The Best 7 Registry Tweaks for Optimal Performance of Windows XP
performance, registry, system
Do you wonder why your computer is not working properly? This is the most common problem that computer enthusiasts have encountered every time they used the computer. If your computer will take too much time just to open your file, then your computer has indeed a problem. Sometimes, editing the Windows 7 registry offers the best solution for this kind of computer predicament.
When regardless of all the smart and brainy Windows 7 troubleshooters, your computer will best work if you will have to do an editing on your Windows registry. This is the best option to alleviate malfunctioning computers.
The registry is a critical part of your Windows system. It is because the registry is the central database of applications and hardware installation that are installed on the computer system. Actually, the registry encompasses five registry keys. These are the HKEY_CLASSES _ROOT, HKEY-CURRENT_USER, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, HKEY_USERS, and HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG. All the user preferences and configuration information for software and hardware are being stored in the registry keys.
Since the registry is critical in nature, Microsoft suggests that users should avoid doing from any manual changes to the registry. On the other hand, if you are cautious enough and make a backup of the registry before proceeding with the changes, there are registry tweaks that can be performed. You must need to open the Registry Editor tool by running the “regedit” command. These are some registry tweaks that can improve and enhance computer performance.
1 Minimizing system Shutdown Time
Once you press the Turn Off button, a message will appear that the system is to shutdown. Generally, the default time for the system to shutdown is 20 seconds. You can minimize the time even for 5 seconds. In the Registry Editor, enter the following:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop.
Double click “WaitToKillAppTime” and modify its default value 20000 to 5000 and click the OK button.
2 Faster Menus
To enhance the responsiveness of the drop down menus, navigate the following:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Control Panel/Desktop
You will have to double-click on the value “MenuShowDelay” and adjust its value data to “0”.
3 Disable CD AutoPlay
To avoid your CDs from playing automatically every time you will insert it in the CD-drive, enter the following:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdrom
Double-click on the value “Autorun” and modify its value data to 0.
4 Disable Startup Programs
If there are many programs in the startup, it can slow down computers. To disable the programs, you need to open the following keys accordingly.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
You will then have to select and remove the programs that you do not want to be loaded in the startup.
5 Decrease the Time for Windows Reporting an Application as Not Responding
To do this, navigate the following:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
You need to double click on the string value “HungAppTimeout” and alter the default value from 5000 milliseconds (5 seconds) to a lesser value say 1000 (1 second).
6 Lessen the waiting time for Chkdsk at system startup
To lessen the time for Chkdsk, enter the following:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager
You will then need to open or create the DWORD value, AutoChkTimeOut and set the number of seconds (in milliseconds) that you want Chkdsk to wait before scanning your hard disk at startup.
7 Hide Desktop Icons
To ensure that your eye-catching wallpaper will not be speckled by icons, do the following:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
You need to right-click on the right pane, choose Binary Value and name it as “NoDesktop” and modify its value data to 01 00 00 00.
The Registry tweaks can help you enhance computer performance and can even customize it too. These tweaks can guarantee you optimal performance without worrying anymore for sluggish computers.
About the author: Tim Edmonds is a freelance technical writer with over a decade of professional experience. His current interest is PC speed test software.
Tags:performanceregistrysystemtweaksWindows XP
You Might Also Like
#
software
Top 8 PC Speed Up Secrets
Most people are tired of having to wait forever for a pc to boot or to open files. Sometimes the pc may freeze wasting time and causing loss of important data that had not been saved or backed up. Life would be less frustrating if you knew how to speed up your slow performing computer. Read more
#
software
Top 6 Social Media Dashboard Tools
Why a Social Media Dashboard It becomes extremely strenuous for online users to manage different social media platforms individually, so social media dashboard simplifies the problem of the users by maintaining all the portals on one page. A social media dashboard is a platform to channelize, organize and maintain various online portals from one single Read more
software
10 Great New OS X Lion Features and Gestures
The next installment of Mac’s OS X operating system, dubbed Lion, is set to be released this summer. Here’s a list of some cool new features and new multi-touch finger gestures! 1 Launchpad A whole lot of the new features in OS X Lion are based on the Apple’s vision of “Back To The Mac”. Read more
#
software
7 Fun & Low-Cost Online Learning Tools
Learning is no longer just for school. Now anyone, anywhere, can learn and collaborate with others online. The educational technology market is exploding, with new learning tools available almost every day. Many of these tools stand alone and can be used in classrooms and businesses, and by individuals. Since several learning management systems support third-party Read more