Know Your System:
The first preventive step yah need to perform is to take an inventory of your computer system. This information will be vital if yah later have to call technical support or have your system serviced. Write down your serial number and model number. With that info, the manufacturer can figure the components of your system. If you've added components to your system, note the model and version numbers of the components. You'll find this information in the documentation that accompanies add-on hardware
A definite must-have program to complete a system inventory is the Belarc Advisor, a free program showing a detailed profile of your installed software and hardware, missing Microsoft hotfixes, anti-virus status, CIS (Center for Internet Security) benchmarks, and displays the results in your Web browser.
Yah need to get details of your system's configuration. On Windows PCs, it means copying and printing a few important system files that will come in handy if yah have a problem or need to speak to a tech-support. The easy way to save your system configuration files is to run the Sysedit program. With Windows 95/98/ME, click on Start, RUN, type SYSEDIT in the blank window, and click OK. It will bring up all your system files -- from AUTOEXEC.BAT to SYSTEM.INI -- in Wordpad windows. Next yah can save them to a floppy disk and print them out. In Windows 3.1, you'll find the Sysedit icon in the Main group. With Windows XP/2000, yah can go into Accessories, System Tools, System Information to find and print the data.
If yah own a Mac, yah don't need to copy system files, but ya should make a list of all the INIT and CDEV files, called system extensions, that load on start-up. Conflicts among these files are a common source of crashes on Macs. Yah can see a list of these files using the Extensions Manager Control Panel, which lets yah turn off one or more extensions so that by process of elimination yah can identify which one is causing you problems. One limitation of Extensions Manager is that it doesn't let yah print a list of extensions. Yah have to print the Screen.
Make an Emergency Boot Disk:
If your computer develops a problem that keeps it from accessing your hard disk, yah need some other way to boot your system. So yah need an emergency boot disk.
Macintosh systems come with either a bootable CD-ROM or a bootable floppy disk, so does Norton Utilities for Macintosh, a must for all Mac owners. If yah are using Win95/98/ME, yah need to make an emergency boot disk, which yah can make with the Add/Remove Programs control panel. Select the Startup Disk tab, and you're led through the process.
On Windows XP, yah can generally boot directly from the Windows XP CD-ROM, but in some cases yah may still need a set of boot floppies. In this case, click one of the links below to download a program to create boot floppies for Windows XP Home or Windows XP Pro editions.
Under Windows 3.1, yah have to create the disk yourself. Go to the DOS prompt and enter the following commands. Be sure to have a blank floppy handy.
FORMAT /S A:
COPY C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT A:
COPY C:\CONFIG.SYS A:
COPY C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI A:
COPY C:\WINDOWS\WIN.INI A:
If yah can't boot from your hard disk, you will have a way to get your system started so yah can deal with the problem.
For other Windows Operating Systems, visit Bootdisk.com to download a boot disk creator for your version of Windows or DOS.
Tuneup Your Hard Disk Regularly :
Because it is the place where yah permanently store your applications and more important, the data files yah create with those applications, your hard disk requires special attention to keep it operating at peak efficiency. Disk scans for "lost" files and bad sectors will prevent most disk problems before they occur, while running a disk defragmentation utility will improve the performance of your system.
Every day, yah create new files, delete unwanted ones, and write updated versions of current files to your computer's hard disk. Because of the way Windows and the Mac OS assign disk space to files, your hard disk can become fragmented over time ( your files get placed in pieces all over the hard disk, because there is no contiguous space large enough to hold them). A fragmented hard disk slows disk access and makes it harder to recover from disk errors
To defragment a Windows 95/98/ME/XP hard disk, use the Disk Defragmenter program in Programs/Accessories/System Tools. On a Mac, use a utility such as the Speed Disk tool that comes with Norton Utilities for the Macintosh. Yah should defrag your hard disk every six months. Yah should also defrag it after you have created or deleted a lot of files in a short span of time
Sometimes a storage area called a sector on your hard disk goes bad. A utility called a disk scanner detects such "hard" errors and keeps a table of such sectors so that your operating system doesn't try to use them to store files. In addition, a disk scanner detects "soft" errors, where the operating system has lost track of pieces of one or more files. ScanDisk (found in Programs/Accessories/System tools) is Windows 95/98/ME/XP built-in disk scanner, and it detects both hard and soft errors. On a Mac, yah can use the Disk First Aid program that comes with your system or the more powerful Disk Doctor utility included in the ubiquitous Norton Utilities for Macintosh. Yah should run a hard disk scan at least every month. Plus, if your computer crashes or yah accidentally shut down without going through the proper shutdown procedure, run a disk scan as soon as yah reboot.
Store With a Plan:
Yah have lots of reasons to keep the files on your hard disk organized. First, it makes it easier to do "housecleaning" or deleting files yah no longer need. Second, keeping data files in their own well-labeled folders reduces the risk that yah will inadvertently delete an important program or data file. A well-organized hard drive is easier and faster to back up.
Create folders for each program and place only the appropriate data files in them. Create folders for each user. Give files and folders names that will make sense even after you've forgotten why yah created them.
Also, at least every two months you should delete files you no longer need. A disk filled to within 5 percent of capacity is more prone to errors and a lot slower than one that is not so chock-full.
Backup Your Data:
Backing up your files means making a copy of them so that if an original is lost or damaged, yah can use the copy. Yah can back up your hard disk to floppies, to a Zip disk, to a tape drive, or to any other media like USB Flash Drives. How often yah back up depends on how valuable your time is. If you're working on an important file, save it to both floppy and your hard disk. If you're running a home-based business, yah should invest in a reliable backup system and back up on a daily basis
Keep Viruses at Bay:
Though the threat posed by computer viruses, small software programs that can harm your programs and data is sometimes overblown in the popular press, it is still real. As the Internet has developed, so has the frequency of virus attacks and the ways they can infect a computer. Viruses can attack via email, and security breaches in the operating system to name a few. Virus protection software works at many levels. It can scan every disk yah put into your floppy drive and check every program for a hidden virus before yah run the program. It can even scan all the files on your hard disk for viruses. With the viruses being sent via email, users should configure their virus utility to run when they start up their computer.
Stick with the Program:
Once you've installed a program on a Windows system, don't rename the program's directories or move its files from one place to another on your hard disk. If yah do, your computer will lose track of key files. Yah can put your data files, the ones you create with the application, almost anywhere. If yah must change the location of an application or any of its subsidiary files, yah should first uninstall the application and then reinstall it.
Never try to manually delete an application on a Windows system. Most applications make additions to system files when yah install them, so it's best if the application has its own uninstall program. If an application doesn't come with an uninstall option, try the Windows 95/98/Me/XP Add/Remove Programs Control Panel.
Keep Up-to-Date:
Software drivers let your applications talk to important peripherals. It's a good idea to check with your computer's manufacturer at least four times a year for the latest updates. The easiest way to do this is to access the manufacturer's Web site, most companies normally make updated drivers available for download. If yah don't have Web access, call the vendor's tech-support number.
UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE!!!
Keep It Clean:
Dust can make the chips inside your computer run hotter and also clog cooling vents. At least once a year, unplug your computer, open the case, and blow out the dust. DON'T wipe it with a rag, use either your breath or an aerosol can of compressed air. Your mouse and keyboard will also NEED occasional cleaning. YAH can pop off the key caps on your keyboard to get at dirt between the keys. YAH can also remove your mouse ball to clean it and the rollers inside the mouse. Use a commercial spray cleanser applied to a cotton swab to clean your keyboard and mouse.
Shut Down Gracefully:
Windows 95/98/ME/XP, Windows 3.1, and the Mac OS all provide a menu-driven method to shut down your computer. Don't ignore the methods. Turning off power to your system while it's still running can be a disaster. Give your system the time it needs to flush caches, close files, and save configuration information before you pull the plug.
The first preventive step yah need to perform is to take an inventory of your computer system. This information will be vital if yah later have to call technical support or have your system serviced. Write down your serial number and model number. With that info, the manufacturer can figure the components of your system. If you've added components to your system, note the model and version numbers of the components. You'll find this information in the documentation that accompanies add-on hardware
A definite must-have program to complete a system inventory is the Belarc Advisor, a free program showing a detailed profile of your installed software and hardware, missing Microsoft hotfixes, anti-virus status, CIS (Center for Internet Security) benchmarks, and displays the results in your Web browser.
Yah need to get details of your system's configuration. On Windows PCs, it means copying and printing a few important system files that will come in handy if yah have a problem or need to speak to a tech-support. The easy way to save your system configuration files is to run the Sysedit program. With Windows 95/98/ME, click on Start, RUN, type SYSEDIT in the blank window, and click OK. It will bring up all your system files -- from AUTOEXEC.BAT to SYSTEM.INI -- in Wordpad windows. Next yah can save them to a floppy disk and print them out. In Windows 3.1, you'll find the Sysedit icon in the Main group. With Windows XP/2000, yah can go into Accessories, System Tools, System Information to find and print the data.
If yah own a Mac, yah don't need to copy system files, but ya should make a list of all the INIT and CDEV files, called system extensions, that load on start-up. Conflicts among these files are a common source of crashes on Macs. Yah can see a list of these files using the Extensions Manager Control Panel, which lets yah turn off one or more extensions so that by process of elimination yah can identify which one is causing you problems. One limitation of Extensions Manager is that it doesn't let yah print a list of extensions. Yah have to print the Screen.
Make an Emergency Boot Disk:
If your computer develops a problem that keeps it from accessing your hard disk, yah need some other way to boot your system. So yah need an emergency boot disk.
Macintosh systems come with either a bootable CD-ROM or a bootable floppy disk, so does Norton Utilities for Macintosh, a must for all Mac owners. If yah are using Win95/98/ME, yah need to make an emergency boot disk, which yah can make with the Add/Remove Programs control panel. Select the Startup Disk tab, and you're led through the process.
On Windows XP, yah can generally boot directly from the Windows XP CD-ROM, but in some cases yah may still need a set of boot floppies. In this case, click one of the links below to download a program to create boot floppies for Windows XP Home or Windows XP Pro editions.
Under Windows 3.1, yah have to create the disk yourself. Go to the DOS prompt and enter the following commands. Be sure to have a blank floppy handy.
FORMAT /S A:
COPY C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT A:
COPY C:\CONFIG.SYS A:
COPY C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI A:
COPY C:\WINDOWS\WIN.INI A:
If yah can't boot from your hard disk, you will have a way to get your system started so yah can deal with the problem.
For other Windows Operating Systems, visit Bootdisk.com to download a boot disk creator for your version of Windows or DOS.
Tuneup Your Hard Disk Regularly :
Because it is the place where yah permanently store your applications and more important, the data files yah create with those applications, your hard disk requires special attention to keep it operating at peak efficiency. Disk scans for "lost" files and bad sectors will prevent most disk problems before they occur, while running a disk defragmentation utility will improve the performance of your system.
Every day, yah create new files, delete unwanted ones, and write updated versions of current files to your computer's hard disk. Because of the way Windows and the Mac OS assign disk space to files, your hard disk can become fragmented over time ( your files get placed in pieces all over the hard disk, because there is no contiguous space large enough to hold them). A fragmented hard disk slows disk access and makes it harder to recover from disk errors
To defragment a Windows 95/98/ME/XP hard disk, use the Disk Defragmenter program in Programs/Accessories/System Tools. On a Mac, use a utility such as the Speed Disk tool that comes with Norton Utilities for the Macintosh. Yah should defrag your hard disk every six months. Yah should also defrag it after you have created or deleted a lot of files in a short span of time
Sometimes a storage area called a sector on your hard disk goes bad. A utility called a disk scanner detects such "hard" errors and keeps a table of such sectors so that your operating system doesn't try to use them to store files. In addition, a disk scanner detects "soft" errors, where the operating system has lost track of pieces of one or more files. ScanDisk (found in Programs/Accessories/System tools) is Windows 95/98/ME/XP built-in disk scanner, and it detects both hard and soft errors. On a Mac, yah can use the Disk First Aid program that comes with your system or the more powerful Disk Doctor utility included in the ubiquitous Norton Utilities for Macintosh. Yah should run a hard disk scan at least every month. Plus, if your computer crashes or yah accidentally shut down without going through the proper shutdown procedure, run a disk scan as soon as yah reboot.
Store With a Plan:
Yah have lots of reasons to keep the files on your hard disk organized. First, it makes it easier to do "housecleaning" or deleting files yah no longer need. Second, keeping data files in their own well-labeled folders reduces the risk that yah will inadvertently delete an important program or data file. A well-organized hard drive is easier and faster to back up.
Create folders for each program and place only the appropriate data files in them. Create folders for each user. Give files and folders names that will make sense even after you've forgotten why yah created them.
Also, at least every two months you should delete files you no longer need. A disk filled to within 5 percent of capacity is more prone to errors and a lot slower than one that is not so chock-full.
Backup Your Data:
Backing up your files means making a copy of them so that if an original is lost or damaged, yah can use the copy. Yah can back up your hard disk to floppies, to a Zip disk, to a tape drive, or to any other media like USB Flash Drives. How often yah back up depends on how valuable your time is. If you're working on an important file, save it to both floppy and your hard disk. If you're running a home-based business, yah should invest in a reliable backup system and back up on a daily basis
Keep Viruses at Bay:
Though the threat posed by computer viruses, small software programs that can harm your programs and data is sometimes overblown in the popular press, it is still real. As the Internet has developed, so has the frequency of virus attacks and the ways they can infect a computer. Viruses can attack via email, and security breaches in the operating system to name a few. Virus protection software works at many levels. It can scan every disk yah put into your floppy drive and check every program for a hidden virus before yah run the program. It can even scan all the files on your hard disk for viruses. With the viruses being sent via email, users should configure their virus utility to run when they start up their computer.
Stick with the Program:
Once you've installed a program on a Windows system, don't rename the program's directories or move its files from one place to another on your hard disk. If yah do, your computer will lose track of key files. Yah can put your data files, the ones you create with the application, almost anywhere. If yah must change the location of an application or any of its subsidiary files, yah should first uninstall the application and then reinstall it.
Never try to manually delete an application on a Windows system. Most applications make additions to system files when yah install them, so it's best if the application has its own uninstall program. If an application doesn't come with an uninstall option, try the Windows 95/98/Me/XP Add/Remove Programs Control Panel.
Keep Up-to-Date:
Software drivers let your applications talk to important peripherals. It's a good idea to check with your computer's manufacturer at least four times a year for the latest updates. The easiest way to do this is to access the manufacturer's Web site, most companies normally make updated drivers available for download. If yah don't have Web access, call the vendor's tech-support number.
UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE!!!
Keep It Clean:
Dust can make the chips inside your computer run hotter and also clog cooling vents. At least once a year, unplug your computer, open the case, and blow out the dust. DON'T wipe it with a rag, use either your breath or an aerosol can of compressed air. Your mouse and keyboard will also NEED occasional cleaning. YAH can pop off the key caps on your keyboard to get at dirt between the keys. YAH can also remove your mouse ball to clean it and the rollers inside the mouse. Use a commercial spray cleanser applied to a cotton swab to clean your keyboard and mouse.
Shut Down Gracefully:
Windows 95/98/ME/XP, Windows 3.1, and the Mac OS all provide a menu-driven method to shut down your computer. Don't ignore the methods. Turning off power to your system while it's still running can be a disaster. Give your system the time it needs to flush caches, close files, and save configuration information before you pull the plug.
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