In the My Computer / System Properties panel, I have System Restore and Automatic Updates disabled.  These choices aren't something I'd recommend for others but I do regular file and Registry backups (usually daily) and I'd rather update Windows XP by visiting Windows Update in my own good time.

By the way, how can you tell when you have a Windows operating system on your hands?  When it has a thousand roads to the same features and functions.  How do you know when you have Windows XP?  When it has ten times that many roads. :)  Weak humor aside, there are several ways to get to My Computer's System Properties main panel:
    - the key combo, Windows-logo + BREAK
    - Start Menu / Run... / type sysdm.cpl / press ENTER
    - right-click My Computer and choose Properties
    - click the Start Menu / Control Panel / System
    - Start Menu / Run... / type (or copy/paste) "sysdm.cpl" without the quotes / click OK or press ENTER

In Advanced / Startup and Recovery / Error Reporting, I chose Disable error reporting.  The box next to But notify me when critical errors occur was left empty.  Again, these settings aren't meant for everyone but I get by with them.

Still in Advanced / Startup and Recovery / Settings, I leave everything unchecked, while Write debugging information is set to None.  I want as few demands made on the hard drive as possible.  I don't need Windows XP writing this kind of stuff to disk.  It's useless (to me) and the hard drive has other bigger jobs to do.  Event / error logs and admin alerts really don't interest me.  If I were a beginner, or an IT professional, or some kind of network or system administrator for a company or organization, things would be very different, no doubt.  But right now it's just me and one slowpoke computer.

I've read that performance counters "take up system resources".  CPU suckers and drive thrashers (even the nickel-n-dime ones) aren't wanted around here, so I tried the tip mentioned here at PC Stats which talks about a tool from MS, called the Extensible Performance Counter List utility.  I'm not certain but I think the command diskperf -n achieves the same thing as unchecking the boxes within the utility.  Anyway, so far I can't tell if it's made a difference.  Maybe it's too small to matter.... What am I saying????!!!! :)