This is a list of the crap I do to a New (or old one that needs it) PC to get it working a little better.

If the person has to run Windows & not Mac or Linux. These work on on XP.

The Main List of  Tweaks for a  PC.

1. 1.Update the BIOS. **DANGER**
   

2. 2.Update the Firmware. **DANGER**
   

3. 3.Make sure NTFS is on
   

4. 4.Enable DMA for drives
   

1. 1.Device Manager/IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers
   

2. 2."Advanced Settings" tab, verify the "Device 1" setting
   

3. 3.Set it to "DMA if available".
   

4. 4.Repeat the step for the "Secondary IDE Channel"
   

5. 5.Reboot
   

5. 5.Defrag the MFT (master file table) - Takes special software
   

6. 6.Defrag the Swap File
   

1. 1.Start | Control Panel | System | Performance | Virtual Memory
   

2. 2.select "Let me specify my own virtual memory settings." 
   

3. 3.disable virtual memory either by checking the Virtual Memory box
   

4. 4.Reboot your PC
   

5. 5.Defrag the drive
   

6. 6.reenable virtual memory & restart
   

7. 7.Tweak the swap file.(2.5 times the amount of system memory)  **DANGER**
   

8. 8.Update the OS
   

9. 9.Update individual software
   

10. 10.Tweak the startup file (msconfig) **DANGER**
    

11. 11.Drop the level(s) for recycle bin storage
    

12. 12.Reduce the System Restore settings
    

13. 13.Drop the level for IE cache
    

14. 14.Remove unwanted services. **DANGER** (see list below)
    

1. 1.run: services.msc
   

2. 2.delete the services that are not needed
   

3. 3.do them 1 at a time & restart after each
   

15. 15.Remove unwanted programs
    

16. 16.Remove unwanted Windows components
    

17. 17.Organize the drive folder/file structure
    

18. 18.Organize the Start menu
    

19. 19.Turn off unnecessary window options (animations, etc)
    

20. 20.Disable File Indexing
    

1. 1.Start | Settings | Control Panel | Administrative Tools | Computer Management | Services and Applications | Indexing Service
   

21. 
    

Some sevices you might want to disable

 

1. •Alerter - Sends alert messages to specified users that are connected to the server computer.
   

2. •Application Management - Allows software to tap directly into the Add/Remove Programs feature
   

3. •Background Intelligent Transfer Service - The Background Intelligent Transfer service is used by programs  to download files
   

4. •Clipbook - ClipBook permits you to cut and paste text and graphics over the network
   

5. •DHCP Client  - 
   

6. •Distributed Link Tracking Client - connects to a  Windows 2000 domain
   

7. •DNS Client - for connecting to a specific DNS server on your local network
   

8. •Error Reporting Service - Allows applications to send error reports to Microsoft
   

9. •Fast User Switching - Windows XP allows users to switch quickly between accounts
   

10. •FTP Publishing Service- lets your system act as an FTP server
    

11. •Help and Support - Allows the XP Built-in Help and Support Center to run
    

12. •IIS Admin Service - lets your computer be a WWW server
    

13. •IMAPI CD-Burning COM Service - You don't need this if you have other software to create CDs
    

14. •Indexing Service - Indexes contents and properties of files on local and remote computers
    

15. •IP SEC - Manages IP security policy
    

16. •Messenger - Transmits net send and Alerter service messages between clients and servers
    

17. •Net Logon - Supports pass-through authentication of  logon events (If you are not on a domain, you don't need this running)
    

18. •Network DDE - Provides network transport and security for Dynamic Data Exchange
    

19. •NT LM Security Support Provider - Provides security to remote procedure call (RPC) programs
    

20. •Portable Media Serial Number - Retrieves the serial number of any portable music player
    

21. •QOS RSVP - Provides network signaling and local traffic control setup functionality
    

22. •Remote Desktop Help Session Manager - Manages and controls Remote Assistance
    

23. •Remote Registry - Enables remote users to modify registry settings
    

24. •RIP Service - lets your  system to act as a router
    

25. •Routing & Remote Access - Offers routing services to businesses in local area and wide area networks
    

26. •Run As Service - you can use any applications that run as an alias
    

27. •Secondary Login - Enables starting processes under alternate credentials
    

28. •Smart Card - Manages access to smart cards
    

29. •Smart Card Helper - Enables support for legacy non-plug and play smart-card readers
    

30. •SSDP Discovery Service - Enables discovery of UPnP devices on your  network
    

31. •TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper - Enables support for NetBIOS over TCP/IP
    

32. •Telnet - Enables a remote user to log on
    

33. •Uninterruptible Power Supply Service - Manages an uninterruptible power supply
    

34. •Universal Plug and Play Device Host - Provides support to host UnPnP devices
    

35. •Upload Manager - Manages synchronous and asynchronous file transfers
    

36. •Volume Shadow Copy Service - Manages and implements Volume Shadow Copies used for backup
    

37. •Web Client - Enables Windows-based programs to create, access, and modify non-local files across the Internet
    

38. •Wireless Zero Configuration - Provides automatic configuration for the 802.11 adapters
    

39. •WMI Performance Adapter - Provides performance library information
    

40. •World Wide Web Publishing Service- used for a web publishing business
    

Change Computer Manufacturer and Support Information

Open this file in wordpad  "C:\WINDOWS\system32\OEMINFO.INI" 
This is the file used to store the manufacturers support information. Create it if it doesn't exsist.

Contents of OEMINFO.INI 

[General]
Manufacturer=Your Company, Inc.
Model=Your Computer Model
SupportURL=http://your.support.site/
LocalFile=c:\your\local\support\file.htm

[Support Information]
Line1=first line of support information
Line2=second line
Line3=third line
an so on...  (Make as many lines as you need)

Also, find the file (or create a new one) "C:\WINDOWS\system32\OEMLOGO.BMP", you can edit it in paint to add your own graphic or picture, it is a  Windows bitmap file (172 x 172 pixels max).

Now when someone clicks the "Support Information" button they'll see your info.