If you don't use Windows XP's built-in search often (like every day), disabling indexing can significantly speed up your PC.
By default Windows XP indexes files on your hard drive and stores them in memory to speed up its' built-in search. But if you rarely use Windows search, turn off indexing to free up memory and CPU horsepower for the files and applications you actually do use. A few simple how-to steps after the jump.
To turn off indexing:
1. Open up "My Computer."
2. Right-click on your hard drive (usually "C:") and choose "Properties."
3. Uncheck the box at the bottom that reads "Allow Indexing Service to..."
4. Click OK, and files will be removed from memory. This removal may take a few minutes to complete.
To disable the indexing service:
1. In the "Start" menu, choose "Run."
2. Type "services.msc" and press Enter.
3. Scroll-down to "Indexing Service" and double-click it.
4. If the service status is "Running", then stop it by pressing the "Stop" button.
5. To make sure this service doesn't run again, under "Startup Type:", choose "Disabled."
Windows search will still work if you perform these steps, but it will work more slowly than if indexing was enabled.
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Turn off Hibernation
If you don't use the Hibernation feature of XP, it's taking up a lot of unnecessary hard drive space. The space it takes up depends on your RAM. If you have 128 MB RAM, Hibernation takes up 127 MB, if you have 256 MB RAM, Hibernation takes up 254 MB, and so on. "Standby" and "Hibernation" are not they same thing. You will keep the "Standby" feature when you disable Hibernation. To turn off Hibernation:
1. Right-click on the desktop and click "Properties"
2. Hit the "Screen Saver" tab
3. Then click the "Power" button under "Monitor Power"
4. Click the "Hibernation" tab, then uncheck the box next to "Enable Hibernation"
5. Press "OK" and you have just saved a load of hard drive space!
You can use one or the other or both its upto you
By default Windows XP indexes files on your hard drive and stores them in memory to speed up its' built-in search. But if you rarely use Windows search, turn off indexing to free up memory and CPU horsepower for the files and applications you actually do use. A few simple how-to steps after the jump.
To turn off indexing:
1. Open up "My Computer."
2. Right-click on your hard drive (usually "C:") and choose "Properties."
3. Uncheck the box at the bottom that reads "Allow Indexing Service to..."
4. Click OK, and files will be removed from memory. This removal may take a few minutes to complete.
To disable the indexing service:
1. In the "Start" menu, choose "Run."
2. Type "services.msc" and press Enter.
3. Scroll-down to "Indexing Service" and double-click it.
4. If the service status is "Running", then stop it by pressing the "Stop" button.
5. To make sure this service doesn't run again, under "Startup Type:", choose "Disabled."
Windows search will still work if you perform these steps, but it will work more slowly than if indexing was enabled.
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Turn off Hibernation
If you don't use the Hibernation feature of XP, it's taking up a lot of unnecessary hard drive space. The space it takes up depends on your RAM. If you have 128 MB RAM, Hibernation takes up 127 MB, if you have 256 MB RAM, Hibernation takes up 254 MB, and so on. "Standby" and "Hibernation" are not they same thing. You will keep the "Standby" feature when you disable Hibernation. To turn off Hibernation:
1. Right-click on the desktop and click "Properties"
2. Hit the "Screen Saver" tab
3. Then click the "Power" button under "Monitor Power"
4. Click the "Hibernation" tab, then uncheck the box next to "Enable Hibernation"
5. Press "OK" and you have just saved a load of hard drive space!
You can use one or the other or both its upto you