Tweak insurance part 4: Use hardware profiles to experiment with system settings. | Windows XP Performance Tips

If you'd like to experiment with disabling various services to increase performance, but are afraid of changing your original configuration too drastically, consider using 'hardware profiles'.

Hardware profiles allow separate configurations of WindowsXP to be chosen at boot up time. This feature is intended for laptop users who will be transporting their system between various hardware and network setups (docking stations, different networks, etc.) and allows devices attached to the system to be activated or deactivated depending on the profile chosen.

Hardware profiles also allow services to be selectively activated or deactivated, so it's an easy matter to create a new hardware profile, reboot into that profile and experiment with services to your heart's content without fear of messing up your starting configuration.

To set up Hardware Profiles on your computer :

1. Right click on 'my computer' and select 'properties' then choose the 'hardware' tab and hit the 'hardware profiles' button.
2. If you have not used profiles before, you should only have 'profile 1 (current)' listed in the window. This is the default profile, or your current settings.
3. Now click 'copy' to create a duplicate profile and name the new profile as you wish. Once you have created your profile, highlight it and hit 'properties.' Check the 'always include this profile as an option' box.
4. Now reboot the PC and you will be prompted to select a profile. Choose your new one.
5. You can now configure services within your new profile. These changes will take effect only when this profile is loaded.

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