Optimize XP - A Windows XP Optimization Guide


Recommended Posts

Nice guide, I even got two new tweaks from there. I have a question about one, the SystemPages - what does it do, why should I set it the smallest size possible when benchmarks were bigger with the 0xffffffff value wich is quite a number in decimals and what was it all about Radeon owners?

  Quote
It's a good Guide, but you really don't need Cacheman with 2000/XP

Cacheman optimizes quite a few settings in Window 2000/XP:

1. Disk Cache

Windows NT4/2000/XP has a much better Disk Cache handling as Windows 95-ME. Windows NT4/2000/XP uses certain criteria to decide how to prioritize memory usage between the Disk Cache and applications. This dynamic allocation process is a continual juggling act. Four configuration presets are available.

- Minimize memory used

This setting minimizes the amount of memory used for the Disk Cache in order to maximize the amount of memory available for applications. This is the default setting for Windows NT Workstation and Windows 2000 Professional.

- Balance

This setting instructs Windows to give the Disk Cache and applications the same priority.

- Maximize throughput for file sharing

The Disk Cache gets a higher priority with this preset. It should be the best for file servers and workstations with very high I/O activity.

- Maximize throughput for network applications

This setting instructs Windows to give applications higher priority. It should be the best preset for application servers.

2. Icon Cache

Every executable file has an icon associated with it. Every time the shell displays a folder full of files it needs to obtain icons for each of those items. By saving icons that it has already retrieved into a cache, the shell is relieved of the need to constantly retrieve icons from executable files and icon libraries. This can make a vast difference to system performance, especially when accessing network drives.

After changing this setting you need to reboot at least 2 times until it becomes effective, but since it's not a critical setting Cacheman will not ask you on exit to reboot.

3. IO Page Lock Limit

If your system is very IO intensive you can increase the amount of memory that can be locked for IO operations when data is read from or written to the hard disks. When this value is 0, the system uses the default (512 Kbytes). Raising this value can give you a significant performance boost.

4. Disable NTFS last access update

By enabling this option, NT Filesystem will not record the last time a file was accessed. This can speed up disk operations if applications write many small files very frequently.

5. Hung App Timeout

Windows waits by default a long time to finally acknowledge that a particular program is "Not responding", and only after that allowing you to shut it down by clicking the End Task button.

6. Wait to Kill App Timeout

This value sets the timeout until Windows shuts down/restarts, while trying to exit all open programs.

7. Disable executive paging

Parts of system code and device drivers can be swapped out to paging file when the system needs more RAM. The system slows down when it needs that code or drivers since it must load them from the paging file. Windows stops while the required code is swapped in or out of RAM dependent on very long hard drive access times. If you have more than sufficient RAM, disabling Executive paging should improve performance.

8. Unload DLLs from memory

Windows automatically unloads DLLs when the usage count is zero, but only after the DLLs have not been used for a period of time. This inactive period might be unacceptably long at times and cause performance slow downs on low memory systems. Enable this option to disable Windows holding the DLLs in memory.

All of which help improve Windows XP performance. ;)

The problem with alot of the tweaks I see posted are comments like

"I don't know if this does anything"

"Seems to be faster now" ect.....

These same tweaks work their way into all-in-one tweaking programs and you wind up with situations like this: Dead Win XP after installation XP Smoker

  Mastertech said:
Cacheman optimizes quite a few settings in Window 2000/XP:

1. Disk Cache

Windows NT4/2000/XP has a much better Disk Cache handling as Windows 95-ME. Windows NT4/2000/XP uses certain criteria to decide how to prioritize memory usage between the Disk Cache and applications. This dynamic allocation process is a continual juggling act. Four configuration presets are available.

- Minimize memory used

This setting minimizes the amount of memory used for the Disk Cache in order to maximize the amount of memory available for applications. This is the default setting for Windows NT Workstation and Windows 2000 Professional.

- Balance

This setting instructs Windows to give the Disk Cache and applications the same priority.

- Maximize throughput for file sharing

The Disk Cache gets a higher priority with this preset. It should be the best for file servers and workstations with very high I/O activity.

- Maximize throughput for network applications

This setting instructs Windows to give applications higher priority. It should be the best preset for application servers.

2. Icon Cache

Every executable file has an icon associated with it. Every time the shell displays a folder full of files it needs to obtain icons for each of those items. By saving icons that it has already retrieved into a cache, the shell is relieved of the need to constantly retrieve icons from executable files and icon libraries. This can make a vast difference to system performance, especially when accessing network drives.

After changing this setting you need to reboot at least 2 times until it becomes effective, but since it's not a critical setting Cacheman will not ask you on exit to reboot.

3. IO Page Lock Limit

If your system is very IO intensive you can increase the amount of memory that can be locked for IO operations when data is read from or written to the hard disks. When this value is 0, the system uses the default (512 Kbytes). Raising this value can give you a significant performance boost.

4. Disable NTFS last access update

By enabling this option, NT Filesystem will not record the last time a file was accessed. This can speed up disk operations if applications write many small files very frequently.

5. Hung App Timeout

Windows waits by default a long time to finally acknowledge that a particular program is "Not responding", and only after that allowing you to shut it down by clicking the End Task button.

6. Wait to Kill App Timeout

This value sets the timeout until Windows shuts down/restarts, while trying to exit all open programs.

7. Disable executive paging

Parts of system code and device drivers can be swapped out to paging file when the system needs more RAM. The system slows down when it needs that code or drivers since it must load them from the paging file. Windows stops while the required code is swapped in or out of RAM dependent on very long hard drive access times. If you have more than sufficient RAM, disabling Executive paging should improve performance.

8. Unload DLLs from memory

Windows automatically unloads DLLs when the usage count is zero, but only after the DLLs have not been used for a period of time. This inactive period might be unacceptably long at times and cause performance slow downs on low memory systems. Enable this option to disable Windows holding the DLLs in memory.

All of which help improve Windows XP performance.  ;)

Eh, most of those things can be done in regedit if you really want them and IO Page Lock Limit does nothing. The only that might be useful is the Icon cache, but if you want that you could always go LargeSystemCache-1. now I used the program when I was under 98 and loved it, but I really believe you do not need it for XP no matter what they say.

  Quote
Eh, most of those things can be done in regedit if you really want them
LOL, just about any tweak utilities settings can be done manually. The whole point of including the utility is so you don't have to. Editing the registry manually is a bad practive since the registry has no native undo feature and changes are instantaneous. Not to mention it is alot easier and faster to use a utility. I like to keep things as simple as possible.
  Quote
and IO Page Lock Limit does nothing.

This is not true. But how much performance you will gain off of this value is based on what you use your system for and how much memory your system has.

  Quote
but I really believe you do not need it for XP no matter what they say.

Well I've installed this and configure it on over 1000 PCs with XP by now and it has improved performance. If you really feel so strongly against not using this program, you have every right not to. But the tweaks it includes will boost your system performance and I am not about to make it more complicated for people to use these tweaks by including them manually when a simple free utilitly can do it for you.

After some more research:

IO Page Lock Limit:

You will only notice performance differences with server or database applications (e.g. MS SQL Server). There are no negative effects for a large value, even if most applications will not profit from an increase, there is no reason for keeping the value low.

So at worst the value is harmless.

  Mastertech said:
After some more research:

IO Page Lock Limit:

You will only notice performance differences with server or database applications (e.g. MS SQL Server). There are no negative effects for a large value, even if most applications will not profit from an increase, there is no reason for keeping the value low.

So at worst the value is harmless.

Firstly, yes, this is an INVALID key now.

After I think after Win2000 Service Pack 2 (though I really think it was SP1), this key was invalidated by MS (many people ran tests and it showed that this key was no longer being called by the system). As WinXP usually follows Win2000, I would say it was invalidated for WinXP as well.

Also, performance increases are also seen in applications like video editing when this key did work.

  Quote
Firstly, yes, this is an INVALID key now.

After I think after Win2000 Service Pack 2 (though I really think it was SP1), this key was invalidated by MS (many people ran tests and it showed that this key was no longer being called by the system). As WinXP usually follows Win2000, I would say it was invalidated for WinXP as well.

Do you know of any sites that confirm this? Because online information regarding this setting is very limited and the opinions on its validity seem to be coming from other forums with no real proof. I'm not saying its not true I just like to be certain. For example Microsoft makes no reference to this setting one way or the other that I could find.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • It's an improvement overall but I'm also of the idea that they should just give users more options and let them have the menu they like instead of just going with one outline and some minor options (though finally getting rid of recommended is great). I know people who don't want pins and would rather it all be just the list/grid of apps. Others just want pins, others want them side by side and not up on top of each other. Have more layout options and let people mix and match, problem solved.
    • Hi all, I've got a Pioneer VSX 815-k receiver. Love this thing, however, my cat did his business on top of it and kinda recked it... Only analog works (5.1 surround RCA inputs). Normally I'd use toslink from mobo to digital in on the receiver, but the result is a ton of loud white noise over the music. Analog works just fine, so I'm forced to use the 3.5mm jacks on the rear of the mobo to the RCA inputs on the receiver. The issue I face is that there is no DTS or anything fun.. Originally, I could play all my MP3s or watch YouTube etc, and the subwoofer would be booming as I like because of the mixing from the DAC. Now with the analog, none of that is happening  I'm wondering if there's some kind of software solution for Windows to get the subwoofer to play as it did when I had it hooked up through toslink, but for analog out instead. As of now, only audio files that were encoded specifically to produce sound to the sub, will work, but nothing else. As to which onboard sound solution my mobo has, this from the website's description: 121dB SNR AMP-UP Audio with ALC1220 & High-End ESS SABRE 9018 DAC with WIMA audio capacitors Sound BlasterX 720°, the top-of-the-line audio engine solution for 4K gaming and entertainment  yea it uses that wonky SBx 720 app to change the audio effects n stuff.. but doesn't help with my issue Eventually yea, I wanna buy a new one. They're about $80 on ebay after shipping, but that will have to wait.
    • Serious question here. Why is the start menu such a heated topic? I can't remember the last time that I used the start menu for anything at all other than it pops up when I hit the WIN key on my keyboard before I type for the program I want to run and then hit Enter or to restart my machine. I honestly wish it would just go away, and it just be replaced with the PowerToys Run menu. Am I missing something with the Start menu? I see people always talking about installing third party replacements and such, but I just wonder what some are actually using the Start menu for that I might be missing out on. Genuine question. Hopefully not offending anyone as I know everyone has their own way to work and access things in the OS.
    • These are the Apple Watch models that support watchOS 26 by Aditya Tiwari Apple has announced the latest operating system upgrade for its smartwatch lineup, called watchOS 26, not watchOS 12, as many expected a while ago. The Cupertino giant has unified the software experience across its platforms by introducing the "Liquid Glass" software design and renaming all the operating systems to version 26. That said, the next question is which Apple Watch models will support watchOS 26. Apple has shared the official list of devices: Apple Watch Ultra 2 Apple Watch Ultra Apple Watch Series 10 Apple Watch Series 9 Apple Watch Series 8 Apple Watch Series 7 Apple Watch Series 6 Apple Watch SE (2nd Generation) The upcoming Apple Watch update brings several new features to your wrist. Liquid Glass design gives a fresh look to the UI with updated Control Center and translucent buttons within apps. It's new Workout Buddy feature can use an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone nearby to provide personalized, spoken motivation during workouts. Building on the Double Tap feature, you can now flick your wrist to perform actions like muting incoming calls, silencing timers, and dismissing notifications when your hands are full. It is available on Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9 (or later). watchOS 26 is currently available for testing through the Apple Developer Program. It will roll out to general users during the fall season, when Apple is expected to refresh the Ultra and SE models. Note that your Apple Watch must be paired with an iPhone 11 (or later) or iPhone SE (2nd generation or later) running iOS 26. While the list of Apple Watch models that support watchOS 26 remains the same, it won't work with iPhone Xs/Xs Max and iPhone Xr, which were previously supported on watchOS 11. You can check out the respective lists of supported devices for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS 26 Tahoe.
  • Recent Achievements

    • Explorer
      MusicLover2112 went up a rank
      Explorer
    • Dedicated
      MadMung0 earned a badge
      Dedicated
    • Rookie
      CHUNWEI went up a rank
      Rookie
    • Enthusiast
      the420kid went up a rank
      Enthusiast
    • Conversation Starter
      NeoToad777 earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      501
    2. 2
      ATLien_0
      268
    3. 3
      +FloatingFatMan
      257
    4. 4
      Edouard
      201
    5. 5
      snowy owl
      169
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!