Windows XP keeps a record of all files on your hard drive so that, when you perform a search, it will run faster. The downside is that it slows down most file operations on your PC because it is having to update the index. If you don’t use your file search function very often, turn off your indexing service to gain back a little extra speed. Go to the Control Panel / Administrative Tools / Services. Find the Indexing Service. Right-click on it and choose Properties. As the startup type, choose Manual or Disabled.