Came across this article at techrepublic.com - Feel free to experiment with it
Optimize Windows XP System Settings for your Gaming Machine
If you are a hard core gamer then the below tweaks are for you.
This is a list of windows services that you can disable to get better
performance out of your system only use it after you have created a
hardware profile for gaming. If you do not know how to do that, refer
to our tweak on *how to Create a Hardware Profile
<
http://www.technobabble.com.au/technobabble/html/gaming/gaming1.htm>
to free up System Resources* by clicking here. Create a Hardware
Profile
<
http://www.technobabble.com.au/technobabble/html/gaming/gaming1.htm>
And before you get stuck into those tweaks you should take some
precautions though, go and have a look at those articles
Creating System restore points
<
http://www.technobabble.com.au/technobabble/html/tweaks/restorepoint.htm>
, Set up and Use Auto System Recovery in Windows XP
<
http://www.technobabble.com.au/technobabble/html/asr/asr1.htm> and
Registry Tweaks
<
http://www.technobabble.com.au/technobabble/html/tweaks/registry.htm>
This is how you disable unnecessary services to free system resources
Services are programs that run when the computer starts up and continue
to run as they aid the operating system in functionality. There are many
services that load and are not needed which take up memory space and CPU
time. Disabling these services will free up system resources, which will
speed up your overall computer experience. I recommend that you sort
through the list and read the descriptions to decide if you need that
service depending on what you want to do with your computer. Remember,
you can always turn the service back on if you find that you need it in
the future. Below is the procedure to turn off a service.
Click the start button.
Select run from the bottom of the right column.
Then type *services.msc* in the box and click ok.
Once the services window has loaded we are ready to turn off unneeded
services.
For instructional purposes we are going to turn off the 'Alerter' service.
Find this service in the list and select it with the mouse.
You can either disable those services totally like this .....
Right click and select Properties.
Once the properties windows has loaded locate the Start up type drop
down box and select disable.
Then just click ok and the next time the computer starts the service
will not be loaded
*Or even better configure it in your gaming profile
<
http://www.technobabble.com.au/technobabble/html/gaming/gaming1.htm> (
*I personally like this one better*) :*
by selecting each service to configure, right-click, select Properties,
*Choose "Log on" tab*. In the lower part of this box select "Disable" or
"Enable" dependent on which hardware profile you configure. If you
configure for "Game" you choose "Disable" to free up system resources.
Routing and Remote Access
Alerter
Application Layer Gateway Service** (only if firewall is not used)
Application Management
Background Intelligent Transfer Service
ClipBook
COM+ System Application
Computer Browser
Distributed Link Tracking Client
Distributed Transaction Coordinator
Error Reporting Service
Fast User Switching Compatibility ** (only if fast user switching is not
used or the machine have one user only)
Help and Support
IMAPI CD-Burning COM Service** (only if do you not use the cd-rw xp
record support)
Indexing Service
Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) / Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)
IPSEC Services
Logical Disk Manager Administrative Service
MS Software Shadow Copy Provider
Net Logon
NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing
Network DDE
Network DDE DSDM
Network Location Awareness (NLA)
NT LM Security Support Provider
Performance Logs and Alerts
Portable Media Serial Number
Print Spooler ** (only if the pc do not have or use a printer)
Protected Storage
QoS RSVP
Routing and Remote Access
Remote Desktop Help Session Manager
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator
Remote Registry
Removable Storage
Secondary Logon
Security Accounts Manager
Server
Smart Card
Smart Card Helper
SSDP Discovery Service
System Restore Service
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
Task Scheduler
Telnet
Themes
Uninterruptible Power Supply
Universal Plug and Play Device Host
Upload Manager
Volume Shadow Copy
Windows Image Acquisition (WIA)
Windows Installer
Windows Management Instrumentation Driver Extensions
Wireless Zero Configuration
WMI Performance Adapter
Windows Time
Have Fun!
Lisa wrote:
If you have the "indexing service" turned on shut it off.
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