a thread i posted on OCAU reposted here by request.
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1. Use NTFS. it IS faster with drives about 5 gig or bigger, and above 64gig, its basically the only thing you can use.
With smaller drives, leave it as FAT32. its faster and takes up less disk space then NTFS.
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2. By default, win2k logs data being read and written to your drive. To disable this logging go to your run cmd line and type in.
"diskperf -n". reboot.
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3. Disable any IDE channels that dont have anything on them, everytime win2k boots, it does a autodetect on each of those channels and takes up a lot of time.
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4. If you have a NIC, and no network, assign it a manual IP address, and it will also quicken the boot time.
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5. Open the registry editor and create a backup.
Locate the following directory:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic
es\Tcpip\Parameters
In the right hand pane, add a new REG_DWORD and call it : EnablePMTUDiscovery
Add a decimal value of 1 and click ok.
Upon rebooting the system, this setting will force Windows 2000 to automatically detect the Max MTU to your ISP and allow faster downloads and uploads.
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6. Notice when browsing for computers on a lan, and it takes ages to see the computers?
Normally, it takes up to 30 seconds for all computers to appear since Win2k feels the need to check for scheduled services on all PCs.
Run "regedit". Open the key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \SOFTWARE \Microsoft \Windows \CurrentVersion \Explorer \RemoteComputer \NameSpace \
and delete the branch:
{D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF}
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7. Got an nvidia card and you have that horrible refresh rate problem? here is a link to a program that fixes it. Perfectly.
http://www.pagehosting.co.uk/rf/
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8. Install SP3!!!!
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9. Install IE6, and the latest updates.
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10. Allocate a FIXED swap file, and at least make it on another partition, if not another drive. I have got mine on a ata100 7200rpm WD80gig
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11. Kill of excess services!!!
Services like distrubited link tracking client, remote registry service, etc etc.
In my machine, which surfs the net over both a lan, and modem, does file sharing, and plays all games perfectly has the following services running. (note i DONT have a printer, if you have a printer, DONT KILL SPOOLSV.exe)
Sorted alpha:
Computer Browser.
DHCP client.
DNS client.
Event log.
Logical disk manager.
Network Connections.
NVIDIA driver helper ( i think i can nuke that.. not sure)
Plug and Play.
Protected Storage.
Remote Access Connection Manager (dialup)
Remote Procedure Call
Removable Storage.
Secuurity Accounts Manager.
Server.
TCP/IP Netbios helper service.
Telephony
Windows Management Instrumentation.
Windows Management Instrumentation Driver Extensins.
Workstation.
Kill off the other services (unless you know you need them, and you can always re-enable them) By setting them to "DISABLED" and then rebooting. Dont press stop because you get issues with dependencies. Reboot, and see if everything works.
if you just have a stand alone machine with no lan, computer browser and client/server services can be killed, or at least set to "Manual" so that if your machine DOES need them they can be turned on. I dont know what COM+ plus does, but everything works with it disabled.
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12. Open the file sysoc.inf in your winnt/inf/ folder. Delete every occurence of the word hide and the comma after it, save the file(Back it up first). Now check the windows tab of the add/remove software dialog, there should be way more things listed there that you can remove to reduce clutter.
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13. Registry hacks. There are hundreds, probably thousands of things you can do to your registry.
here are some popular ones.
You can do this manually through regedit, just look for that tree, and add/remove the key indicated.
I am pasting these keys in as regedit entries, IE you can paste that text into a txt file, and rename it to ".reg" and then merge it straight in.
Ok.
COOlBITS.
-cut-
REGEDIT4
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\NVIDIA Corporation\Global\NVTweak]
"CoolBits"=dword:00000003
-end cut-
folder refresh, makes folders refresh quicker.
-cut-
REGEDIT4
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Contr
ol\Update]
"UpdateMode"=hex:00
-end cut-
IEname. I hate the "internet exploder by microsoft" shite on IE, or if its been branded the "Internet exploder by my isp.com"
So i change it. To "IE"
-cut-
REGEDIT4
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]
"Window Title"="IE"
-end cut-
with ntfs, every time a file is accessed, the last access time is written to the hard drive. if you dont care, or want to save a few more cycles, use this key to disable that.
-cut-
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contr
ol\FileSystem]
"NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation"=dword:00000000
"NtfsEncryptionService"="Efs"
"Win31FileSystem"=dword:00000000
"Win95TruncatedExtensions"=dword:00000001
"NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate"=dword:00000001
-end cut-
if you have the ram and memory, you can reduce some disk accesses by keeping the windows 2k kernel in memory. Normally, it pages unused bits of it out, but as soon as you need it, its gotta read it back in. DONT USE THIS IF YOU USE "HIBERNATE"
-cut-
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contr
ol\Session Manager\Memory Management]
"DisablePagingExecutive"=dword:00000001
-end cut-
normally win2k stores 512 icons in its cache. This is all the dlls and icons used when you are viewing folders. Now, if sometimes you notice that the icons are flashing, or WRONG, you need to increase your icon cache.
this is increase icon cache.
-cut-
REGEDIT4
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Cur
rentVersion\explorer]
"Max Cached Icons"="8192"
-end cut-
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14.
get tweakui!
Its great and allows you some serious custimization.
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15. Disable extra stuff that loads when you boot, and the
icons that sit in your taskbar.
A lot of programs install "startups" in the startup folder, or the registry, MSMN is a bastard at this, and XP is the worse one at it.
There are 3 places where these programs are linked to.
1, is the startup folder in your menu. Kill off things like "Office startup" you dont need it, and actually SLOWS DOWN the system.
Kill of fastfind as well. its a big resource hog.
Any tools, or shortcuts like ocr scanners, realplayer, quicktime, media managers, crap like that that is useless cos its installed already and you can access it from the menu.
2. Its stored in the machines run profile.... where?
here. Get into the registry and look for this key.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windows\curr
entversion\run
In there you will see a LOT of stuff, especially if its a family computer, or its an old install.
In my machine all i have is POINTER.EXE which is intellipoint, and the tweakui stub program that loads the custimizations i have set.
3. its stored in your USER profile.
go look for THIS key.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\curre
ntversion\run
in there will be the ICQ start program and DAMN ASS STUPID microsoft messenger!! KILL IT!!!
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16. DONT RUN VIRUS SCANNERS IN THE BACKGROUND.
its stupid. Why? because... it takes resources, it scans everything that is read/written, downloaded, uploaded and really hogs machines. Also, with new viruses, it takes companies at least several days to get updates out, and for those days your scanner is useless.
If you use a scanner, use an ONLINE one, or install it but only RUN it every now and then, and only after you have updated it.
here is an online scanner that is updated quite often and is great cos it doesnt remain on your system.
http://housecall.antivirus.com/housecall/start_pcc.asp
tricks and tips to get away without scanners......
1. Update outlook express, and turn of preview pane, and turn on the securty settings, OR dont even USE it. thats 99.999 of the worlds virus problems. OUTLOOK EXPRESS.
2. A email is received and you dont know who its from. Dont open it FFS. ok do it, because ppl who run computer repair stores need the money.
3. DONT use other ppls floppy disks.
4. If unsure dont open it.
5. if its free, dont open it.
6. if its from someone telling you that its a free virus scanner..... dont open it. Email them back asking for the LINK they downloaded it from, and then YOU go download it if its from a site like symantec or norman. if its "http:\\freehost.redirector.com/joe_blow/virus_remover.exe" DONT open it.
7. In the years and years i have been online, i have never run virus scanners. I have only ever gotten ONE virus, and it was klez.
how? some other DICK used my computer and ran an infected file.
I hit him.
i get viruses in OE all the time, i am getting SICK of "hahahaha@sexyfun.net" sending me klez. If you turn of preview, and turn on your security settings so that it "Restricts access to attatchments" you wont have a problem. If you DONT know who it came from delete it. Dont even open it.
file scanners and the like that run in that taskbar take up resources, and slow down your machine. it also slows boot. Dont use them because you just dont have to, if you NEED a virus scanned, install one that gives you right click context menu checking. Kill it off if its sitting in the corner. Or uninstall it. Reinstall it as a command only scanner.
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17. Drivers... be careful. experiment.
For example the latest drivers for my IDE card make my mouse skip. Yet det 40.72 work like a charm on my video card.
For me with my system (axp, via mboard, gf3, sblive)
I use the via 4in1 ver 4.38
detonator 40.72
the sblive drivers that came with win2000.
and for my promise card, the drivers that came on the disk.
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18. Memory settings, especially with via boards.
memory interleave to 4.
if you have it, burst width to 8, not 4.
you will notice the difference!
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19. Win2k and older EA games.
TO get the older games like NFS3 to run, get the "MS compatibility update"
It has a feature in it that allows you to run an install program in a mode that makes it THINK its running in win98, or 95. (or nt if you need it.)
For me to get NFS3 to work ( i know its an old game but its still fun), i have to copy a shortcut of the install program to my hard drive, and then right click it and changes its properties, i then set it to "think" its running in win98. It then runs, installes NFS3, and all is good.