i run xp pro -sp3 updates --i think --according to some forums - my restore will not now work --it may be due to the s/pack updates?can i uninstall /delete them

bri, September 2013

A new drive never contain anything. This make it possible to use the same drive on a PC, a Mac of a Linux box.
You only have to move your user data to the new drive. Leave Windows and all your applications on the original drive.
Restoration points are always saved on the drive to whitch they belong. The restoration data for drive C:\ are always stored on the C:\ drive.

Spybot and Adaware are NOT maintenance applications, they are anti-malwares. Make sure that ONLY one of those is working at any given time.
I recently tried Adaware and uninstalled it 2 days later. It's now a real resource hugger that made my system sluggish and very frequently caused applications to freeze. A veryt bad experience.
Keep Spybot and use a dedicated anti-virus.

When the system is performing a defragmentation, it can cause intermitent slowdowns when accessing the drive. Try to set your defragmentations to periods when you don't use the computer, like during the night or when you are out at work.

For maintenance, the excellent and free Ccleaner have to be highly recomended.

Electro, September 2013

g/day electro
my main problem is
when i,m running say 2 maintenance progs -say spybot and adaware -or any 2 +say quick defrag
the pc then goes very slow-for emails or google -IT NEVER USED TO -
it was fast before even when running a couple of progs

bri, September 2013

WOW ELECTRO --YOUR THE MAN -fantastic explanation
will the new drive have the o/s xp pro on it then .-a nice clean system --or just move what i already have on the old drive
will the restore then work

once again -thank you sooooooooooo much for your time -your a true gent

bri, September 2013

Q - how do i get into BIOS + detect new drive?
A - When starting the computer, hit the Del key. In some cases, you need another one, often one of the function key at the top of the keyboard.
Normaly, the needed key is indicated at the bottom left of the screen during the startup process.
This should bring up the BIOS configuration screen.
Look around until you find the correct location. You need to use the direction arrows to navigate. Most of the time, the Enter, page up and page down are used to set the various settings.

Unless you know EXACTLY what you are doing, DON'T change any settings exept those for the drives auto detection.

The exact place change depending on the maker and model of the mother board.

Q - YOU SAY ''When OS up and running -format drive ( how do i get the OS onto this drive )
A - Don't get the OS (operating system) on the new drive.
What I mean is to start the OS normaly, then, from the explorer, perform the formating of the drive.
In the explorer, the new drive will be visible, bit not yet useable.
Right-click the new drive.
In the context menu, search for "Format...". Click that option.
You get a new dialog.
Leave capacity alone. It's usefull when you want to create several partitions.
Also, leave "File system" to NTFS (by default).
You may change the cluster size if you want but don't need to.
The default is 4K or 8K for the larger drives capacity. It's normaly good for most and offer a good performance space use compromise.
Small cluster size is OK when you have a LOT of very small files and slack space become prohebitive. A rather rare case. By very small, I mean most files are under 1K in size, and none are larger than 4K.
If you have mostly large (like music) to very large files (videos), chosing a larger size can improve the performances.

sorry to ask q,s -but not done this before

No problem. Over 99% of peoples are in this case...

Electro, September 2013

WOW thanks electro
couple of q,s
how do i get into BIOS + detect new drive?
YOU SAY ''When OS up and running -format drive ( how do i get the OS onto this drive )

sorry to ask q,s -but not done this before

bri, September 2013

When I mention another drive, I mean a second hard drive installed beside your actual hard drive.

You buy the second drive making sure that it's the correct type: IDE/ATA (also called PATA) or SATA. They are NOT compatible having different power and data connectors.

Turn the computer OFF and disconnect it.

Open the case.

If you have IDE drives, make sure they are all set to "Cable sellect".

Mount the new drive in any of the available bay. (have a philips screw driver available)

Connect the power cable from the PSU.

Connect the data cable (or ribon for an IDE drive).

Close the case.

Power up and go in the BIOS settings.

Have the BIOS detect the new drive. Save and exit. Boot normaly.

When the OS is up and running, format the new drive.

Your new drive is now ready to use.

From the control pannel, sellect System. Chose "Advanced system parameters"
In the new window, sellect the "Advanced system parameters" tab.
Click the "Parameters" button under Performance.
Sellect the "Advanced" tab.
Under "Virtual memory", click the "Change" button.
UNCHECK the automatic management check box at the top.
Sellect your new drive.
Sellect "Personalised size"
Enter TWICE your RAM amount to 3 times that amount, in the first box and 2.5 to 3 times the RAM in the second box. (the second value must be the same or larget than the first) Click the "Define" button. (if you have a 32 bits system, there is no point having your RAM amount plus the page file larger than 4Gb)
Sellect the C:\ drive and sellect "NO page file" and click the Define button.
Click OK to close all windows.
Restart the computer when asked.
You just moved the page file from the OS drive to the second drive making sure that it's totaly unfragmented and that it will stay that way.

You can move your user data to it as follow:
In the Windows explorer, right-click a user folder like My Documents. Drag it to the new drive. As you release the right mouse button, a context menu pops up. Sellect "Move here". Wait for the move to finish. It may take a good deal of time to move maybe several Gb of data.
Now, My Documents will perform as usual, but refers to the new drive.
You can do the same with My Music, My Images and My Videos.

Electro, September 2013

thanks electro
how do i set up another drive?

BRI, September 2013

You should NOT uninstall the service pack. Doing so will leave you whide open to 1000's of exploits and vulnerabilities.

Restoring to a check point is NOT disabled after installing the service pack 3, but it may have erased the ones made before it's installation.

You should check if the imaging service is running. It'S essential to the creation of restore points.

You should also check if you have enough free space on the main drive. A single restore point can take several 100 Mb of disk space. If there is not enough place, the restore point can't be created.

It's a very good idea to have more than one drive and place all user data on the second drive. It frees place on the OS drive, reduce fragmentation and often lead to a faster system.
Main drive: Operating system and applications.
Any other drive: User data and page file.

Electro, September 2013