My XP SP PC seems to have gotten slower recently. The last time I rebuilt it was about 6 months ago. I am running Spyware Sweeper 5.5 every day... what are some other good utilites I could use to get my system back to running as it should be? I want to stop the practice of every 6 months or so of re-formatting and re-loading everything.

You can do Start, then RUN, then type
msconfig
Then uncheck items in the Startup tab.

To find out what each Startup(or Process) item
does or means, and any recommendation as to if you should close the process:
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Task...
Task List Programs
OR
http://www.processlibrary.com/
The Process Library
--------------------------
http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...
Computer Speed and Performance May Decrease

When you open, then close programs,
programs may not free up RAM memory.
That is called "Memory Leak".
Restarting computer will clear out its RAM memory.
OR
install more RAM memory.

http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...
Description of the Disk Cleanup Tool in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...
How to Defragment Your Disk Drive Volumes in Windows XP

Preventative is how you stop the rebuilds.

Use this 1st to clean up your comp, make sure it is right up to date after installing.
a-squared Free
http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software...
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4...

This one runs in real time, in other words it stops nasties getting in.
BOClean
http://www.comodo.com/boclean/bocle...
Forum
http://forums.comodo.com/index.php

MSCONFIG is not a start up manager, it is better left untouched and used for troubleshooting only.

"This article describes how to troubleshoot configuration errors in Windows XP by using the System Configuration utility (Msconfig.exe). The System Configuration utility helps you find problems with your Windows XP configuration. It does not manage the programs that run when Windows starts."

source:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310560

pick one of these instead:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/...

http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/startd...

FYI, CCleaner has a Startup Manager as well.

Make sure Jesus is your Saviour!
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Though there seemed to be a debate about it from a recent post, you may want to do a defrag of your system just to see if it makes a difference for you.

~ Sarah C.

~~~~~~~
HP C410
3.6ghz P4 660-series
500gb HDD Primary
320gb HDD Secondary
Windows XP Pro w/ SP2
2gb DDR

"FYI, CCleaner has a Startup Manager as well."

i wouldn't call it a 'manager'. you can delete start up entries alright but not restore.

"i wouldn't call it a 'manager'. you can delete start up entries alright but not restore."

Whatever you want to call it is fine but I still call it a manager. If you delete something wrong you can always put it back in manually. Nobody should ever delete anything that starts with Windows unless they know what it is first anyway.

There's another program called Startup Manager 2.4. It doesn't let you restore either, but that doesn't mean it's not a manager.

Whatever it is, it's not a big deal (and not even worth mentioning IMO).

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