Operating System Tweaks: Windows 2000/XP

The Last Word

Are these all the tweaks that can be done to your system? In this article, yes. However, there are insurmountable numbers of tweaks and optimizations, both oddball and mainstream, that are available out on the web to try out. Note that not everything is legitimate, has complete or correct instructions, or will work correctly on your system. For these reasons, the backup procedures at the beginning of this article should all be performed to ensure that a quick restore feature will get your system back on its feet in no time. I won’t be responsible for any problems that may come up as the result of tweaking your system. Tweaking can sometimes be tricky, but can pay off in the end by producing a jump in performance, a removal of a plaguing annoyance, or simply a customized adjustment of the GUI (Graphical User Interface). The tweaks that have been presented here are some of the more common and/or useful tweaks that I have come across.

To keep your system uncluttered and running well, resist the urge to install every single obscure freeware/shareware programs you run across on the net. Some will install spyware along with the actual program. Scan for viruses, spyware and trojans on a regular basis and keep all of the definitions of these programs up to date. They’re no good if you are using obsolete definitions to detect newer and sneakier forms of malware. Clean out your temp files regularly, and if you are running XP, include the prefetch folder in your regular cleanup activities. Defragging regularly, uninstalling unused programs and keeping Windows current on the critical updates assist in keeping your system in tip-top shape. That said, good luck and happy tweaking!