Keeping Your Computer in Top Working Order

Senior Net

COMPUTER HOUSEKEEPING

Keeping Your Computer in Top Working Order

By SeniorNet

2003

Computer Housekeeping

Keeping Your Computer in Top Working Order

by

SeniorNet

Computer owners are often unaware of some useful ways to keep their machines in top working order. In this manual you will learn to use housekeeping programs that will both keep your computer running efficiently and also protect it against viral attacks. Viruses are mischievous and damaging programs that get into your computer via e-mail, over the Internet and even from shared floppy disks. You will also learn to back-up your files so they won't get lost if the hard drive (C Drive) fails.

Computers are akin to the average teenager whose top priority is not orderliness. In the case of your computer, it throws new data helter-skelter onto the hard drive and then spends increasing time searching for the data you want. There are utility programs, in your computer that are designed to help you organize and protect the data on the hard drive. They can keep your computer from becoming seriously impaired as more and more data are added to the drive.

GOALS

To teach you ways to keep your computer running trouble-free with the help of a few housekeeping utility programs. This manual explains how to maintain computers from the older to the newest Microsoft Windows operating systems (i.e. Windows, 98, ME, 2000 and XP).

You will learn how to do the following:

·  Organize and retrieve the data that you store on the computer's hard drive

·  Protect your files from loss with back-ups (duplicate copies)

·  Secure your computer by keeping your Windows operating system updated; choosing well-formed passwords; using virus protection; and installing programs such as firewall and spyware.

The good news is that a number of computer maintenance programs are built into all Microsoft operating systems. The trick is in locating the programs, learning what they do, knowing how they work and remembering to run them.

I. Using Microsoft's ScanDisk or (XP) Error-Checking Programs:

Let's start with ScanDisk – called Error-Checking in Windows 2000 and XP -- and see what it does and how to do it. ScanDisk checks your hard drive to make sure it's in good working order. Here's what it does:

·  Repairs errors that can occur with improper shutdown of your computer

·  Repairs file system errors

·  Improves the response time of your computer

·  Fixes errors on hard drives, floppy disks and most other data storage devices

Note: If ScanDisk is unable to repair damaged data, or indicates that the hard drive may have sustained physical damage, you may need to take your computer in for repairs.

The frequency for running this program depends on the amount of new data, including e-mail, which you put on your computer’s hard drive. As a general rule, plan on running the ScanDisk and the Defragment programs about once a month. For Windows 98 & ME you must first run ScanDisk immediately followed by the Defragment program (see Section II).

The ScanDisk program examines the surface condition of your computer’s hard drive (or C Drive). It looks for flaws that can impair the recovery of data. If flaws are found, the program will isolate or "wall off" the flawed areas so your computer will not use them again.

However, the ScanDisk program will not run if other programs are active, otherwise it will keep restarting and finally stop altogether. It is important to close any programs you have opened and to disable other running programs before launching this maintenance utility. (This process has been simplified in Windows 2000 & XP.)

Make sure you have saved your work, as you will be restarting the computer in order to close all active programs.

Consider running the ScanDisk and the Defragment programs at a time when you don’t need to use the computer for a while. The two programs can take several hours to run, depending on how much work your computer has to do to get the hard drive back in shape.

1. Running Error-Checking in Windows 2000 and XP:

Steps to locate the Error-Checking utility:

·  Open the Start Menu

·  Click My Computer

·  Right click the C Drive icon

·  Click Properties

·  Click the Tools tab

·  Click the Check Now button in the box labeled Error-Checking

·  Check the Automatically fix any errors it finds button

·  Click the Start button

·  Click the Yes button at the next prompt. This will tell the computer to run Error-Checking when the computer is restarted.

·  Close the program and go to the Start Menu and restart your computer. This will allow the Error-Checking program to examine the C Drive before Windows fully loads all its programs.

2. Running ScanDisk in Windows 98 and ME:

A. Shutting Down your Screen Saver:

If you are running a Screen Saver that has moving elements, it must be shut down.

·  Double click My Computer on your desktop

·  Double click Control Panel

·  Double click on the Display icon

·  Click on the Screen Saver tab

·  Open the menu and highlight or select None

·  Click Apply

·  Return to desktop

B. Shutting Down Open Programs:

The first step to take before running ScanDisk is to shut down all open programs. When shutting down the Start Menu programs you have a choice of using one of the following two options. We’ll let you choose which method works best for you. In many cases, Option #1 will be the simplest unless you have a long list of programs that need to be shut down. If the list is long, try using Option #2 instead.

Option #1 for shutting down open programs:

·  Hold down the Ctrl, Alt and Delete keys all at the same time while at your desktop. The Windows Task Manager dialogue box will appear with a list of open applications or programs under the applications tab. Your window will show two applications that should not be closed: Explore and Systray (i.e. system tray). It is important that you not close either of these applications.

To continue the shutting down process:

·  Click on one of the listed applications to highlight it highlighted under the Applications tab.

·  Click the End Task button. The dialogue box will then disappear

·  Again, hold down the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys all at the same time to again open the dialogue box.

· 
Repeat the process by clicking on the next open application until all the listed programs are closed except for Explore and Systray.

Option #2 for shutting down open programs:

·  Open Start Menu

·  Click Run

·  Type "msconfig" in dialogue box

·  Click OK if you get a System Registry Notice dialogue box

·  Click the Selective Startup button in the System Configuration Utility dialogue box (General tab). See illustration below

·  Uncheck the Load startup group items box

·  Click the Apply button and then click OK

·  Restart the computer

Note: You may get a warning box when you call up this program. It is safe to check OK and proceed.

C. Steps for running ScanDisk in Windows ME and 98:

·  Click on the Start Menu, Programs, Accessories and System Tools

·  Displayed under System Tools are the following programs:

ScanDisk, Defragmentation and Disk Cleanup

·  Click ScanDisk

·  Click the Thorough Scan button

·  Click Auto Fix Errors

·  Select or highlight C Drive

·  Click Start button to commence the scanning process

II. Using Microsoft's Defragmentation Program:

The Defragmentation program is designed to pull together the data for each file to improve the time it takes to launch, or open, programs. Disk fragmentation is a process that happens over time with normal use of your computer. This phenomenon is called fragmentation. Here is how your computer works in storing files – including your e-mail messages. Initially on a new computer, all files follow each other in lock step. As you begin to delete files you no longer need, you create “holes” in the file structure. Windows does not leave these holes empty on your disk, but begins to put new files in those spaces. However, sometimes the new files are bigger than an existing hole. So Windows puts part of the file in one hole and parts in other holes. This means the entire file is on your hard drive, but is “fragmented,” with pieces scattered in various places. Your computer will work OK in this condition, but it can take longer to load files and applications, and there is an increased chance of a piece of a file getting corrupted.

The situation is illustrated below. The first line represents your “new” computer with all files in order. The second line shows what happens when you delete files. Deleted file B and file D leave empty holes. The third line shows the situation when a new long file F is added. It is fragmented into sections, filling in various holes on the hard disk. Finally, the fourth line illustrates the file structure after the disk has been defragmented.

File Fragmentation Illustrated

When your computer is asked to retrieve file F from the hard drive, it has to move to several locations on the disk to pick up the various pieces. This slows down the computer and makes it more prone to errors.

You can correct the fragmented situation by running the Defragmention program. This utility will put the files back in proper order, as they are in lines 1 and 4 of the previous illustration.

In Windows 2000 and XP you do not need to run the Error-Checking program prior to running the Defragmentation program.

1. Steps to running the Defragmenter program for Windows 2000 and XP:

Begin by closing all programs you have opened. Then:

·  Open the Start Menu

·  Click My Computer

·  Right click on the Local Disk C icon

·  Click Properties

·  Click the Tools tab

·  Click the Defragment Now button in the box labeled Defragmentation

·  Wait to see if you are told the C Drive needs to be defragmented, if so,

·  Click the Defragment button

·  Click Close Program when program finishes

2. Steps to running Defragmentation program for Windows 98 & ME:

Begin by closing all programs you have opened. Then:

·  Click the Start Menu

·  Go to Programs, Accessories, System Tools

·  Click Disk Defragmenter under System Tools,

·  Click Defragment C Drive

Once the program is launched, you can click on the Show Details bar to see the process at work. Click on the Legend bar to learn what the different colors mean.

If you chose Option #2 for closing down active programs, you must go back and reset the Start Menu program control. To do this, after you have finished running the ScanDisk and the Defragmentation programs follow the directions above (2B, option #2) to re-access the System Configuration Utility dialogue box for shutting down Start Menu programs.

After you have accessed the System Configuration Utility dialogue box:

·  Click Normal Startup button in the dialogue box under the General tab

·  Check the Load startup group items box

·  Click Apply

·  Restart your computer

After you have restarted your computer, remember to reactivate your Screen Saver program (see 2A).

III. Using the Windows Disk Cleanup Program:

Disk Cleanup is a quick and easy way to remove unused system files, old programs and other extraneous bits of information that your computer collects as you cruise the web. (Disk Cleanup is accessed in the same way on all versions of Windows)

Steps to Running Disk Cleanup:

·  Click the Start Menu

·  Go to Programs, Accessories, System Tools

·  Click Disk Cleanup (see illustration on the next page)

Under the Windows Setup tab you will get a display of how much space can be freed-up on your C Drive. Displayed are the items the computer recommends you trash, as they are no longer needed. By highlighting each file type, you will get a description of what's in each of the “components.”

·  Check box on left if you want to remove the contents of file (see illustration below)

·  Click OK

There are other maintenance utilities available for Windows that are not free but can be useful: Norton Systemworks, which includes a virus checker, is one such highly rated product (http://symantec.com - See Appendix).

IV. Backing Up Your Files:

About Backing Up

The hard drive contains all the data that makes your computer useful. Any other part of the computer can fail and be replaced, but if the hard drive dies, all the data will be lost. Hard drive failures occur more often than you might expect, and often can't be prevented. The solution is to make backup copies and store them in a separate place.

There are two types of files in your computer – data files and program files (often called application files):

·  Data files are the documents you create: Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, pictures, e-mails, etc.

·  Program files are the files you use to create your work: Word, Excel, Photoshop, etc.

There's no need to backup the program files; they can be reinstalled from the CDs that were used to set up your computer. The important data to backup are the files you create. If they are lost, you'll have to recreate them.

Backup storage devises used to protect your files:

·  Floppy disks (limited space - not recommended)

·  Tape drive (outdated method)

·  Iomega Zip Drive

·  CD burners that write on CDs (preferred method)

1. Backing up with Windows XP:

Steps to locating and running the XP Backup program:

·  Open the Start Menu and click My Computer

·  Right click C Drive icon

·  Click Properties

·  Click the Tools tab

·  Click Backup Now box (your choices will be “Backup Files and Settings” or Restore Wizard)

·  Select “Backup Files and Settings” in the wizard dialogue box

·  Click Next