How to Speed Up Windows XP: Manually Configure CPU Performance Options

A key function of the Windows XP operating system is to allocate system resources based on default, pre-determined settings. However, XP's Control Panel comes with an inbuilt System utility that enables you to manually configure these performance options. This in turn will change the way in which Windows manages your system resources, thus optimizing the performance of your XP system. Read on to learn how:

Manually Configure Processor Scheduling

Windows automatically manages your system's limited CPU processor resources by prioritizing their allocation among various tasks. You can change how Windows manages these resources by prioritizing them between main programs and background services.

Windows places a priority on the main, foreground programs by default. This allows programs to respond more quickly. However, if you have background services running such as printing and disk backup, you may want them to respond faster. You can have Windows share processor resources between background and foreground programs and utilities. Here is how to do this,

Click on your Start button in the bottom left-hand corner of the desktop.
Select Run. Now, type in sysdm.cpl into the text box. Click OK.
Click on the Advanced tab. Next, under the Performance section, click on the Settings option.
Click on the Advanced tab. Select Programs or Background Services in the Processor scheduling section. This choice determines how much of the CPU processor resources that Windows will designate to it.
Click OK to apply your preferences.And you're done!

Manually Configure System Memory

When the amount of available RAM (random-access memory) is insufficient for running your system, as when you are using a resource-draining program, Windows will supplement available memory using a paging file. A paging file is a type or form of virtual memory that simulates physical RAM.

You can manually increase (or decrease) the size of your paging file You can also optimize your virtual memory by splitting the available paging file space between two or more drives. Here is how to manually change the size of the virtual memory paging file,

Click on your Start button and then select Run. Now, type in sysdm.cpl into the text box. Click OK.
Click on the Advanced tab. Next, under the Performance section, click on the Settings option
Click on the Advanced tab. Next, click on the Settings option in the Performance section.
In the Drivesection, select the specific drive that contains the paging file you want to change.
Type a new size in megabytes for the paging file. Click Set. Reboot your PC.

And you're done!