General Windows XP Performance

Does your computer always seems to run slow when you're simply opening the Start Menu, or your My Documents folder? Try turning off some of the visual effects in Windows to increase your computer's performance.

Right click on the 'My Computer' icon on the desktop and choose 'Properties'. Go to the 'Advanced' tab and click 'Settings' under the Performance section. Picking "Adjust for best performance" will turn off all of the Windows XP effects, including the stylized taskbar and Explorer windows. I suggest leaving checkmarked, "Use visual styles on windows and buttons", and "Use common tasks in folders".