Windows Tools, Help & Guides

New to using the command prompt? Check out the Windows Command Prompt Beginner’s Guide

If you’ve ever asked a PC help question in a forum, it’s likely someone suggested you check for corrupted or out of version protected system files. To do this:

1. Open a Command Prompt (Click Start, type cmd, and click cmd.exe.)
2. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter

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Ed note: Given that, in July 2011, 29.31% of Windows Guides readers accessed the site using Windows XP, I felt I should update the old “10 Ways to Improve Performance in Windows XP” guide.

If you’re hanging on to Windows XP because you don’t want to buy a new computer, you’re used to the interface, or you just don’t see a need to upgrade, then this guide will help you extend the life of your Windows XP machine by making it more stable and by helping it run more efficiently. This guide will show you how to speed up Windows XP in 11 easy steps.

I highly recommend you create a system restore point before starting.

(Here’s a similar list for Windows Vista and for Windows 7.)

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Device drivers act as an interface (or communication channel) between your operating system and your hardware. To learn more about drivers, read computer drivers: the basics.

It’s important to keep your drivers updated to take advantage of code fixes, reliability improvements, and security; Intel have made it even easier to keep your drivers up to date with the Intel Driver Update Utility.

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While Windows updates can be a pain and dealing with issues can be even more painful, Windows updates are essential to running a secure and reliable PC. Due to the vast popularity of Windows, there are many people trying to find vulnerabilities all the time. When you purchase your copy of Windows, you’re not just getting what’s stored on the disc or OEM PC you just purchased; you’re signed up for many years of support from Microsoft via Windows Update.

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Back in the day, when Windows XP was brand new and shiny, one of the New Features was the Desktop Cleanup Wizard. The idea was to help you keep your desktop tidy and un-cluttered.

Personally I never used it. I pride myself in maintaining a strict Desktop Clutter Policy and rarely allow any programs I install to take occupation on my desktop. Therefore I never needed the DCW, and could remove that annoying popup reminder all together.

Here’s how you do it

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In this guest post, James Ricketts discusses how deal with computer uninstall errors. Find out more about James at the end of this post.

Uninstalling applications is never as seamless a process as installing them. Although Windows PCs come with a built-in utility, the Add or Remove Programs utility, that allows users to easily uninstall various applications and software, it usually fails to do the required job when you need to uninstall certain applications, such as McAfee Antivirus suite or DirectX.

Incomplete uninstallation may cause errors and complications on the system. Leftover processes of a previously installed program may interfere with other running processes and cause application errors, as well as performance related issues, such as frequent software crashes and system slow downs. This is why it is absolutely essential that when you remove a program you ensure that all its associated processes, files, and registry entries are also permanently deleted.

With the help of two examples, McAfee antivirus suite and DirectX we discuss how to uninstall programs that may not get completely removed using the Add or Remove Programs utility.

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