5 Tips To Optimize Windows XP
Disk Performance


  

You may know of a computer where you need to optimize Windows XP disk performance. Do you often have problems with your hard disk in Windows XP? Perhaps it is too slow or is chugging along too slowly?

This article explores some interesting tips for improving and optimizing disk performance in Windows XP.

Some of the important ways to optimize Windows XP disk performance are to convert to NTFS, defragment and to stop hibernation. We'll look at some of these approaches now.

1. Convert to NTFS

One option in Windows XP is to switch your hard disk to NTFS format instead of FAT or FAT32 format. In general, I run my hard disks in NTFS format because they are faster and are managed better by Windows XP (although there is some overhead in managing them).
 

2. Defragment

Another regular and important task you need to do to optimize Windows XP disk performance is defragmentation. Make sure you defragment the drive at least once a week to clean up clutter.


3. Check for Disk Errors

Checking for disk errors is also another useful tool provided by Windows XP. This tool is available in the Tools tab of the hard disk properties sheet. Do explore it and make sure your disk is free of errors.
 

4. Stop Hibernation

One tip I usually share with others to optimize Windows XP disk performance is to switch off hard disk Hibernation mode in Windows XP if you don�t need it. If you�re not using this mode, then click Start > Control Panel > Power Options Properties. Click the Hibernate tab and clear the Enable Hibernation check box.
 

5. Enable DMA for IDE drives

If you have an IDE drive, you will want to enable Direct Memory Access (DMA) mode. This is important for smooth performance when viewing movies and listening to music. Set it up by:

  • Going to My Computer > Properties.
  • Click the Hardware tab and select Device Manager.
  • Expand the IDE controllers and double-click the IDE primary drive.
  • Click the Advanced tab and ensure DMA mode is selected from the drop-down box.

Incidentally, there are a variety of good utilities for optimizing hard disk performance. One of the tools I like to use is Norton SystemWorks � it provides end-to-end disk management and system optimization features.
 

Conclusion

I hope this article has helped you understand some tips to optimize Windows XP disk performance. Apply the above tips and I�m sure your experience with Windows will be more pleasurable. By the way, if you liked this short tutorial on how to optimize Windows XP disk performance, be sure to sign up for my newsletter for more tips and tricks.


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