How to Proceed Just After Installing Windows

Customize, Tweak, and Tune XP
There are various ways to customize, tweak, and modify Windows XP.  Whether you choose to ditch the "Fisher-Price" desktop or you want to apply a variety of registry hacks, this is the time to do so.  For the most part, the customization and tweaking process is optional and completely dependent upon the user’s needs.  I and many other computer enthusiasts will strip XP of all of the features that needlessly utilize ram and bloat our computers; this is an advisable route to take, and will be detailed shortly.  The following are a few guidelines on how to alter system settings, free up more RAM, and establish a more unique and personal Windows XP environment.

Set the Screen Resolution
The screen resolution that Windows XP will choose automatically after a fresh install is often different than the native resolution of your monitor (the resolution that looks the nicest).  First, find out what the native resolution of your monitor is; this can be found online or in your monitor’s handbook.  Then, follow these steps to change the current screen resolution to the native resolution:

• Right click on the DESKTOP
• Select PROPERTIES
• Click on the SETTINGS tab
• Locate the Screen Resolution box and adjust the dial to the native resolution of your monitor
• Click APPLY
• The screen may go black for a second.  When it reappears, click YES — this will save the settings.

Pick A Desktop Background
One of the easiest and quickest ways to give your new XP installation a slightly more personal feel is to pick a desktop background that fits your personality.  To do so, follow these steps:

• Right click on the Desktop
• Select PROPERTIES
• Click on the DESKTOP tab
• You will see a menu with various desktop images to choose from. You may select one that appeals to your, or later, you can download an image from a digital camera or from the Internet and set that as your desktop background by clicking on BROWSE.
• Click APPLY

Choosing "None" as your desktop background is the most efficient for maximizing system performance and freeing up vital system resources.

Pick a Windows Theme (or none at all)
Windows themes are essentially fancy interfaces and window properties.  In general, the default XP theme is rather obtrusive and resource demanding; the blue and green task bar is certainly cheerful, but it also eats up resources.  While I’m going to describe how to modify and pick your own Windows Theme, I am also going to explain the benefits of disabling the fancy interface and detail how you can reap these benefits.

To develop a Windows Theme that appeals to you, follow these steps:

• Right click on the DESKTOP
• Select PROPERTIES
• Play with the theme options under the THEMES tab and play with the options under the APPEARANCE tab
• For added features, click on the ADVANCED and EFFECTS options under the APPEARANCE tab

On the other hand, one can free up a fair amount of system resources by disabling many of the "flashy" and fancy features and themes.  To do so, follow these steps:

• Right click on My Computer and select PROPERTIES
• Click on the ADVANCED tab.
• Click on the SETTINGS button under the PERFORMANCE section. A new window will open.
• Choose either "Adjust for best performance" or manually set the various settings according to your preferences.
• Click APPLY.

If everything occurred successful, your start menu, task bar, buttons, and program windows will look stunningly like those of Windows 2000. Personally, I much prefer leaving XP adjusted for best performance. However, if you aren’t a fan of the new appearance, you can reset the options to how you had them before following the same steps as above and selecting either "adjust for best appearance" or manually setting the options.  Various features like animating and fading windows are nothing but resource hogs.

Turn Off Hibernation
It’s also recommend that you disable the hibernation setting for your computer.  It has been stated that some PCs have difficulty coming out of hibernation successfully, and the easiest way to alleviate any possible issues is to simply disable the feature.

• Right click on the DESKTOP
• Click on PROPERTIES
• Click on the SCREEN SAVER tab
• Click on the POWER button
• Set "System Standby" to NEVER
• Click on the HIBERNATE tab
• Uncheck the "Enable Hibernation" box
• Click APPLY

Configuring Your Mouse
After a clean install of Windows XP, you might notice that your mouse is responding and moving at a different rate.  Finding a comfortable mouse pointer speed is both ergonomically efficient and great for one’s productivity.   If you feel that your mouse is moving too fast or too slow, simply reconfigure your mouse’s speed by follow these steps:

• Click on START
• Open the CONTROL PANEL (make sure it is set in Classic View)
• Click on MOUSE
• Click on the POINTER OPTIONS tab
• Adjust the dial under the "Motion" section to control the speed of your mouse pointer
• Click APPLY

While tinkering with the mouse settings, you can also adjust various other settings, such as the double-click speed (under the Buttons tab) and how many lines your page moves when the scroll wheel is turned (under the Wheel tab).

Registry Tweaks and Hacks
There exist various Registry tweaks that can dynamically optimize system performance by altering the basic Windows XP configuration.  At the same time, there are many registry tweaks that radically boost the functionality of your new XP system, consequentially boosting your overall productivity.  Briefly, the registry is a collection of essential software and Windows settings.  The structural integrity of the registry is key to maintaining a stable and functional computer; obviously, it is inadvisable to go through changing settings at random.  Thankfully, there already exist a plethora of sources and programs that will help you tweak the Windows registry if you choose to do so. 

As noted earlier, AutoPatcher comes packaged with various optional registry tweaks that you can choose to enable.  Most of the AutoPatcher tweaks are geared toward functionality and improving one’s productivity.  If you are serious about altering the registry, reading through the registry tweaks available through AutoPatcher is a great place to start; it allows you to apply a great deal of system changes with a few clicks of the mouse as opposed to manually opening and editing the registry. 

If you want to dig deeper into tweaking the registry, another great place to start is reading through Force Flow’s article on the topic: http://www.pcmech.com/show/optimize/677/.  Not only does Force Flow indicate the significance of each registry modification, but he also indicates how your overall system performance will be affected.   Modifying the registry has the potential of radically increasing your computer’s functionality, speed, security, and responsiveness; however, don’t get too carried away, because one mistake can have tremendous side effects.  ALWAYS make a backup of your Windows registry before making any changes to it (see the first page of Force’s article) and ALWAYS apply registry tweaks a few at a time and then restart your computer; if a problem does arise, this will pinpoint where the error is occurring.

Configuring Windows Services
When it comes to extracting extra ounces of performance from your computer, one of the best places to start is with Windows Services.  In general, most of the Windows services are quite important in maintaining system stability.  However, various services which are not needed nor required are set, by default, to run automatically when XP loads.  Disabling such services will free up valuable system resources.  As I mentioned before, altering system settings is risky business, so I’ve included two links to articles geared specifically toward tinkering with XP services. 

Black Viper Service Guide: http://majorgeeks.com/page.php?id=12

The Elder Geek Guide to XP Services: http://www.theeldergeek.com/services_guide.htm

Both articles deeply discuss the concept of disabling services and include comprehensive guides for those who are serious about manually configuring their Windows XP services.  However, before rampantly changing the settings of various services, I implore you to read the introductory segments of each article.

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