So Why Does
This Happen?
Well that's actually quite easy to answer.
Most images
supplied from vendors come with an average of seven
unwanted/unneeded
applications. They run in the background trying to make you
register
this, upgrade that, or perform a job that your OS (Operating
System) already
does on its own. It's amazing how easy it is to exhaust your
system
resources with a few shoddy programs.
Ask any technician, and the majority (if
not all) will
tell you; when buying a new system for home or office they "wipe
it", "kill it", spank it" (Technical terms for formatting the
hard drive:), before they ever use it.
Also, some PC's may sit for six months to a
year at the
store before
they actually see the light of day. During this time, new bugs
and
vulnerabilities may be discovered. Updating your system as soon
as it hits the
internet is a must.
That's right Toto; Spyware, Viruses, and
Worms oh my....
Their out there, waiting for new machines with old installs.
Other workstations may simply need a boost
in RAM
(Random Access Memory). Vendors cut prices to sell inventory but
they also
cut hardware where they can. Adding memory to your system is the
easiest way to increase
your systems potential. However, if you feel your hardware is
adequate and
you still see a decrease in system performance, you may need a
complete
re-installation of your OS.
So How Do
I Do It?
Vendors make it sound easy with their
re-installation
or recovery CD. But, this will leave you in the same situation
of poor
computer performance that lead you
to this article in the first place. Unfortunately, in order to
re-install, or re-image the
correct way, you really need a professional technician. But, in
case you have
the right tools, and your feeling confident; let me give you a
brief
tutorial on proper installation.
Under these instructions I will assume you
have a
general knowledge of hardware and software and are able to
obtain the tools
needed for a proper installation.
At the end of each step, I will give you a
Tech rating
of 1-5 (1 being easy, 5 being you better know your
stuff)
Instructions
For A Windows XP
Professional Installation
1)You will need to know your hardware profile (i.e. I have
an internal
network interface card, Manufacturer - Broadcom / Model -
440Family) Your PC
usually comes with a CD that has all hardware drivers for proper
functionality. If it does not, or you simply can not find the
CD, go to your
vendor's website and download them all. Make sure you download
all drivers
and bios updates necessary for your particular PC.
(4)
2)
Back up any files that you do not want to lose. This is
important
because for a proper installation you will need to format your
hard drive.
Most techies never use the upgrade feature supplied in Windows.
There is an
unwritten law that the upgrade feature only covers up problems,
not solve
them. (1)
3)
Boot the PC to your Windows XP CD, format the drive and
install
Windows. This could take some time depending on the size of your
hard drive
and your processor speed. (4)
4)
After XP sets up, check you systems device manager and
install any
drivers or bios upgrades needed. This is a simple step to
perform, and a
crucial one. Proper communication between your hardware and the
OS is
critical to the stability of your machine. (2)
5)
Uninstall any unwanted or unneeded applications that came with
you XP
installation CD. May manufacturers load their Operating System
distributions
with a ridiculous amount of "Free" or
"Trial" software. On top of this, some
of these software packages can really decrease your system
performance.(2)
6) Connect your machine to the internet and download all
Microsoft
service packs and security updates that are needed. Service
packs are
usually very large so if you can obtain a CD do so. **Note**
you will
need to reboot and return to Microsoft's website several times
in order to
complete all updates. (1)
7)
Install a reputable Anti Virus. (i.e. McAfee, Norton,
Trend Micro,
etc.) **Immediately update after the install**. These will all
cost money,
but will save your machine in the long run. In my experience I
have found
only one free Anti-Virus package that works well. You can check
it
out at
www.grisoft.com (1)
8) Install
Microsoft's Anti-Spyware or similar application. Again,
updating immediately. (1)
9)
Install each application separately updating them
completely before
installing the next. You can often find and icon in the tools
menu with a
Check for updates option. If not, check the manufactures
website. (1)
10)
Defrag your machine and have a beer. (1)
11)
Please note having a beer before step 1 will add one
point to each
tech rating. (1)
Conclusion
Now you have a clean install on your machine
and should
be running at peak performance. You may want to tweak settings
here and
there to your personal satisfaction. But you should see a
significant
difference when you surf the web, check your email, play music,
etc...
