Fixing Slow XP Machines

From MissionTechWiki

You have an XP machine that has been around a while and it is slow - e.g., it takes 10 minutes to load your email. You probably notice this the most after you reboot.

Defragment

Use the Windows tools to defragment the disk.

A great utility is “contig” which defragments those files that defrag is unable to: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/contig.mspx

RAM

• Has the PC enough RAM. How much is enough? Probably more than 256Mb. At leats 512Mb.
• Check that the RAM is all still available (ie, that a chip hasn't died).
• Run memory checks in case memory has gone bad.

Spyware and Antivirus

Run Virus and Spyware checks to ensure there is no infection. Run reliable ones and possibly multiple.

Windows Updates

Windows update may cause performance problems. As of June 2007 Microsoft has supposed to have released an update that lowers the priority of the update tool so other applications can get a look in.

Bloat

Look for applications that aren't needed, or don't need to be running. Not so easy sometimes.

Original page: http://www.missiontech.info/wiki/Fixing_Slow_XP_Machines
from the MissionTech Wiki created by the International Conference on Computers and Missions