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Carnival Forces
Supreme [H]ardness
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2003
- Messages
- 4,297
--The Definitive "How to Tweak" Guide--
Introduction: Most of the time people have problems, such as "my computer used to be fast, now it's slow!" or "help! i can't seem to do things i used to!" etc. etc. it can be attributed to spyware//adware (from p2p programs such as KaZaA, and even legitamte programs like DivX (they mean it when they say GAIN adware supported bundle) ) and, of course, the fact that over time, the Windows OS just gets cluttered. Period. So, what can you do? Well here are a few General Tips, and then very specific tweak guides (linked and summarized) for your aid. This guide will, hopefully, help increase system performance, reduce your lag, and make your computer happily tweaked out! ^_^
PLEASE, after reading these tweaks POST BACK HERE with your results. Like this:
H05: 4
"H05" Is the Tweak Identification Code (i can't get enough of it
), and "4" is the number of [H]'s you rated it, based on how well it performed/much it helped you/easy it was etc. It's your overall rating. That way, next to the corresponding tweak, i can put the average of all the people who voted on it (3[H]) and then the number of people who voted (6). This is how the guide will really reach out to people and help them, b/c this way others can look and see just how effective people like them found the tweak to be. Thanks!
General Tips:
1. Reformatting
^--ahh...the wonderful Panacea, Reformatation...Generally, there is performance, stability, and resolving of just plain weird-ass issues to be gotten from Reformatting. What's to be lost? Well, for sure, time, and then , of course, any data you forgot to backup. And if you don't have, for instance, your Windows CD-Key...hehe..well, you better find it! Generally, I would recommend Reformatting anually or bi-anually. (At least install your OS over your current one at 6-month, then after next 6-month Reformat, then after 6-month re-install OS..etc.etc.etc.)
UPDATE(01.19.03): two new guides to reformatting:
1. http://www.umt.edu/reslife/Reformat.htm
-quick, simple, step-by-step guide to reformatting.
2. http://www.winxpcentral.com/basics/reformat.php
-much more in-depth, excruciatingly detailed and amazingly helpful step-by-step-by-step-by... reformatting guide read it
2. Windows Update
^--important important important Period. Do it, it's that simple. Look in your start menu and click on "Windows Update" or go to www.windowsupdate.com and look around for it, it can help quite a lot (security, stability, drivers etc.).
&*& for Dialup Users: you can download the updates as installers and burn them to a CD ( thanks to TekieB )
3. Task Scheduler
^--USE your task scheduler (I just started using mine ~_~). This is what my task scheduler's lineup looks like:
1:30 AM Disk Cleanup || 2:00 AM Scandisk || 2:30 AM Defrag || 3:30 AM FAH
obvious additions would include Virus Scanning, running Spybot S&D ( http://www.safer-networking.org/ )
The way to set this up is quite easy. In Win98 just go Start \ Programs \ Acessories \ System Tools \ Maintenance Wizard and follow the instructions. If you want it to run a 3rd party program (i.e. FAH) at a certain time, you can just click "Browse" when it asks what program to run and navigate yourself to the "Shortcut to FAH3" or "FAH3.exe" file and enter that, then it should work!
4. Tweak, Tweak, Tweak.
^-- www.speedguide.net
^-- www.tweak3d.net
Read 'em and Tweak. (speedguide contains tweaks pertinent to Win9x/ME ; Win2k ; WinXP, although the main focus of the site is on internet connection [and here mostly broadband] tweaking -- tweak3d contains once again OS pertinent tweaks, as well as hardware related articles and a host of reviews of hardware)
5. Clean
^--Clean out your case every so often, vacume in the room where your computer is at least once a week. Make sure you have good filters in your case fans. You'd be amazed at how many problems dust bunnies can cause you, it's just amazing... Once you've cleaned out your case, you can overclock better (because you can cool better ^_^) and you'll have greater stability (again linked to the cooling aspect).
^--Clean not only the physical part of your rig but also every two weeks or so go on a spring cleaning frenzy. The more often you do it, the less it is each time you have to do it. I remember once I hadn't checked to see if there was any useless crap on my computer I could delete...I ended up finding over half a gig of stuff just in my download folder... Once you've cleaned out your HDD, they'll perform better and hopefully will be more stable ^_^.
6. Page File (Swap File)
^-- http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=820472
this should answer all your questions. ( much thanks to Phoenix86 )
7. Tweak UI
^-- a handy dandy little Tweak User Interface created by Microsoft. Lets you change many settings with the shell of your Windows OS, such as privacy settings: i.e. clear out those *.lnk files that form in the Start \ Documents folder whenever you access a document etc. Includes privacy options, customization options, and a repair utility for damaged icons. YOU SHOULD GET IT
WinXPLink:here
Win9x/ME/2kLink: here
**a not-so-quick note: ALL TWEAKS ARE PERFORMED AT YOUR OWN RISK AND I'M NOT GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER THE HELL HAPPENS TO YOUR MACHINE. SORRY. and good luck.
**a quick note: Spybot S&D is one of the most wonderful programs i have come across, i strongly recommend EVERYONE to download a copy (and keep it updated, religiously). It's completely free, and incredibly safe (provided you don't screw it up yourself).
** a quick note 2: another program i suggest getting is AVG Free Edition ( www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php ) in addition to your current virus solution. Infact, i don't even have a "real" (i.e. spend money on) Anti-Virus program (i.e. Mcaffee or Norton), I just use this. It's pretty damn cool (and again, update it religoiusly ^_^).
Now, onto the tweaks! This section conatains links to full explanations and short summaries of tweaks:
**wait a second...R E A D T H I S first (1st) (now):
- http://tweak3d.net/tweak/tweaking/
that's right, it's how to tweak, and understanding what it's all about. Please read it before attempting any of the following tweaks.
it also sets up the best way for you to approach tweaks and how to make them most effective
Level of Difficulty: Just Read it Okay? (Easy)
Introduction: Most of the time people have problems, such as "my computer used to be fast, now it's slow!" or "help! i can't seem to do things i used to!" etc. etc. it can be attributed to spyware//adware (from p2p programs such as KaZaA, and even legitamte programs like DivX (they mean it when they say GAIN adware supported bundle) ) and, of course, the fact that over time, the Windows OS just gets cluttered. Period. So, what can you do? Well here are a few General Tips, and then very specific tweak guides (linked and summarized) for your aid. This guide will, hopefully, help increase system performance, reduce your lag, and make your computer happily tweaked out! ^_^
PLEASE, after reading these tweaks POST BACK HERE with your results. Like this:
H05: 4
"H05" Is the Tweak Identification Code (i can't get enough of it
), and "4" is the number of [H]'s you rated it, based on how well it performed/much it helped you/easy it was etc. It's your overall rating. That way, next to the corresponding tweak, i can put the average of all the people who voted on it (3[H]) and then the number of people who voted (6). This is how the guide will really reach out to people and help them, b/c this way others can look and see just how effective people like them found the tweak to be. Thanks!General Tips:
1. Reformatting
^--ahh...the wonderful Panacea, Reformatation...Generally, there is performance, stability, and resolving of just plain weird-ass issues to be gotten from Reformatting. What's to be lost? Well, for sure, time, and then , of course, any data you forgot to backup. And if you don't have, for instance, your Windows CD-Key...hehe..well, you better find it! Generally, I would recommend Reformatting anually or bi-anually. (At least install your OS over your current one at 6-month, then after next 6-month Reformat, then after 6-month re-install OS..etc.etc.etc.)
UPDATE(01.19.03): two new guides to reformatting:
1. http://www.umt.edu/reslife/Reformat.htm
-quick, simple, step-by-step guide to reformatting.
2. http://www.winxpcentral.com/basics/reformat.php
-much more in-depth, excruciatingly detailed and amazingly helpful step-by-step-by-step-by... reformatting guide read it
2. Windows Update
^--important important important Period. Do it, it's that simple. Look in your start menu and click on "Windows Update" or go to www.windowsupdate.com and look around for it, it can help quite a lot (security, stability, drivers etc.).
&*& for Dialup Users: you can download the updates as installers and burn them to a CD ( thanks to TekieB
)3. Task Scheduler
^--USE your task scheduler (I just started using mine ~_~). This is what my task scheduler's lineup looks like:
1:30 AM Disk Cleanup || 2:00 AM Scandisk || 2:30 AM Defrag || 3:30 AM FAH
obvious additions would include Virus Scanning, running Spybot S&D ( http://www.safer-networking.org/ )
The way to set this up is quite easy. In Win98 just go Start \ Programs \ Acessories \ System Tools \ Maintenance Wizard and follow the instructions. If you want it to run a 3rd party program (i.e. FAH) at a certain time, you can just click "Browse" when it asks what program to run and navigate yourself to the "Shortcut to FAH3" or "FAH3.exe" file and enter that, then it should work!
4. Tweak, Tweak, Tweak.
^-- www.speedguide.net
^-- www.tweak3d.net
Read 'em and Tweak. (speedguide contains tweaks pertinent to Win9x/ME ; Win2k ; WinXP, although the main focus of the site is on internet connection [and here mostly broadband] tweaking -- tweak3d contains once again OS pertinent tweaks, as well as hardware related articles and a host of reviews of hardware)
5. Clean
^--Clean out your case every so often, vacume in the room where your computer is at least once a week. Make sure you have good filters in your case fans. You'd be amazed at how many problems dust bunnies can cause you, it's just amazing... Once you've cleaned out your case, you can overclock better (because you can cool better ^_^) and you'll have greater stability (again linked to the cooling aspect).
^--Clean not only the physical part of your rig but also every two weeks or so go on a spring cleaning frenzy. The more often you do it, the less it is each time you have to do it. I remember once I hadn't checked to see if there was any useless crap on my computer I could delete...I ended up finding over half a gig of stuff just in my download folder... Once you've cleaned out your HDD, they'll perform better and hopefully will be more stable ^_^.
6. Page File (Swap File)
^-- http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=820472
this should answer all your questions. ( much thanks to Phoenix86
)7. Tweak UI
^-- a handy dandy little Tweak User Interface created by Microsoft. Lets you change many settings with the shell of your Windows OS, such as privacy settings: i.e. clear out those *.lnk files that form in the Start \ Documents folder whenever you access a document etc. Includes privacy options, customization options, and a repair utility for damaged icons. YOU SHOULD GET IT
WinXPLink:here
Win9x/ME/2kLink: here
**a not-so-quick note: ALL TWEAKS ARE PERFORMED AT YOUR OWN RISK AND I'M NOT GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER THE HELL HAPPENS TO YOUR MACHINE. SORRY. and good luck.
**a quick note: Spybot S&D is one of the most wonderful programs i have come across, i strongly recommend EVERYONE to download a copy (and keep it updated, religiously). It's completely free, and incredibly safe (provided you don't screw it up yourself).
** a quick note 2: another program i suggest getting is AVG Free Edition ( www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php ) in addition to your current virus solution. Infact, i don't even have a "real" (i.e. spend money on) Anti-Virus program (i.e. Mcaffee or Norton), I just use this. It's pretty damn cool (and again, update it religoiusly ^_^).
Now, onto the tweaks! This section conatains links to full explanations and short summaries of tweaks:
**wait a second...R E A D T H I S first (1st) (now):
- http://tweak3d.net/tweak/tweaking/
that's right, it's how to tweak, and understanding what it's all about. Please read it before attempting any of the following tweaks.
it also sets up the best way for you to approach tweaks and how to make them most effective
Level of Difficulty: Just Read it Okay? (Easy)
