The
are a number of steps you can take to maintain
the performance of your computer and operating
system, helping to preventing errors, visits
to an expensive computer tech, and possibly
even the loss of important personal data you
have stored on your hard drive. We have outlined
a number of these below, and although the list
is not complete, it is a good start for the
typical home user.
1.
Backup your Personal Files and Important
Data. You can do this via the use of Floppy
Disks (though this is less and less common),
a Zip drive or other temporary storage device,
or a CD Writer.
2. Install an Anti-Virus program, then
regularly update and run it. For more information
on Anti-Virus software and why you need it,
visit our Symantec.
3. Run Disk
Defragmenter and Scandisk
regularly (approximately once a month).
4. Restart your computer in the correct fashion.
This means not shutting down by unplugging it
while running, or hitting the restart button
on your computer tower unless Windows has crashed
and you have no other options (such as control-alt-delete).
The correct way to shut down is to click on
the "Start" button, click Shut Down,
make sure the dot is in "Shut Down"
and pressing the "OK" button. Failure
to shut down this way can cause serious errors
in Windows.
5. Use control-alt-delete when necessary.
Windows will sometimes "lock up,"
and leave you thinking you have no other option
but to shut your computer down. The first thing
to try in such a case is hitting the control-alt-delete
buttons, together at the same time, ONCE. This
will usually bring up a screen that shows if
any programs had stopped "responding"
and you can then choose those particular programs,
one at a time, and shut them down by clicking
on "End Task."
If control-alt-delete does not bring up a new
screen, and Windows continues to not respond
for a lengthy period, then you may be forced
to restart your computer manually, pressing
the restart button on your computer tower.
6. Save your data often when writing
e-mail or documents, or using other applications
where you are inputting or changing information.
7. Restart Regularly. Restarting your
computer is the simplest way to solve many problems
in Windows (and other Operating Systems) and
also helps maintain top system performance.
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