Step 9 – Boot

The final optimization you should make with Windows XP is for the boot process. Everything needs to be installed and updated before you proceed for optimal results.

Time to display list of operating systems- Setting used to adjust the time the boot menu is shown if you have multiple operating systems installed.
Instructions - Go to "Start", "Settings", "Control Panel", "System", "Advanced" tab, in the "Startup and Recovery" section select "Settings", in the "System Startup" section uncheck "Time to display list of operating systems". (If you do have multiple operating systems installed leave this enabled)

BootVis - Download- BootVis is a boot performance trace visualization and optimization tool. This tool invokes the built-in Windows XP boot time optimization process when you run it, instead of waiting for it to be scheduled at some unknown time (roughly every three days) by Windows. You will notice immediate improvement in boot performance for this reason.

Instructions - Download and Run. In the menu go to "Trace", select "Next Boot and Driver Delays". A "Trace Repetitions" screen will appear, select "Ok" and Reboot. Upon reboot, BootVis will automatically start, analyze and log your system's boot process. When it's done, in the menu go to "Trace" and select "Optimize System" and Reboot. This time when your system comes up, wait until you see the "Optimizing System" box appear, continue to wait until the process is complete.
Notes - BootVis requires the following services be enabled and the system rebooted before using the "Optimize System" function:

• Task Scheduler - Automatic
• COM+ Event System - Automatic

If you are running a performance trace on a Pentium 4 system with Hyper-Threading enabled you need to have SP2 installed (821581). Unfortunately this program is not publicly supported by Microsoft anymore. If you experience any issues relating to it, no support is available

Step 8 – Windows Internet

TCP/IP Optimizer - Download- Speakeasy Speed Test- Application to optimize your Internet connection.

Instructions - Download and run. Under the "General Settings" tab select your Connection Speed (Kbps), which is your Maximum Download Speed. If you do not know what it is, contact your ISP and ask them. Make sure the value you get is in Kbps. (Exact capitalization is important, uppercase K, lowercase b ect...) Otherwise use the Speed Test and select the Closest City to get a rough idea of what it should be, then round this value (Download Speed) up to the closest size in TCP/IP Optimizer. Under "Network Adapter" choose the Network interface you use to connect to the Internet, select "Optimal settings", then "Apply changes" and "Yes" to Reboot.
Notes - Setting the Connection Speed higher then your Maximum ISP Download Speed will NOT improve performance and may actually hurt performance. Whatever your ISP claims is your Maximum Download Speed should always be used regardless of what the Speed Test shows. Maximum Download Speeds are theoretical and not always attainable for various reasons. It is normal for them to fluctuate. However, drastic differences in what your ISP claims you should get and what you are actually getting should be brought up with your ISP. It is your money after all and you would want to get what you paid for.

SP2 TCP/IP Slowdown Fix (Event ID 4226 Patcher) - Download - Forums- Windows XP SP2 limits the number of simultaneous incomplete outbound TCP connection attempts per second to 10 from an "unlimited" number (16777214) in SP1. With the new implementation, if a P2P or some other network program attempts to connect to 100 sites at once, it would only be able to connect to 10 per second, so it would take it 10 seconds to reach all 100. In addition, even though the setting was registry editable in SP1, it is now only possible to edit by changing it directly in the system file tcpip.sys. Keep in mind this is a cap only on simultaneous incomplete outbound connect attempts per second, not total connections. Servers and P2P programs can definitely be affected by this new limitation. The purpose of this is an attempt to limit the speed at which Viruses and Worms spread. However this does absolutely nothing to improve YOUR security. It merely attempts to slow the spread of a Viruses and Worms from your computer to others AFTER you have been infected. Remember it is a limit on OUTBOUND not Inbound connections. I recommend installing this patch for optimal network and Internet performance.

Instructions - Download, unzip and run. To change it back to "unlimited" Type "C", then "16777214", press Enter, type "Y" and finally Enter again. A "Windows File Protection" window will come up, ignore this by selecting "Cancel" then "Yes" and Reboot. This warning is normal since you are editing a protected system file.
Update - Windows Update MS05-025 (6/14/05) resets the TCP limit, if you installed MS05-025, you will need to run the SP2 TCP/IP Slowdown Fix (Event ID 4226 Patcher) again.

Avant Browser - Download- A custom Internet Explorer based browser. It has a Built-in Pop-up Blocker, Flash Animation Filter, Tabbed Browsing, Built-in Search Engine, Built-in RSS/ATOM Reader, Safe Recovery Feature, User Friendly Interface and Full 100% IE Compatibility.
Instructions - Install and run. Go to "Tools", "Avant Browser Options...", "Search Engine", "Standard Search" tab and select "www.google.com" from the drop down list then "Apply" and "OK".
Notes - Any web page that loads in IE will load in Avant Browser. You will now have less Pop-ups and more control over your settings. Avant Browser is updated regularly with new features and bug fixes so make sure you have the latest version.

Firefox -An Open Source web browser funded through the Mozilla Foundation setup by AOL and actively developed by engineers from IBM and Sun Microsystems. The volunteer community generally provides testing.
Update - People are recommending Firefox over Internet Explorer as a solution to Spyware infections. This is simply not true. Internet Explorer with Service Pack 2 installed provide the exact same level of security. SP2 includes a built-in Pop-up blocker, an ActiveX installation warning system and removes MSJVM from the system. This eliminates all the known security exploits some Spyware applications used to auto install themselves.

Google Toolbar - Download An IE Toolbar that adds a Google Search button and Pop-up blocking to standard IE.
Notes - Helps prevent Pop-ups in standard IE without a standalone Pop-up stopper running in memory.

Step 7 – (Windows Services)

Windows XP has extra services running by default that most people will never use. By disabling these services you will improve system performance such as boot times.

Shoot The Messenger - Download -Disables Windows Messaging service. This will prevent online spammers from abusing this and causing message Pop-ups during normal system operation.
Notes - Installing SP2 will disable the messenger service for you.

Unplug n' Pray - Download - DetailsDisables Windows potentially dangerous and exploitable Universal Plug and Play networking capability.

BlackViper's Windows XP Services Guide- Mirror - (Acrobat Reader Required)Using this guide will increase performance. Run XP-AntiSpy, Shoot The Messenger and Unplug n' Pray first before going through this guide since those utilities will disable some of these Services for you. Use the Guide in combination with the following list. If you are not 100% sure about a service leave it on its default state. The goal is not to turn off as many services as possible but rather to disable only unneeded services.
Instruction - Go to Start, Run, type "services.msc" and press enter. Left-click on the status bar twice to filter all the started service to the top. Double left-click on the Service Name you wish to change. Change the "Startup Type" to either Manual or Automatic, then select "Apply" and "OK", repeat for all of the following:

The following is a list of Services that you can Disable on most systems for increased performance:

• Alerter
• Distributed Link Tracking Client
• Help and Support - (If you use Windows Help and Support leave this enabled)
• Indexing Service
• IPSEC Services
• Messenger - (Shoot the Messenger and installing SP2 will disable this)
• Portable Media Serial Number
• Remote Registry Service
• Secondary Logon
• SSDP Discovery Service - (Unplug n' Pray will disable this)
• Telnet
• Upload Manager
• Wireless Zero Configuration - (If you are on a wireless network leave this enabled)

The following is a list of Services that should always be set to Automatic:

• Automatic Updates - (Required by Windows Updates)
• Background Intelligent Transfer Service - (Required by Windows Updates)
• COM+ Event System - (Required by BootVis and other Applications)
• Cryptographic Services - (Required to confirm the signature of Windows system files, Protected Root Services and Key Services)
• DCOM Server Process Launcher - (Required by Disk Defragmenter)
• DHCP Client - (Required for Cable/DSL connections and Routers)
• DNS Client - (Improves Internet Performance)Event Log - (Required by Windows and cannot be Stopped)
• Logical Disk Manager - (Required to manage and update your Harddrives)
• Network Connections - (Required by Network Connections)
• Plug and Play - (Required by your System Hardware, Never Disable This!)
• Print Spooler - (Required by Printers)
• Protected Storage - (Required to protected sensitive data and to prevent access by unauthorized services, processes, or users.)
• Remote Procedure Call (RPC) - (Required by Windows, Never Disable This!)
• Security Accounts Manager - (Required to store security information for local user accounts
• Security Center - (Notifies you of you Firewall and AntiVirus Status)
• Shell Hardware Detection - (Required by the AutoPlay feature)
• System Event Notification - (Required by various Applications)
• System Restore Service - (Required by the System Restore feature)
• Task Scheduler - (Required by the Windows Prefetcher, BootVis and Norton AV, Never Disable This!)
• Themes - (Required by the new look of Windows XP)
• Windows Audio - (Required for Sound)
• Windows Management Instrumentation - (Required by Windows, Never Disable This!)

Notes - Windows Updates can enable services that you have previously disabled. Check which services are running after a future Windows Update is completed. If applications stop working after using this guide it is usually due to being to aggressive with disabling services. Enable the services you disabled one at a time until the application works. In the future leave this service on automatic. If you run into any problems set all services back to their Defaults and start over.