Clean reinstall of XP?

[Stope]

As i continue using Windows XP it starts to run slower, boot slower, and take more time to open applications.

1)How can i get windows to run as crisp (or better) as it was when i first installed it?

-The only way i can think of is to completely wipe my hard drive and reinstall.

If that is the best way,
2)how do i go about doing this?

 

[Demalii]

i think formating and reinstalling everything is always a great idea, in fact, I love doing it. But there's a program called PC Booster which does a great job at .. making windows load faster. I'm not sure what the program really does, but it works great. give that a try

 

[TheMajor]

Bootvis is great for speeding up ur boot time. Also try Fix-It Utilities.

But I prefer a format, and I also like it...BTW, I am just about to format in a few minutes.

You can format and re-install windows with your XP disc.
Boot from the XP disc. (Set your BIOS to boot from CD/CDROM)

 

[ADZ]

There are many cleaning utilities that you can run that will delete temp files. Running a scrub on your registry...defrag...scandisk

All these things you should run as general maintenance as you would say...vaccuming your car...and replacing the winshield fluid and such...

Not to mention the good old spyware on your machine...that should also be scanned.

 

[ShoobieRat]

Like mentioned above, run some adware, spyware, virus remover software to clean up your system. Do a defrag, and straighten things up. If you have too many programs initializing at startup, you're gonna slow down.

If you're up to it, you can clean up the RUN section in your registry to clear out startup programs.