Speed Up Windows XP

Our first recommendation would be to add more RAM (memory). You should have at least
a minimum of 256MB, but 512MB or 1GB is optimal. In Windows XP, you can check how
much RAM your system has by going to Control Panel, System and looking in the General tab.
The more memory you have – the easier it will be for Windows to find space for all those
drivers and programs during boot time. (Caveat: anything more than 1GB on Windows XP,
and the Law of Diminishing Returns kicks in pretty fast).
One of the biggest contributors to a slow boot-up time is the long list of programs
configured to load when you first turn on your computer. Not only do they take time to load
but they also eat your computer’s memory and processor cycles. To stop so many programs
loading up at start-up, go to Start > Run and in the box type “msconfig”. A configuration box
will then appear. Select the “start-up” tab and uncheck any programs which you don’t use
anymore.