Optimizing Windows 2000 and Windows XP for Audio Introduction.................................................................................................................................2
Deciding on an OS..................................................................................................................... 3
Windows XP – Home or Professional? ................................................................................. 3
Hardware requirements......................................................................................................... 3
Update or fresh install? ..........................................................................................................4
Give it Time..............................................................................................................................4
Preparing for installation............................................................................................................5
Installation................................................................................................................................... 6
Formatting your Hard Disk..................................................................................................... 6
Booting from CD .....................................................................................................................7
Setup Tweaks – Things to Do During the Install .......................................................................7
FAT32 vs. NTFS..........................................................................................................................7
ACPI .........................................................................................................................................8
Dual Boot................................................................................................................................. 9
Mass Storage Devices............................................................................................................9
Multiple Users........................................................................................................................ 10
Updates and service packs................................................................................................ 10
System Performance Tweaks – Stuff to Do After Installing................................................... 11
Windows Messenger ............................................................................................................11
Display properties.................................................................................................................12
Windows Sounds................................................................................................................... 14
System Restore......................................................................................................................15
Performance .........................................................................................................................15
Virtual memory..................................................................................................................... 16
Fast user switching................................................................................................................17
Auto Start and System Services ..........................................................................................18
Disk I/O Performance Logging ...........................................................................................20
Write Behind Caching.......................................................................................................... 20
UDMA/ATA Mode for Hard Drives....................................................................................... 20
Separate Drives – How and Where..................................................................................... 21
Defrag Often..........................................................................................................................22
Virus and other Utilities......................................................................................................... 22
PlugIns and other Goodies.................................................................................................. 23
XP and Win2000 Resources..................................................................................................... 23
Stay Up to Date..................................................................................................................... 23