Speeding up an old laptop

[swee'pea99]

Found this on a geeky site as a way to speed up an old laptop running xp - would this work for one running Win ME? Does it all make sense? Will I break anything?


To increase system performance

Right click my computer. Click properties.
Click advanced.
Click settings (under performance).
Click Adjust for best performance.
Scroll to the bottom and check the last one “use visual styles on windows and buttons”.

How to disable XP's -crud- built in CD Burner

Click the start button.
Select Run.
Type services.msc and click ok.
Go to IMAPI CD-Burning Com Services open it and click on start up type, change to "Disabled".


These Settings will fine tune your systems memory

You need at least 256MB of ram to do this:

Go to start\run\regedit -and then to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management

1.DisablePagingExecutive -double click it and in the decimal put a 1 - this allows XP to keep data in memory now instead of paging sections of ram to harddrive yeilds faster performance.

2.LargeSystemCache- double click it and change the decimal to 1 -this allows XP Kernal to Run in memory and improves system performance a lot.

3.Create a new dword and name it IOPageLockLimit - double click it and set the value in hex - 4000 if you have 128MB of ram or set it to 10000 if you have 256MB set it to 40000 if you have more than 512MB of ram -this tweak will speed up your disckcache.

Reboot


Unable to delete from Avi files from HD

XP holds files in it's memory even after you have closed the application using them making it impossible to delete them from your harddrive. To fix this:

Start -> Run -> Regedit
Find the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.avi\shellex\PropertyHandler\ directory and delete the "DEFAULT" key.

Tweak The Swap File

For Users with 256 MB RAM or more this tweak will boost their Windows- and Game-Performance.
What it does: It tells Windows not to use any Swap File until there is really no more free RAM left.

Open the System Configuration Utility by typing msconfig.exe in the RUN command. There in your System.ini you have to add "ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1" under the 386enh section.

Restart your Windows and enjoy better Game performance

Disable Services

XP Pro runs a lot of services by default that are pointless if your not on a corporate network, the following services are ones that I safely disable thereby freeing up memory but check what each one does first to make sure your not using it for something:

Go to Run and type services.msc, right click on each service, properties and choose disable.

Alerter
Application Layer Gateway Service,
Application Management
Automatic Updates
Background Intelligent Transfer
Clipbook
Distributed Link Tracking Client
Distributed Transaction Coordinater
Error Reporting Service
Fast User Switching Compatibility
IMAPI CD-Burning
Indexing Service
IPSEC Services
Messenger
Net Logon
Net Meeting
Remote Desktop Sharing
Network DDE
Network DDE DSDM
Portable Media Serial Number
Remote Desktop Help Session Manager
Remote Registry
Secondary Logon
Smartcard
SSDP Discovery Service
Telnet Themes
Uninterruptible Power Supply
Universal Plug and Play Device Host
Upload Manager
Webclient
Wireless Zero Configuration
WMI Performance Adaptor


Speed Up The File System

NTFS is a great file system, but its feature-set comes at a slight cost in performance. You can negate this a little with the following tips:

* By default NTFS will automatically update timestamps whenever a directory is traversed. This isn't a necessary feature, and it slows down large volumes. Disable it by going to Run and type regedit:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem and set 'DisableNTFSLastAccessUpdate' to 1.

* NTFS uses disparate master file control tables to store filesystem information about your drives. Over time these core MFT files grow and become fragmented, slowing down all accesses to the drive. By setting aside a little space, MFT's can grow without becoming fragmented.

In the same key where you disabled the last access feature creat a new DWORD value called 'NtfsMftZoneReservation' and set it to 2.


Disable DLL Caching

Windows Explorer caches DLLs (Dynamic-Link Libraries) in memory for a period of time after the application using them has been closed. This can be an inefficient use of memory.

1. Find the key [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer].

2. Create a new DWORD sub-key named 'AlwaysUnloadDLL' and set the default value to equal '1' to disable Windows caching the DLL in memory.

3. Restart Windows for the change to take effect.


Tweak The Prefetch

1. Run "Regedit"
2. Goto [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters\EnablePrefetcher]

3. Set the value to either 0-Disable, 1-App launch prefetch, 2-Boot Prefetch, 3-Both ("3" is recommended).

4. Reboot.

It will decrease the boot time but double and increase the performance of your XP.

NB I only use this machine for basic stuff - browing, email, bit of word processing...

 

[HLaB]

No idea,

To speed up my mum's old laptop:

1. I installed CCleaner (thus ensuring that only important programs ran at start up);
2. Looked closely at what processes were running, googled them and killed permanently the ones that weren't needed;
3. Defragmented it

I certainly noticed a difference the big difference is now it can pick up wifi in any room in the house where before it couldn't be more than 5 m away from the wireless router.

 

[iAmiAdam]

Quick reinstall of the operating system always helps.

Along with air dusting the inners of your pc every 6 monthsish.

 

[MossCommuter]

I've seen this kind of advice before... thought it'd died out! Anyway; these are my thoughts:

Disable Services

XP Pro runs a lot of services by default that are pointless if your not on a corporate network, the following services are ones that I safely disable thereby freeing up memory but check what each one does first to make sure your not using it for something:

Go to Run and type services.msc, right click on each service, properties and choose disable.

[/i]


All of those services are things running, using up processor power so turning them off will speed things up but how do you know you don't need them? Turn the wrong ones off and you find your system becomes unstable or things stop working... You might even leave yourself open to security threats if you go switching off Auto-Update. Best way to get rid of services you don't need is to uninstall programs you don't use through the control-panel. Better still, if you're able, reset the computer to it's out-of-the box config (i.e. a "rebuild" using the discs that came with it, one might be called a "restore disc") followed by good clean up; all that free-stuff your PC supplier stuck on is probably slowing things down - get rid by uninstalling, including the anti-virus which is almost certainly bloated - use something free like Microsoft Security Essentials or AVG.

[quote name='swee'pea99' timestamp='1283802640' post='1388008']
Tweak The Prefetch

1. Run "Regedit"
2. Goto [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters\EnablePrefetcher]

3. Set the value to either 0-Disable, 1-App launch prefetch, 2-Boot Prefetch, 3-Both ("3" is recommended).

4. Reboot.

No, no, no - this is a very common misconception. In fact the opposite is true. Windows "learns" what you use most and keeps notes in prefetch to allow those things to start quicker. "Cleaning" it or emptying it will have a negative effect.


If you're feeling uber-brave, consider installing Linux (Mint is a good one, based on Ubuntu but comes loaded with all the media apps you're likely to need). Am sure that you'll instantly notice a speed improvement on older hardware.... Remember, doing this would trash your Windows installation so be sure you have a "Windows Restore Disc" and keep a copy of any files you need.

Am sure someone much more expert will come along in a bit but that's my tuppence worth.

Oh, and Windows ME is based on Windows 98, not Windows NT IIRC. The newer Windowses (XP, Vista, 7) come from NT so some of this (a lot of this) "advice" won't apply in quite the same way.

P

 

[2Loose]

Sorry Sweapea, but I am with MossCommuter on this one.

Let Windows manage the memory, any performance gains that those tweaks will give you will be taken away with the other hand.

The only one I agree with is the 'trim down your used services to increase performance'.
Instead of disabling them if you are not sure if they are used or not (e.g. I know I use wireless zero config) is to swap them to 'Manual' from 'Automatic'.

Normally this will mean that they are not started unless something needs to use them - HOWEVER, sometimes they will not automatically start when needed, so make a note of which ones you turn to 'manual' and only alter, say 5 or 6 at a time but also use your common sense, don't get trigger happy!

This way, when you restart the pc and something doesn't work, you know what to turn back to 'auto'. (Guess how I know that I need wireless zero config turned on?

)

 

[ian turner]

The real consideration here is all those suggestions are aimed at XP with at least 256MB of RAM. But then the minimum spec was 256MB anyway and after SP2 you would have to be nuts trying to run it on a machine with less than 512MB.
The OP on the other hand mentions Windows ME !!!! On a laptop this probably means less than 256MB of RAM and unless the machine came with a full restore disk I wouldn't even consider an OS reinstallation and given the limited RAM and additional cost I'd forget Windows XP.
Either bin it or start experimenting with Linux though not some of the variants which object to being run on something too old and too small.
Mind you I wouldn't want to gamble on the harddrive lasting much longer given it's around about 10 years old.

 

[swee'pea99]

Well fair enough. I have actually tried running linux on this machine and it was *incredibly* slow. Like 20 mins to boot up slow. I've maxed the RAM up to 320 (woah!) and it actualy works ok...I'd just like it to be a wee bit nippier if poss. I'm not about to bin it because it's a lovely wee machine - super-compact and a really nice keyboard. (Thinkpad 570e, if anyone's interested.) I guess I'll just leave it asis. Thanks for all sugestions.

 

[ian turner]

Chances are it was dog slow on linux because either
a. you picked a fashionable one like Ubuntu which does not like low spec old machines
b. or you didn't install suitable drivers for the chipset and it was running the disk drive in PIO mode rather than UDMA which will kill a system

 

[swee'pea99]

Chances are it was dog slow on linux because either
a. you picked a fashionable one like Ubuntu which does not like low spec old machines
b. or you didn't install suitable drivers for the chipset and it was running the disk drive in PIO mode rather than UDMA which will kill a system

Um...it was Ubuntu, and I don't recall installing any drivers.

 

[ian turner]

Ubuntu is dreadfully fashionable but not designed for older systems. Comments I found say don't even think of
running on a system with less than 512mb of ram and these were a year old !!!
Do a search for linux old laptops and check the post dates as 4 year old threads are of doubtful use (one article
about the suitability of linux distros for older hardware is dated 2006)
I can't really comment on a suitable choice as I'm still waiting for the rest of the office to go paperless and don't
believe the command line should have a future in modern operating systems.

 

[2Loose]

I can't really comment on a suitable choice as I'm still waiting for the rest of the office to go paperless and don't
believe the command line should have a future in modern operating systems.

Don't hold your breath! IBM were trying to go paperless back in '84...still waiting, still more paper used year on year.


Back OT. Puppy Linux might do you SweaPea, very very tiny and therefore fast on less powerful hardware.

A good source of review info for pretty much all of the different versions of Linux is Distrowatch
click on a name down the right hand side of the screen and you will get a load of summary info, links to reviews, downloads etc.

 

[swee'pea99]

Don't hold your breath! IBM were trying to go paperless back in '84...still waiting, still more paper used year on year.


Back OT. Puppy Linux might do you SweaPea, very very tiny and therefore fast on less powerful hardware.

A good source of review info for pretty much all of the different versions of Linux is Distrowatch
click on a name down the right hand side of the screen and you will get a load of summary info, links to reviews, downloads etc.

Thanks for this. Reading up about it has reminded me that another deal-breaker was that I couldn't get my Belkin PCMCIA card to work, so I couldn't get online...and without the wi-fi it's basically a non-starter. Might the PCMCIA work with puppy linux?