Re: Msconfig selective start and registry to remove programs

From: Mike (mike.hall.mail_at_sympatico.ca)
Date: 08/05/04 

Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2004 19:28:22 -0400

I think that the XP look sucks, and I changed to Classic look within minutes
of installing it.. I do have a wallpaper image, and I enable drop shadows to
make the icon text background transparent.. all of the other features slow
screen performance to a crawl.. this is what makes XP look and feel slow..

Bear in mind that everything that runs on a computer will take up
resources.. here are some instances that can be avoided without reducing
functionality:

1. Do not fill up the desktop with shortcuts.. there is no need for it..
memory is required for each shortcut, but the START popup already has memory
allocated for storing shortcuts.. one click on the START button or pressing
the 'Windows' key on the keyboard gets instant access to programs.. sort the
start menu into groups of programs for easy location access..

2. Do not download files/programs to the desktop because they are easier to
find.. It is easy enough to create folders/directories that one could find
as easily.. maintaining a shortcut is not so system intensive as maintaining
a program file..

3. Avoid 3rd party fun stuff.. some of it is badly written, often accessing
memory that is used by system functions.. the authors use parts of memory
that may hardly be used by the average user, but when they are, the system
will kick back.. they also introduce adware and spyware.. searchweb2 is
really difficult to remove, and it plays hell with the system, as does all
adware and spyware..

4. MSCONFIG is not there to be used as a shortcut to removing anything.. it
is there for diagnostic purposes.. use the program preferences to remove
unwanted start items..

5. Removing services is not the way to make a computer faster either..
sure, shutting down some will give a little extra, but then when you decide
to advance a little, you try to start or install something and some of the
background code that it needs is no longer running.. more questions in the
newsgroup.. why isn't this or that working?

Anti-virus programs use memory.. they have to because they are monitoring
everything that is on the computer.. they look for file changes, checksum
errors, incoming mail, outgoing mail, downloads.. I have heard some admit to
turning it off while on the net to get more speed.. ref #4, others take the
a/v and firewall out of start-up along with everything else because somebody
told them that Windows doesn't need anything there.. that is true.. Windows
doesn't need anything in start-up, AS LONG AS YOU DON'T CONNECT TO THE
INTERNET, OR PUT AN UNKNOWN FLOPPY DISK IN THE A DRIVE.. so connect with the
internet without a/v and firewall running and time how long it takes to get
a trojan or virus.. two minutes maybe, two milliseconds.. would those same
people remove the brakes from their cars to save weight and gain a little
increase in speed?..

Pretty is cool for some, personalization is cool for some, but everything
that you see on the screen requires memory to keep it there, and the more
complex stuff requires way more memory.. if a user prefers cool looks to
functionality, then they have to live with it or get more resources
installed.. it is suggested that XP will run in 128mb, but how fast, and
with what else running?.. 256mb is the base amount fitted to most new
computers these days.. but is that enough?.. it all depends on what else is
installed.. 512mb should be regarded as minimal really.. systems are sold
with the minimum amount installed that will enable them to work well.. if
more programs are installed, more memory should follow..

"Harold" <lewtonh@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:OyLepZzeEHA.3348@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Thanks for the answers about the use of XP vs the Classic view.
>
> Harold
>
> "Wesley Vogel" <123WVogel955@comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:Q5xQc.213845$IQ4.143133@attbi_s02...
> > System Configuration Utility
> > [System Configuration Utility (Msconfig.exe) allows you to *temporarily*
> > change the way Windows XP Professional starts by disabling startup
> > programs
> > and services individually or several at a time.]
> >
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/Default.asp?url=/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/reskit/en-us/prmb_tol_dxth.asp
> >
> > ======================
> >
> > [[If you change any startup setting by using the System Configuration
> > Utility, Windows XP Professional displays the following message when you
> > log
> > on:
> >
> > You have used the System Configuration Utility to make temporary changes
> > to
> > some of your system settings. To return to normal operations, choose the
> > Normal option on the General tab.
> >
> > The preceding message and the System Configuration Utility continue to
> > appear each time you log on until you restore the original startup
> > settings
> > by clicking Normal Startup under Startup Selection on the General tab.
To
> > *permanently* change a startup setting, you must move or delete startup
> > shortcuts, change a Group Policy setting, or uninstall the application
> > that
> > added the startup application.]]
> > Disabling Startup Programs by Using the System Configuration Utility
> >
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/Default.asp?url=/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/reskit/en-us/prmc_str_zsqb.asp
> >
> > --
> > Hope this helps. Let us know.
> > Wes
> >
> > In news:eOieyDyeEHA.3556@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl,
> > +-J <bitbucket@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
> >> "Harold" <lewtonh@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >>> Mike: changing the look of XP back to 'classic' makes a huge
> >>> difference in how XP runs, far more effective than using MSCONFIG..
> >>> to each their own.
> >>
> >>> Are you saying that this uses less system resourses or more?
> >>
> >> Harold,
> >>
> >> Less system resourses!
> >>
> >> I use XP 'classic' visual style and [Start]-menu, no animations, no
> >> wallpaper, etc.
> >>
> >> I also use MSCONFIG in selective-startup mode to enable/disable
> >> applications which do not give the option to do so. ---
> >> Jan
> >
>
>