Many users create multiple profiles on their systems for purposes ranging from gaming to programming, and how you use your system will dictate how many hardware profiles you will create. To create new hardware profiles, open the System applet to the Hardware tab, and then click the Hardware Profiles button. This will open the Hardware Profiles window, as shown below. To create a new profile, select Profile 1 and then click Copy. Give the new profile a descriptive name, and click OK.
When we first install Windows XP, a hardware profile named Profile 1 is created. By default, every device that is installed on our computer is enabled in the Profile 1 hardware profile. For laptop computers, the default profile is named Docked Profile or Undocked Profile.
Windows XP will automatically detect Docked and Undocked states, and create two different profiles for us to be able to use. If there is more than one hardware profile on our computer, we can designate a default profile that is used every time we start our computer. Windows can also prompt us for which profile to use when we start our computer. After we create a hardware profile, we can use Device Manager to disable and enable devices that are in that particular profile.
When we disable a device in a hardware profile, the device drivers for the device are not loaded when we start our computer with that profile. For example, if we have a laptop computer, we can create one profile for when the laptop is connected to the company network and another profile for when the laptop is at another location. This allows us to control which devices we want to use in particular situations. To create a custom hardware profile, we have to go to the Hardware Profile Manager.
To create new hardware profile, we have to copy an existing profile. Once we copy an existing profile, we have to reboot our computer so we can select our new hardware profile during boot up. Once we boot up using new hardware profile, we will go to the Device Manager where we have to disable or enable the devices for the current profile.
From that point on, every time we reboot we will have a choice of which Hardware Profile we want to utilize. This makes it very easy to utilize many different types of devices without always using Device Manager to configure them.
We also have the ability to organize which profiles get listed first on the Hardware Profile menu. In our Hardware Profile Manager we have little arrow buttons on the side of the screen that allow us to move profiles up and down on the list.
The first profile on the list becomes the default profile. There is a brief description, but there's also more information under the Extended tab. Once you are sure what you may want or need in a particular profile, you will have to change the way services are used. In our case, the first services that we will change is the Automatic Updates. Disable or enable the service for each of the profiles you created.
In our case, Testing will be a slightly slimmed down version of the default profile, with several services like Automatic Updates disabled.
But before we do that, let's review our current resource usage - and the security. Our system is running with 20 processes at 71Mb memory. Not that much - and insignificant for computers with plenty of RAM - but it might be meaningful when the default profile is running at processes with Mb memory used. First thing, the boot up menu will change. Instead of the usual expected Windows logo, you will be prompted to choose a profile. We'll proceed with the Testing profile.
After reaching the Desktop, you might not notice any difference. But let's see how the things have changed. Task Manager:. The number of visible processes remains the same. They allow and emphasize separation of tasks and priority - a modular strategy that should be embraced. Finally, they can also be used to greatly enhance security for example, a Surfing profile is a possibility.
Combined with Group Policies, yet another little known Easter Egg, and possibly the use of a limited account, the Hardware Profiles are the Windows best tools available. They take no resources once implemented effectively and correctly, cause no system lag, and allow a high degree of flexibility with just one small disadvantage - you need to reboot for the changes to take effect.
But they are worth the price. You may also like:.
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