System Tweaks for improving XP OS performance

Came across these on paper, and want to put 'em up here for your perusal.

The "Standard Use and Abuse Clause®" is in effect on these Tweaks.

Link to Bootvis source @ Softpedia - Just a suggested link, google for it and select a site you 'trust'.

1. As always, before performing a major system tweak like this, at the very least you MUST create a System Restore Point. One caveat - BootVis is known to completely bork systems, and sometimes even even the venerable Recovery Console is unable to unhose it. So as an extra precaution, I suggest you perform a complete backup of your system partition with Norton Ghost prior to performing these tweaks..
   
2. That said, download the bootvis.msi installer, and doubleclick it to execute.
   
3. After installation, restart your system, and get a rough time of how long it takes to boot from initialization to finishing loading into the OS.
   
4. Click [Start] --> [All Programs] --> [Microsoft BootVis] --> [BootVis]
5. BootVis launches.
6. Now we make BootVis crank out a baseline of how fast the system boots.
1. In the BootVis window menu, select 'Trace' --> 'Next Boot' --> [OK] --> [Reboot Now]
2. Watch as BootVis times exactly how long it takes for each section of the bootstrap to complete, and reports the cumulative time taken to acheive complete bootness.
3. Examine the graph displayed, and write down the boot time.
   
7. Now, we make BootVis optimize your system. Here's where the rubber meets the road.
   
1. Click [Start] --> [All Programs] --> [Microsoft BootVis] --> [BootVis]
2. Again, BootVis Launches
3. Now, select 'Trace' --> 'Optimize System' --> [Reboot Now]
4. Your system restarts, BootVis plugging and chugging, optimizing your system.
8. Lastly, go ahead and track the improvements BootVis has made to your system.
   
1. These are the same instructions as under step #6, but what the heck, I'll repeat them in case you're too lazy to, uh.... gaze up a little bit......
2. In the BootVis window menu, select 'Trace' --> 'Next Boot' --> [OK] --> [Reboot Now]
   
3. Watch as BootVis, again, times how long it takes for each section of the bootstrap to complete, and reports the cumulative time taken to acheive complete bootness. Examine the graph displayed, and compare to the pre-optimized boot time.
4. Do a little dance since your system boots faster. Wipe hands on pants.

Registry Tweaks:

1. Disable constant updating of dates a file/folder was last accessed.
   
1. Launch Regedit
2. Drill down to the following registry section:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem
   
3. Right click on the REG_DWORD named 'DisableNTFSLastAccessUpdate'. Note - if 'DisableNTFSLastAccessUpdate' is listed where I've specified, skip ahead to step 6.
   
4. Select 'Modify'
5. Change the 'Value data' field to 1 and select [OK].
6. Ok, so the REG_DWORD isn't there. That's okay, you're in good hands.
   
7. Rightclick anywhere in the Right-hand pane's whitespace, and select 'New' --> 'DWORD Value'.
8. A new key appears with the a name resembling "New Value #1"
9. Rename the New Value "DisableNTFSLastAccessUpdate"
10. [RightClick] on the "DisableNTFSLastAccessUpdate" value and select 'Modify'
11. Change the 'Value data' field to 1 and select [OK].
12. Close regedit, restart your system.