Looking after my system

[Idstain]

Hey

I got a new system a couple of months ago and it is great but i just don't want it to clog up and slow down on me like my last one. I have used the win xp systems tools but can anyone recommend any good software (freeware or shareware) to keep it fast

Thanks

[muTe]

I use this site to disable the unecessary services. It will help your computer (it helped mine!)
WinXP Tweaks

[Miz]

My recommendations:

Go to Black Viper's site for his guide on which XP services can be disabled, which set to manual and which to leave on automatic. It's a little tedious but well worth the effort in both system performance and online security.

Download, install, immediately update and run Spybot. Let it clean up any spyware it finds. Then update and run it about once a week to keep things cleaned up. (There's also AdAware, which some people prefer and, although I use it, I think Spybot does a better job.

Install a "low-impact" anti-virus program. I use AVG which is configured to scan all incoming email and I manually scan any files brought in from the outside world before opening them (downloaded, on floppies and on CDs). I don't have it scanning everything all the time since viruses don't spontaneously generate and that full-time, always-running feature will slow things down.

[Idstain]

Thanks for the info

i have tried both of your links for the blkviper / blackviper pages but i think it is down right now ill keep trying though and im downloading that spybot now

thanks for the help

idstain

[mystvearn]

sygate personal firewall.(cnet.com)
Lavasoft-adware(cnet.com)
Microsoft baseline security analyser(from microsoft)

all free