PC Magazine Windows XP Speed Solutions [Paperback]

Curt Simmons (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0764578146 | ISBN-13: 978-0764578144 | Publication Date: October 22, 2004 | Edition: 1

Get that snail out of your system
"In these pages, you'll find all kinds of tips, tweaks, hacks, and configuration settings that should help you regain some speed control over Windows XP. I'll also show you how to get rid of the clutter and junk that Windows XP picks up over time..."
--Curt Simmons

When everything seems like slow motion, it's time to call in PC Magazine's favorite system doctor

You have to clean out most things after you use them for awhile. Why should your PC be any different? This indispensable book shows you exactly how to turn that snail into a cheetah by unloading the junk that Windows XP has collected, turbo-charging your system for faster response, cleaning up the Registry, and using all the safeguards provided in Service Pack 2. Just don't be surprised if your PC is faster than on the day you brought it home.

Give Windows XP a power boost
* Make programs start faster with hidden prefetch settings
* Eliminate spyware, adware, and unwanted cookies
* Dump programs you don't need (but know which ones you DO)
* Pre-schedule maintenance tasks
* Boost system startup by disabling features
* Tweak virtual memory
* Learn to work with the Registry
* Update your device drivers
* Beef up your cable or DSL speed
* Learn from special tips and tricks in every chapter

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Get that snail out of your system
"In these pages, you'll find all kinds of tips, tweaks, hacks, and configuration settings that should help you regain some speed control over Windows XP. I'll also show you how to get rid of the clutter and junk that Windows XP picks up over time..."
—Curt Simmons

When everything seems like slow motion, it's time to call in PC Magazine's favorite system doctor

You have to clean out most things after you use them for awhile. Why should your PC be any different? This indispensable book shows you exactly how to turn that snail into a cheetah by unloading the junk that Windows XP has collected, turbo-charging your system for faster response, cleaning up the Registry, and using all the safeguards provided in Service Pack 2. Just don't be surprised if your PC is faster than on the day you brought it home.

Give Windows XP a power boost

• Make programs start faster with hidden prefetch settings
• Eliminate spyware, adware, and unwanted cookies
• Dump programs you don't need (but know which ones you DO)
• Pre-schedule maintenance tasks
• Boost system startup by disabling features
• Tweak virtual memory
• Learn to work with the Registry
• Update your device drivers
• Beef up your cable or DSL speed
• Learn from special tips and tricks in every chapter

About the Author

Curt Simmons (MCP, MCSE, MCSA, A+, CTT, MCT) is a technology author and trainer who focuses on Microsoft products.  The author of almost 50 computing books for a wide-range audiences, including, most recently, Windows XP For Power Users: PowerPack, and Windows XP Secrets.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (October 22, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764578146
• ISBN-13: 978-0764578144
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #689,059 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #72 in Books > Computers & Technology > Hardware > Maintenance, Repair & Upgrading

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

105 of 113 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars sysadmin tasks for you to do, October 19, 2004

By 

W Boudville (Terra, Sol 3) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: PC Magazine Windows XP Speed Solutions (Paperback)

On any computer, regardless of operating system, disks can relentless fill up. On unix machines, there may be sysadmins to combat this. But on XP PCs, especially in homes, the only sysadmin is you. And you are probably not a computer professional.

The topics here are sysadmin tasks that a user should periodically do. Not all of these necessarily pertain to speeding up your machine. For example, when Simmons talks about deleting adware/spyware and cleaning up cookies, any speed increase is surely slight. But those particular tasks are such good practice that you should not hold it against him for including them in this book.

Ah, but things like adjusting virtual memory can have dramatic effect on some machines that have tool little for their tasks. Though you may pay attention to most pertinent thing he says here. Which is that in some cases, adding virtual memory will not improve matters if you actually have too little RAM. Beef up the latter, perhaps?

And turn error logging off. The book correctly says that few of you need it. Will free up some clock cycles.

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars restoring faith in xp, August 22, 2005

By 

Cyrus A. Leap "cyman" (florida,USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: PC Magazine Windows XP Speed Solutions (Paperback)

easy to use,easy to understand and best of it's effective.several steps either preformed alone or as a step by step process have effectively streamlined my operating system.some things were obvious and are already done by most users as basic maintenance. other things brought to light actually amazed me.i could not believe that i was so in the dark and uninformed/misinformed in regards to xp operating system. speed an my faith in xp have been restored!!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Windows XP Speed Solutions, January 29, 2006

By 

Carol L. Lawrence - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: PC Magazine Windows XP Speed Solutions (Paperback)

PC Magazine is always a great source for computer technical information, and this book is a good example. It is technical yet easy enough for lay people to read and understand. Each topic is independent of the others, so if you are looking for a specific solution, you can find it. I recommend it.