How to maintain Windows XP - top 9 tips for Windows XP maintenance

Compared to its predecessors, Windows XP rivals the Rock of Gibraltar, but also just like its predecessors, XP slows down easily and noticeably with time, even if you have made the most solid configuration. How to prevent Windows XP from getting sluggish, and further to get XP running faster?

Without periodical and proper maintenance, Ferrari can not keep running fast forever, so does Windows XP computer. Here are the basic Windows XP maintenance tips for you, which are listed in no order, and can be performed by everyone, no expertise required.

Tip 1 to maintain Windows XP: free up wasted disk space

Tip 2 to maintain Windows XP: defrag hard disk regularly

Tip 3 to maintain Windows XP: speed up XP boot - msconfig

Tip 4 to maintain Windows XP: run Windows XP Chkdsk

Tip 5 to maintain Windows XP: update anti-spyware/virus program

Tip 6 to maintain Windows XP: keep registry clean and clear

Tip 7 to maintain Windows XP: uninstall unused programs

Tip 8 to maintain Windows XP: keep Windows XP updated

Tip 9 to maintain Windows XP: create system restore points

A good and free way to free up wasted disk space is to use Disk Cleanup. It can clean temporary internet files, files in recycle bin, downlaoded files, unused programs, and old restore points. To use Disk Cleanup, click Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools, select Disk Cleanup.

Browser history (search history, cookies, cache, etc.) will not only take up your disk space but expose user privacy. You can click safety menu on the upper-right of browsers, then click Delete Browsing History.

For other kind of junk files like index.dat (can’t be deleted manually), duplicate files, invalid shortcuts, you may need a third-party program like CCleaner or Wondershare Registry Optimizer. The extra benefit is that they can make the work much easier and faster.

When the system writes information on the hard drive, a section of a file can be written near the beginning of the disc, whereas the rest may be written near the end. This is what we call fragmentation. Badly fragmented hard disk can cause a slow running XP system since computer spends much time in retrieving these file clusters from all over the disc.

Luckily, Disk Defragment can be done with the built-in system tools. Click Start>Programs>Accessories> System Tools, there you can see the Disk Defragmenter.

However, to be honest, I never use the Disk Defragmenter – it takes quite a long time to defrag hard disk and skips many files. Good news is that there are many free disk defragmenter available for download, you can google one for your XP computer. Remember that as one of the 10 Windows XP maintenance tips, disk defrag should be done every two or three months.

To maintain Windows XP, one important part is to boost XP boot speed. You may not know that as you install programs, some of them add themselves into auto-start program list without getting your permission. The more are the auto-start programs, the slower does your XP boot.

Click Start, select Run, then input "msconfig". Select Boot, then you can disable unneeded startup programs to boost XP startup speed.

Run Chkdsk monthly. As its name implies, ChkDsk scans the XP hard drive for errors. It should be set to automatically correct detected errors. The most common type is orphaned data located on the hard drive. This is most often caused by an improper shutdown or system crash.

To use Chkdsk, click My Computer. Right-click the hard drive you want to check and click Properties. Select Tools and click Check Now. Check both boxes. Click Start. You'll get a message that the computer must be rebooted to run a complete check. Click Yes and reboot. Chkdsk will take a while, so run it when you don't need to use the PC.

Use an antivirus program to protect your XP computer from the attacks of spyware, virus, trojan and other malware, and regularly update the program. No matter how great your anti-spyware or anti-virus programs are, their effectiveness is limited if you don't update them on a regular basis.

A free anti-spyware program I use is Wondershare Spyware Removal, which you can download and apply a free registration code. With this registration code you can update & get technical support without limitation for 6 months, after that you can renew it with 50% off.

Another crucial part for your Windows XP maintenance is Windows registry. The massive database stores all necessary information and settings for software and hardware, and keep your XP system running smooth. As you install and delete programs, remnants are usually left behind in the registry, eventually, this debris can make Windows sluggish and shaky.

Before cleaning registry, back it up. Click Start>Run>type in "regedit" and click OK, then the registry editor will pop up. Click File and select Export, specify a folder on your hard drive to save the backup. If cleaning registry leads your computer unstable, double-click the backup file and restore it.

Here is a free registry cleaner review for your reference. It covers CCleaner and other 5 popular Windows registry optimizers. But the best method to find the one works for you is to try by yourself.

Apart from cleaning registry, defrag is another part of work you got to do to maintain Windows XP registry. A free defrag program is Wondershare Registry Defrag, which is safe and easy to use.

Uninstalling programs that you seldom use is better than just removing them from your hard drive., because simple deletion can cause Windows errors. Some programs have the built-in uninstall app while others don't. Then, you can go to the control panel, select "Add/Remove Programs" and uninstall them there.

Windows XP is full of bugs and security holes, and Microsoft seems to always be issuing new security patches and updates. It’s best to make sure you're up-to-date on XP updates, or you may be on the receiving end of some nasty viruses, hacking, or spyware programs, so activating XP's automatic update feature is advisable.

Right-click My Computer, and select Properties, then click the Automatic Updates tab. Select the Automatic option, and use the pull-down menus to choose how often you want XP to check for updates. Click Apply to save your new settings, and then OK.

The last tip for your Windows XP maintenance is system restore, which is included in Windows XP that can restore computer to an earlier state. It saves you a lot of stress and worry if you use it to your advantage. If you have system restore enabled on your computer it will automatically create restore points, or you can manually create a restore point and name it as you like. Then when you have a problem, you can go back in time to that point.

To create system restore points, click Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools, select System Restore. Then click the Create a Restore Point option. Click the Next button and follow the step-by-step directions.

Safely scan your Windows XP now!