user switch change

[MR808]

I was wanting to tweak up a computer system for a friend of mine. They have
1 computer and use it for everything - internet- picture editing and audio
editing with mbox. It is running Wn XP home.

I am trying to get them to take out some of the things running in the
background so the machine is less sluggish. Currently it is really slow with
screen redraws and processes. It is a recent dell machine that can handle
the system requirements of XP.

What I am asking is there a way to use either the hardware configuration, or
multiple users to set up the machine as a basic stripped down audio editing
machine & with either a reboot or "user switch" change it back to the
internet/family PC?
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Seeems like I have read this before!!!!!

[neatguys]

Partition magic lets you put passwords on the different partitions you create.Put the family one on one and yours on another with a password on yours.

[Plugs]

Start menu/run ... type msconfig ... hit enter ... choose "start up" tab ... deselect anything that doesn't have to be running. Any of the little icons at the bottom right of the task bar (opposite corner of the start menu) is stealing cpu power.

Same with any fancy graphic effects, turn 'em all off.

Also under start/programs/start up ... delete any shortcuts, same reason.

If any programs DO need any of these, they'll be instantiated when they are needed.

I'm relatively sure most, if not all of these settings, are stored with the user settings.