tune up your windows 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. Update the BIOS. **DANGER** 2. Update the Firmware. **DANGER** 3. Make sure NTFS is on 4. Enable DMA for drives 1. Device Manager/IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers 2. "Advanced Settings" tab, verify the "Device 1" setting 3. Set it to "DMA if available". 4. Repeat the step for the "Secondary IDE Channel" 5. Reboot 1. Defrag the MFT (master file table) - Takes special software 2. Defrag the Swap File 1. Start | Control Panel | System | Performance | Virtual Memory 2. select "Let me specify my own virtual memory settings." 3. disable virtual memory either by checking the Virtual Memory box 4. Reboot your PC 5. Defrag the drive 6. reenable virtual memory & restart 1. Tweak the swap file.(2.5 times the amount of system memory) **DANGER** 2. Update the OS 3. Update individual software 4. Tweak the startup file (msconfig) **DANGER** 5. Drop the level(s) for recycle bin storage 6. Reduce the System Restore settings 7. Drop the level for IE cache 8. Remove unwanted services. **DANGER** (see list below) 1. run: services.msc 2. delete the services that are not needed 3. do them 1 at a time & restart after each 1. Remove unwanted programs 2. Remove unwanted Windows components 3. Organize the drive folder/file structure 4. Organize the Start menu 5. Turn off unnecessary window options (animations, etc) 6. Disable File Indexing 1. Start | Settings | Control Panel | Administrative Tools | Computer Management | Services and Applications | Indexing Service Some sevices you might want to disable • Alerter - Sends alert messages to specified users that are connected to the server computer. • Application Management - Allows software to tap directly into the Add/Remove Programs feature • Background Intelligent Transfer Service - The Background Intelligent Transfer service is used by programs to download files • Clipbook - ClipBook permits you to cut and paste text and graphics over the network • DHCP Client - • Distributed Link Tracking Client - connects to a Windows 2000 domain • DNS Client - for connecting to a specific DNS server on your local network • Error Reporting Service - Allows applications to send error reports to Microsoft • Fast User Switching - Windows XP allows users to switch quickly between accounts • FTP Publishing Service- lets your system act as an FTP server • Help and Support - Allows the XP Built-in Help and Support Center to run • IIS Admin Service - lets your computer be a WWW server • IMAPI CD-Burning COM Service - You don't need this if you have other software to create CDs • Indexing Service - Indexes contents and properties of files on local and remote computers • IP SEC - Manages IP security policy • Messenger - Transmits net send and Alerter service messages between clients and servers • Net Logon - Supports pass-through authentication of logon events (If you are not on a domain, you don't need this running) • Network DDE - Provides network transport and security for Dynamic Data Exchange • NT LM Security Support Provider - Provides security to remote procedure call (RPC) programs • Portable Media Serial Number - Retrieves the serial number of any portable music player • QOS RSVP - Provides network signaling and local traffic control setup functionality • Remote Desktop Help Session Manager - Manages and controls Remote Assistance • Remote Registry - Enables remote users to modify registry settings • RIP Service - lets your system to act as a router • Routing & Remote Access - Offers routing services to businesses in local area and wide area networks • Run As Service - you can use any applications that run as an alias • Secondary Login - Enables starting processes under alternate credentials • Smart Card - Manages access to smart cards • Smart Card Helper - Enables support for legacy non-plug and play smart-card readers • SSDP Discovery Service - Enables discovery of UPnP devices on your network • TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper - Enables support for NetBIOS over TCP/IP • Telnet - Enables a remote user to log on • Uninterruptible Power Supply Service - Manages an uninterruptible power supply • Universal Plug and Play Device Host - Provides support to host UnPnP devices • Upload Manager - Manages synchronous and asynchronous file transfers • Volume Shadow Copy Service - Manages and implements Volume Shadow Copies used for backup • Web Client - Enables Windows-based programs to create, access, and modify non-local files across the Internet • Wireless Zero Configuration - Provides automatic configuration for the 802.11 adapters • WMI Performance Adapter - Provides performance library information • 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=<a href="http://your.support.site">http://your.support.site</a>/ 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. Saturday, July 23, 2005 PC Tweaks