If you've set up a Windows XP system to act as a print server on your network, you can improve the print server's responsiveness. All you need to do is move the print spool folder from its default location on the main hard drive to a second hard drive.

The performance gain comes from separating the management of the potentially huge spool file from the same drive on which the Windows system files exist.

Of course, this means you need to install a second hard drive in the system. If you have any older hard drives lying around, this would be a great place to use one of them.

After installing a second hard drive, moving the print spool folder is easy. Follow these steps:

1. Create a folder on the second hard drive, and name it Spooler.

2. Go to Start | Printers And Faxes.

3. Select File | Server Properties.

4. On the Advanced tab, enter the full path to the Spooler folder in the Spool Folder text box, and click OK.

5. In the warning message dialog box, click Yes.