My safer and faster Windows XP Home

I made some changes on my system, and I learned all of it here at Wilders. (Thanks)

Here is what I did:

1. Turned off system restore on all partitions. (I use a disk-image tool)

2. Turned off what I believe is called indexing service on English OS. (I have non-English OS)

3. Changed some settings in Controlpanel-System-Advanced-Visual effects See picture. As default I think all of them were checked:



4. Turned off Windows sound

5. Disabled running services. See Black Vipers Page:

http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm

I changed all to the same as under safe column except 4 of them which I think I perhaps may need. Smart Card, uninteruptible power supply, wireless zero configuration and I disabled system restore. (Also had already disabled system restore before)

As I understand my system now is safer because of disabling some running services. But I also read before that all these steps would make Windows faster, and I can confirm it did.

Before these steps it took 40-45 seconds to start my Windows. (I count seconds from I click my user account until my desktop show up)

It now takes from a few seconds up to 17 seconds to login. The second reboot after this steps it took 4, I repeat 4 seconds! But usually longer. Today 13 seconds.

Shutdown is much faster than before.

 

My next step to make Windows more secure may be using a limited account, but I have not decided yet. I follow this thread:

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=181375

and I advice all other users here to read this thread even if you have tried limited accounts before and disliked it. Also see post 48 by Dogbiscuit if you worry about online-banking. A very good advice by him

 

have a look