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| Windows System Cleaner > Optimize Windows > System Optimization > 10 Ultimate Tactics to Optimize Hard Disk Performance of Windows XP |
10 Ultimate Tactics to Optimize Hard Disk Performance of Windows XPKeep Windows XP in tiptop shape by improving and optimizing hard disk IO speed and write to the hard disk, you lose some
performance because the disk subsystem, by its nature, tends to be the slowest component of your computer system. There's not much you can do about that
fact, but you can take a number of actions to make certain that the computer's hard disk(s) are always running in tiptop shape. This article introduces 10
impartant step-by-step guidances for making Windows XP (including Service Pack 2) perform as well as the day you bought it.The 10 ultimate tactics to improve and optimize hard disk IO performance are:
Here come the first 5 basic tactics which are safe and easy for general PC users. Feel free to apply them to your PC.
1. DefragmentFragmentation is a normal occurrence within file systems. Windows XP attempts to store files in a contiguous format. However, as files are changed and resaved, the file system has to move data to different blocks of free space. The end result is that a typical file might have "pieces" scattered over the disk. When you open the file, the disk must work harder to retrieve all of the pieces and assemble them. The first regular and important task you need to do to optimize Windows XP disk performance is defragmentation. Disk Defragmenter helps repair file fragmentation, which occurs over time in any file system. Make sure you defragment the drive at least once a month to clean up clutter.
2. Check for Disk Errors Checking for disk errors is also another useful tool provided by Windows XP. This tool is available in the Tools tab of the hard disk properties sheet. It gives you simple check box options to check for file system errors and recover bad sectors. This Error Checking tool needs complete access to the disk for it to work. Applications must be closed and, in some cases, you need to reboot before it starts to gain complete access to the disk. If you use your computer a lot, it is a good idea to run this tool once a month to make sure your disk is in good working order. 3. Clean up Unnecessary Files and Optimize the Recycle Bin You would be amazed that the number of temporary files, temporary Internet files, 'recent documents' list in Windows start menu, download files and log files which Windows XP generates. If you want the hard disk to work in the best possible way, you need to delete all of the junk files from it. An overstuffed hard drive makes Windows XP work harder, so make sure you have a system in place to keep old files and junk cleaned up and removed. Also, make sure you optimize the Recycle Bin. The size of the recycle bin is a percentage of the hard drive. If you have a 200GB hard drive then 12% of 200GB is 24GB. Who needs a 24GB recycle bin? Follow the following steps to adjust the size of the recycle bin:
4. Stop Hibernation Hibernation is a nice feature of Windows XP¡ªif you use it. One tip I usually share with others to optimize Windows XP disk performance is to switch off hard disk Hibernation mode in Windows XP. If you're not using this mode, then click Start > Control Panel > Power Options Properties. Click the Hibernate tab and clear the Enable Hibernation check box. 5. Compression / Encryption and Performance With NTFS, you can compress folders and encrypt folders and files to stop unauthorized access of those files and folders. The compression feature works well, but compressed files take longer to open and resave. Basically, avoid compressing drives if you want to squeeze as much speed as possible from your system. You can decide to compress a drive or not by accessing the disk's properties and clicking 'Compress drive to save disk space' check box on the General tab. Encryption will also reduce performance in terms of opening files. After all, the encryption process has to make sure that you are authorized to view the file. The general rule to follow here is to encrypt files or folders that are necessary, but don't get in the habit of encrypting everything. Encryption is a good safety measure and it has its place, but use it judiciously. Here come the 5 advanced tactics. Before getting into the performance of the hard disk, you should take very careful reading on the advanced
tactics and make sure you are up to do it yourself manually. This is especially true if disk management is relatively new to you.
6. Convert to NTFSNTFS is the file system of choice on Windows XP. NTFS is overwhelmingly better than FAT / FAT32 and enables you to use some management features of Windows XP that FAT / FAT32 does not support. So, you should certainly convert any FAT / FAT32 drives to NTFS. The only exception to this rule is if you use a dual-boot system that also boots earlier versions of Windows that do not support NTFS, such as Windows 98 or Windows Me. Keep the following two issues in mind when converting to NTFS:
To convert a FAT or FAT32 drive to NTFS:
7. Disable 8.3 Filenames to reduce NTFS Overhead As previously mentioned, NTFS is a powerful file system that provides many of the features you'll enjoy with Windows XP, however, there is some overhead that can get in the way. For compatibility with MS-DOS and old Windows 3.x systems, NTFS supports 8.3 filenames, which means that files are named with eight characters, followed by a dot and a three-character extension. There's nothing wrong with this, but the overhead is unnecessary if you are not supporting older programs and systems (which you are probably not at this point). However, one word of warning: some older programs depend on 8.3 filenames, so it is possible that if you turn off the 8.3 filename feature, some programs may not work correctly. Although this is unlikely at this point in time, it is still an issue you should keep in mind. Otherwise, lose the 8.3 filename feature to reduce NTFS overhead by following these steps:
8. Create More Space For the Master File Table NTFS uses a Master File Table to record data about files. You can add a Registry entry to ensure that the table is large enough and has the space it needs. This will take up more space on the hard disk, but it reduces overall NTFS overhead, which can help general performance. Follow these steps:
9. Disable Date and Time Stamp Updating NTFS updates the date and time stamp from the last time that it works through the directory. With many directories, this process can slow your system down a bit, and disabling this date and time stamping feature doesn't impact how you work with files on your system. You can easily disable this dating and time stamping process by following these steps:
10. Enable DMA for IDE drives Direct memory access (DMA) mode works best for IDE drives on Windows XP. If you have an IDE drive, you will want to enable Direct Memory Access (DMA) mode. This is important for smooth performance when you play videos and listen to music. Set it up by:
Now that you have a handle on disk configuration in Windows XP. These tactics will help your hard disks work better and enable them to retrieve information
more quickly. After all, the quicker the hard disks can locate and write information, the better performance you'll see.
 Tips: Use WinSysClean TM for automatical optimization. Fix, clean, and speed up your computer without adding hardware. Download a free trial version of WinSysClean 2009 to get the best performance of your PC.
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