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