One of the most important ways of improving and maintaining performance is regular defragmentation of your hard drive. Although this is true whichever file system you are using, it is especially true of NTFS, where the fragmentation of the MFT can have a serious impact on performance. Windows 2000 has a built in defragmenter, Diskeeper, made by Executive Software. This is fine, but has limited functionality. Two important features that you require from a defragmenter are scheduling, and the ability to perform operations during boot-up, known as boot-time defragmentation: system files and directories can be defragmented more effectively before the operating system is loaded. The only drawback with lengthy boot-time operations is that they can occasionally become unstable.

1. O&O Defrag: A simple and effective programme, works with all file systems. Limited but effective boot-time defragmentation: does the paging files, and some system files. Can be scheduled. Latest version is Version 20001 Pro, which seems to offer some significant improvements.

2. Perfect Disk 2000: A lot of people's favourite. Very powerful, defragments paging files and directories, off-line or boot-time option. Works on all file systems. For some reason does not put all files at the front of the drive, but moves some to the back of the drive. Version 4 has now been released.

3. Diskeeper: Very comprehensive and effective boot-time options, and pretty fast too. However lacking some of the advanced options of Perfect Disk 2000. The full version adds scheduling, boot-time options, and simultaneous defragmentation of multiple volumes to the Windows 2000 version. The main problem with Diskeeper is that it requires more than one pass to defragment fully. A new version, 6.0 was released in November 2000.

4. Fix It Utilities V.3.0: See below

5. Norton SystemWorks 2001: See below

When things go wrong, particularly using NTFS where you have no DOS options, you need to have some effective tools at your disposal. Thankfully Microsoft supplies an excellent utility with Windows 2000 called the Recovery Console, for when you are unable to start your system. O&O Software have an excellent programme that works in a similar way. BlueCon 2000 additionally provides access to all volumes on a system, and works with NT4 and Windows 2000, there is also a Pro version available.. NTFSDOS Pro also allows you to access MSDOS from NTFS partitions. Another recommended repair utility is ERD Commander 2000, which allows users to access and modify files on FAT and NTFS partitions prior to booting the Operating System.

There are two complete sets of system tools available at the moment. the first is Fix-It Utilities V.3.0 by OnTrack. This package includes a defragmenter, registry tools, disk fixer, and a very basic anti-virus programme. Most interestingly of all though, it has a feature called System Lifeline, which can provide access to a crashed NTFS system: NTFS is a great file system, but cannot be accessed via DOS in the event of a crash.

Symantec have just announced the release of SystemWorks 2001, including Norton AntiVirus 2001, Norton Utilities 2001 and Norton Cleansweep 2001. Not all of the elements of the Norton Utilities package are available to Windows 2000 users, but Disk Doctor, System Doctor, Unerase Wizard, Speed Disk, WinDoctor, Norton Protection and System Information (without the benchmarking tools) are available, making this a big improvement over previous NT offerings.

Also from O&O Software is CleverCache Pro : this programme improves on Windows 2000 file caching, and can produce outstanding results, especially when you are running 128MB memory or less.

Super Speed 2000 is another disk cache programme that works well, and can significantly improve IO performance. I find it less user friendly than CleverCache, but it certainly can produce good results.

If you want to try some of the many registry tweaks available, the latest version of X Setup from Xteq Systems is what you need: this latest version is really stable with Windows 2000, and can really enhance your system. The latest version of Tweakui (1.33) from Microsoft has some useful tweaks, some of which are not available in X Setup.

FIREWALLS:

Several excellent firewall programmes are available for Windows 2000. The new version of Norton Internet Security 2001 V.3.0 uses the excellent firewall technology purchased from AtGuard. It also includes Norton Anti Virus and an ad blocker for web sites. Version 3 of Norton's firewall is excellent and easy to use, as well as fixing some vulnerabilities in earlier versions. Also very effective, and free, is ZoneAlarm from Zone Labs, this programme is as good as Norton at making all ports invisible when you are online, and is user friendly. The latest version of Black Ice Defender is now compatible with Windows 2000, this is a highly regarded firewall programme from NetworkICE.

That's it for now, if you have any comments on the above or any other products you think I should include, drop me an e-mail.