| Copyright (c) 2008 Steven Magill | | | | The answer is to defragment the hard disk. |
| | | | The Windows XP help advice you need to do |
| Windows XP is a complex operating system. If | | | | this is as follows. Click the Start button, |
| you need any Windows XP help, you're probably | | | | and then choose Control Panel. A window will |
| better of not checking out the Help facility | | | | open with a lot of icons. Choose |
| within XP as it's not overly helpful. | | | | Administrative Tools and then Computer |
| However, there are plenty of very useful | | | | Management. From the left-hand pane of the |
| Windows XP help websites dedicated to | | | | window that opens, choose Disk Defragmenter. |
| assisting anyone with a problem. | | | | Highlight the drive you want to defragment |
| | | | and tell it to go. |
| Microsoft itself has an extensive knowledge | | | | |
| base with all known problems listed as well | | | | Defragmenting a hard disk usually takes a bit |
| as help advice. However, many people find | | | | of time. However it is well worth doing on a |
| this resource dry and unfriendly, and not | | | | regular basis. There's no need to defragment |
| always as helpful as they need it to be. | | | | the disk if it doesn't need it, of course as |
| | | | that will gain you nothing. |
| One of the best pieces of Windows XP help | | | | |
| advice you can have is to make a password | | | | Another piece of Windows XP help that will |
| recovery disk. Can you imagine the problems | | | | save you a ton of trouble is knowing how to |
| of forgetting your Windows XP password and | | | | use System Restore. This little feature can |
| being locked out? You don't have to. | | | | be a true Godsend on occasion. It's a bit |
| | | | like a time machine in that it can return |
| From the Control Panel open User Accounts. | | | | your computer system back to an earlier state |
| You should select the account you wish to | | | | should anything go wrong. |
| make a recovery disk for if there is more | | | | |
| than one account. Choose Prevent A Forgotten | | | | While your computer is working normally |
| Password from the Related Tasks and follow | | | | without any known problem, set a restore |
| the wizard to create the disk. If you ever | | | | point by clicking the Start button, then All |
| forget your password, use the disk to reset | | | | Programs, then Accessories, and finally |
| your password. This can be a lifesaver! | | | | System Tools. From the System Tools menu |
| | | | choose System Restore. |
| Your Windows XP computer will slow down over | | | | |
| time. There can be many reasons for this, and | | | | From the window that opens, click the Create |
| one could be a hard disk that is badly | | | | A Restore Point radio button, and then click |
| fragmented. This means that the files are | | | | Next. You can enter a description of your |
| scattered all over the disk, rather than | | | | restore point if you like - anything will do |
| being kept together, thus making it harder | | | | as it's simply a reminder for you. When you |
| for the computer to find what it needs to | | | | are happy with your description, just click |
| find every time. For this reason it goes more | | | | Create and the restore point will be created. |
| slowly. | | | | On the next window you can click the Finish |
| | | | button to close the window. |