windows XP, either it can be a fresh installed windows or an old windows. 
Actually these r some tips/tricks, which I always apply whenever I do a fresh installation of windows. So here I’m sharing many of those tips-n-tricks:
1.) First I’ll tell some Registry tricks, which can be applied without any problem or doubt and I believe these tricks will surely help in increasing the performance of your windows. Copy the following code in Notepad, save the file with name "Vishal.reg" (including quotes) and then run the file:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTAllFilesystemObjectsshellexContextMenuHandlersCopy To]
@="{C2FBB630-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTAllFilesystemObjectsshellexContextMenuHandlersMove To]
@="{C2FBB631-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTDirectoryShellDosHere]
@="Command &Prompt Here"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTDirectoryShellDosHereCommand]
@="%windir%System32cmd.exe /k cd "%1""
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTDriveShellDosHere]
@="Command &Prompt Here"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTDriveShellDosHereCommand]
@="%windir%System32cmd.exe /k cd "%1""
[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorer]
"Link"=hex:00,00,00,00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktop]
"AutoEndTasks"="1"
"HungAppTimeout"="1000"
"MenuShowDelay"="8"
"WaitToKillAppTimeout"="2000"
"LowLevelHooksTimeout"="1000"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesExplorer]
"NoLowDiskSpaceChecks"=dword:00000001
"ClearRecentDocsOnExit"=dword:00000001
"NoRecentDocsHistory"=hex:01,00,00,00
"LinkResolveIgnoreLinkInfo"=dword:00000001
"NoResolveSearch"=dword:00000001
"NoResolveTrack"=dword:00000001
"NoInternetOpenWith"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControl]
"WaitToKillServiceTimeout"="2000"
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerRemoteComputer]
2.) Right-click on Desktop and select Properties, Now in the new window goto Appearance tab and click on Effects button. Now in the new opened window uncheck the following options:
a.) Use the following transition effect for menus & tooltips.
b.) Show shadows under menus.
c.) Show window contents while dragging. (you may remain this option checked as I hv in my screenshot. It depends upon ur choice.)
d.) Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts. You may select “Standard” for this. I hv selected “Clear Type” coz I hv a TFT, it doesnt work properly for CRT monitors.
3.) Right-click on My Computer icon on Desktop and select Properties (or press key + key), now goto Advanced tab in new window and click on Settings button in Performance section:
Now uncheck all the options in Visual Effects, but u can remain following options checked acc. to ur choice:
a.) Show window contents while dragging.
b.) Smooth edges of screen fonts.
c.) Use common tasks in folders (If u use the left side pane in My computer, I don’t use it.)
d.) Use drop shadows on icon labels on the desktop. (to make the desktop icons label transparent.)
e.) Use visual styles on windows and buttons. (If u use XP themes.)
4.) Open Tools -> Folder Options and click on View tab:
Now uncheck following options:
a.) Automatically search for network folders & printers.
b.) Display file size information in folder tips.
c.) Display simple folder view in Explorer’s Folders list.
d.) Show encrypted or compressed NTFS files in color. (I don’t use this option.)
e.) Show pop-up description for folder and desktop icons.
f.) Use simple file sharing.
Other remaining options are totally based upon user’s requirements, they usually don’t affect the performance! So u can enable/disable them acc. to ur requirements.
5.) Right-click on My Computer icon on Desktop and select Manage. Now goto Services & Applications -> Services. Here you can set many services to Manual, which u don’t want to start as soon as the windows starts. Following is a thread, in which I posted a small tutorial for knowing about which service should be set to MANUAL and which should be set to AUTOMATIC:
Windows XP Services that can be Safely set to MANUAL
6.) Start -> Run and type msconfig, now goto Startup tab and uncheck the entries, which u don’t want to start automatically with the windows, like u can get display settings utility entry there, and many more.
7.) Open Sound & Audio Devices in Control Panel (or type mmsys.cpl in RUN), goto Sounds tab and select No Sounds in Sound Scheme section. Or u can remain some of ur favorite sounds there but set Exit Windows, Start Windows, Windows Logoff, Windows Logon to (None).
8.) For more options/tips-n-tricks for better performance, u can use TweakUI, Tuneup Utilities 2006 and gpedit.msc (Windows XP Professional built-in tool)!
