Windows XP Recommendations

3 points:

• Accounts
• Updates
• Upkeep

Accounts

Avoid running as an administrator as much as possible. The default account after installing XP is an administrator. Create a new account for yourself that is a regular user and use this one for day-to-day actions.

If you need to install a program, download the installer, right click on it and go to "run as". Run it as the administrator account and it will be installed just fine.

Other things may come up saying only administrator's can do those things, and the administrator username and password must be entered. It is annoying but is much, much more secure.

Updates

The only time the administrator account should be logged into is when you are updating the computer. To do that go into Internet Explorer, go to Tools -> Windows Update. These updates can improve computer performance and prevent against viruses, very important.

This also goes for programs you run, updating them regularly is also a good idea.

Upkeep

Organize the files on the computer, create folders with names that describe what is in them. Categorize as seen fit.

Do not install a program unless you are sure what it is. Do a search on the internet of the program's name and see what people have to say about it.

Go through this checklist at least once a month:

• Update Windows
• Update the programs used most
• Run CCleaner
• Run Auslogics Disk Defrag
• Run MalwareBytes Anti-Malware