Windows XP , much like its predecessor Windows 2000 offers superior Memory management to Windows Millennium Edition & earlier . That said , both also require more memory to run efficiently . This guide will take you through configuring your system for optimal use of your memory subsystem – both R A M & the Pagefile . NOTE – This guide is based on Windows XP Professional , although should Home Edition raise any differences they will be included in the future .

Update / Troubleshooting -

Windows XP Memory Tweak guide-

Initially you should ensure you have logged in as a User with Administrative privileges , many of the tips in this guide will require such rights be available in order to successfully apply them .

Check Windowsupdate for any relevant XP updates , along with CNET Catchup for other updates . In many instances these may fix memory leaks which may occur in Windows XP . If available a BIOS update for your Motherboard may also help resolve some memory issues .

You should also check Your Driver Go to the Drivers page of many Hardware manufacturers & ensure you have the latest XP Driver installed for similar reasons .

BIOS Settings -

Windows XP Memory Tweak guide-

One commonly overlooked factor when optimizing your memory subsystem is the BIOS . The BIOS for your Motherboard will normally contain several important settings which can affect how well your R A M performs .

Hard Drive Setup -

Windows XP Memory Tweak guide-

In order to ensure your memory subsystem is performing as best it can you need to have your Hard Drive configured to perform similarly , this is because the Pagefile resides on the Hard Drive also . A s a result improving your Hard Drives performance will also improve memory performance .

Right click on My Computer & select Properties , then the Hardware tab , followed by the Device Manager button . Expand the Disk drives tree & highlight ( select ) your Hard Drive ( If you have multiple Hard Drives installed apply the following steps to each of them ). Right click on the selected drive & select Properties then the Policies button .