How To: Tune Low Spec PC in WinXP

The situation is like this; you have old pc with low or very low spec but running windows XP. The problem is your pc running very slow. So how to solve this problem? After I read from others website and try my luck, there is a couple of ways to tune up pc with low spec.

Step 1
Use "Windows Classic Style"

On desktop > right click > properties > Appearance

Select Windows Classic Style on Windows and button. Your computer will using low memory
after that.


Step 2
Change Performance

On desktop > right click on my computer > Select Properties > Click Advance tab

in performance area click on setting and then click on "Adjust for best performance". Using low memory can boost your computer performance.


Step 3
Using plain wallpaper

Change your wallpaper with no picture, mean choose "none" for your wallpaper. Less using memory for desktop wallpaper can make your pc have more memory for other purpose.


Step 4
Change startup setting in msconfig

Start button > Run > type "msconfig" than enter

Click "Startup" tab and disable any programs that you think not very important running in startup.


Step 5
Change service setting in msconfig

Start button > Run > type "msconfig" than enter

Click "Services" tab and disable

- Indexing service = Indexing service creates a database index of all files on your system when the system is otherwise idle. Unless you do frequent searches, it is suggested you disable this service.

- Help & support

- IMAPI CD-Burning COM service = You can disable this service if your computer have no cd-burner

- Task Schedule = Disable this if there is nothing used it

- Windows Firewall / Internet Connecting Sharing (ICS) = If you like me, not like using firewall in WinXP, you can disable this service


Step 6
Disable "Autoupdate"

Control panel > Administrative Tools > Services

Double click on "Automatic Updates", click stop button, and select disable in "startup type"


Step 7
Delete "Prefetch File"

Goto \Windows\Prefetch and delete all files in the folder prefetch


After all step's, please restart your pc. For the step number 7, please do not doing it repeatly always. It's ok doing it every 3 months. Uninstall program that you think never used it, defragment you hdd for better performance and using antivirus that less using memory.

Troubleshoot: NTLDR missing

When you start your computer you will see this msg come out on the screen

NTLDR missing

What is NTLDR ? NTLDR stand for NT Loader and it is the boot loader for all release of Microsoft Windows NT Operating System. So how to fix this problem?? Very simple

1. Boot your computer using cd XP

2. Select "Repair Console" by pressing "R"

3. Press "1" and insert password (or just press ENTER)

Let's say your CDROM Drive in your computer is drive E:

4. Copy "ntdetect.com" & "ntldr" to your primary partition (normally it is C:\ ) type this command:

copy e:\i386\ntldr c:\

after that type this command

copy e:\i386\ntdetect.com c:\

5. Take out your cd from cd tray and restart your computer.

Troubleshoot: Windows could not start because the following files is missing or corrupt: \Windows\System32\Config\System

What would you do after you did something to your computer maybe install or uninstall any applications then restart your pc after you see this error msg:

"Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \Windows\System32\Config\System"

Don't worry or panic. Just follow this step bellow

Option 1: Using CHKDSK command

1. boot your computer using cd windows

2. Select "Recovery Console" by pressing button "R"

Normally press number "1" & enter your admin password after that. (or Press ENTER)

3. At command prompt type this;

CHKDSK /P

4. After finish please reboot your computer.


Option 2: Using backup from system restore

1. boot your computer using cd windows

2. Select "Recovery Console" by pressing button "R"

Normally press number "1" & enter your admin password after that. (or Press ENTER)

3. At command prompt type this;
cd "C:\System Volume Information"

4. Here, locate and navigate to the folder whose name begins with _restore using the command:
cd _resto~1

This folder contains many subfolders which have names of the form RPxxx, where xxx is a number indicating the restore point. Locate an RPxxx folder which has the highest number as its suffix (highest xxx) using the command dir command. Then navigate into that folder using the command:
cd RPxxx (don't forget to replace xxx with the corresponding number)

5. Now, there will be a folder named snapshot. Navigate to this folder using the command:
cd snapshot


6. There should be a file named _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM, copy this file to the \Windows\System32\Config folder with the name System using the command:
copy _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM C:\Windows\System32\Config\System

7. Reboot the system and check whether Windows loads properly.


Option 3: Using Windows Repair

1. While installing Windows, the setup backs up the System registry hive in Repair folder. If the System Restore feature is turned off, then this backup can be used to restore the System hive. From the Recovery Console, navigate to folder \Windows\Repair, using the command:
cd C:\Windows\Repair

2. Copy the System file to its original location using the command:
copy System C:\Windows\System32\Config\System

3. Reboot the system and check whether Windows loads properly.


With this step, I tried Option 1 & Option 2 and it's work fine on me. Never try Option 3 yet >>:)


Having problem to access folder? Make sure when you type cd to access folder file, you need type quotes. Example cd "system volume information". This is because of the spaces. But when you try to copy the file, don't using quotes.