microsoft windows 7 - illustrated unit n maintaining your computer

Microsoft Windows 7 -Illustrated

Unit NMaintaining Your Computer

Microsoft Windows 7 - Illustrated

• Improve computer performance• Format a disk• Find and repair disk errors• Defragment a disk• Clean up a disk

Objectives


• Restore computer settings• Remove or repair a program• Add a program• Set default programs

Objectives


Unit Introduction• Windows 7 offers useful tools for managing

routine tasks, such as:• installing and removing programs• formatting, copying and repairing disks• cleaning up disk space• keeping files in good working condition• preventing disk problems • adjusting system processing to improve

performance• setting tasks to run on a regular basis• adding and removing programs• setting default programs


Improving Computer Performance• The Performance Information and Tools utility in

the Control Panel provides a central location for you to determine the performance of your computer, print out a system health report, and access tools to increase performance• the utility analyzes your computer and provides

performance rating information known as the Windows Experience Index (WEI)

• The WEI consists of a performance rating, known as a subscore, for the critical components on your computer, which include the central processing unit (CPU), memory (RAM, known as Random Access Memory), graphics, gaming graphics, and primary hard disk.


Improving Computer Performance (cont.)• A subscore of 3.0 or higher is a good target

score for most components.• The base score is the lowest score of any of the

components; a base score of 1.0 or 2.0 works for most tasks, however, a base score of 3.0 or higher is optimal for running Windows 7

• A good way to find out about the health of your system is to run a system diagnostics report, which identifies potential problems and provides a description of the symptom, cause, details, and resolution

• To help you improve performance, you can access performance-related tools in the task pane


Improving performance and searches• Windows keeps track of files in indexed

locations and stores information about them in the background using an index

• In the Performance Information and Tools window, you can click the Adjust indexing options link in the Tasks pane to view, add, remove, and modify indexed locations, indexed file types, and other advanced index settings• for example, if a file type is not recognized by the

index, you can add it, or if you’re having problems with the search index, you can rebuild or restore it


Improving Computer Performance (cont.)

Resource/Performance Monitor

Performance/Tools Information

Advanced Tools window


Formatting a Disk

• Formatting a disk, including hard or removable disks, USB Flash drives, and memory cards, prepares it so you can store information on it• formatting removes all information from the disk so you

should never format a disk that has files you want to keep

• when you format a disk, you need to specify certain settings: capacity, file system, and allocation unit size

• Capacity is how much data the desk or partition can hold, such as physical size, storage size, and sector size

• a file system is the overall structure in which files are named, stored, and organized

• NTFS and FAT or FAT32 are types of disk file systems


Formatting a Disk (cont.)

• Most hard disks use NTFS, whereas all removable disks use FAT

• If your hard disk uses the FAT or FAT32 file system, you can convert it to the NTFS format

• Disk allocation unit size, or cluster size, is a group of sectors on a disk

• The operating system assigns a unique number to each cluster, and then keeps track of files according to which clusters they use



• The fastest way to format a removable disk is with the Quick Format option, which formats by removing all files; use this option if you are sure the disk is not damaged

• The Full Format option removes all files from any removable disk and scans the disk for bad sectors

• The Enable Compression option, supported only on NTFS disks, specifies whether to format the disk so that folders and files are compressed

• The Create an MS-DOS startup disk option formats a disk so that you can start your computer in MS-DOS, a disk based operating system



Format dialog box


Understanding disk file systems

• A disk must be formatted with a file system that allows it to work with the operating system to store, manage, and access data

• Two of the most common file systems are FAT (or FAT32, which is an improvement on FAT technology) and NTFS

• Disks on DOS, Windows 3.1, or Windows 98/Me computers use the FAT file system, while disks on computers running Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP and later can use either the NTFS or FAT system

• NTFS is a newer file system that is the preferred file system for Windows 7; however, NTFS does not support removable disks, so they are always formatted with FAT


Finding and Repairing Disk Errors

• An unexpected power loss or program error can create inaccessible file segments that take up space on a hard or removable disk

• The Check Disk program helps you find and repair damaged disk sections or to find physical disk errors, called bad sectors

• The program doesn’t repair the physical media, but it moves data away from bad sectors

• While Check Disk runs, all files must be closed, and the hard drive won’t be accessible for other tasks


Changing the size of virtual memory• If your computer doesn’t have enough RAM,

Windows uses virtual memory to provide what you need from your hard disk

• Virtual memory temporarily uses space on your hard disk to provide your computer with more RAM

• If you are running out of virtual memory you can increase the minimum size of the paging file (a virtual memory)

• The Initial size is set to installed RAM plus 300 MB and the Maximum size is set to three times the amount of installed RAM


Finding and Repairing Disk Errors (cont.)

Properties dialog box with Tools tab displayed

Check Disk dialog box

Properties dialog box with Tools tab displayed


Boosting speed with removable media• You can use Windows ReadyBoost to speed up

your computer by using disk space on certain removable media devices, such as USB flash drives

• When you insert a compatible removable media device (one that uses fast flash memory), the AutoPlay dialog box opens and provides the option to use Windows ReadyBoost

• Before you can use it, you need to turn it on and specify the amount of space you want to allocate

• Windows provides a recommended space amount. In general, ReadyBoost recommends one to three times the amount of random access memory (RAM) installed on your computer for the best performance results


Defragmenting a Disk

• When files are deleted from a disk, empty spaces remain that may be spread over difference areas of the disks

• When a new file is created, parts of the files are stored in these fragmented areas, so that a single file might be broken into several parts which is known as a fragmented file• to open a fragmented file, the computer must search

many areas of the disk, which lengthens retrieval time but doesn’t affect the file’s usability and is undetectable to the user

• The Disk Defragmenter program places all parts of a file in one contiguous, or adjacent, location• this process is called optimization and it makes your

programs run faster and your files open more quickly• run Check Disk to check for errors on your disk before

you start the disk defragmentation process• during the process your computer is usable but will

operate more slowly, so it’s best to wait


Defragmenting a Disk (cont.)Disk Defragmenter dialog box

Disk Defragmenter Modify Schedule dialog box


Setting start-up and recover options• If you installed more than one operating system

on your computer (known as a dual-boot), such as Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7, you can select the default operating system you want to use when you start up your computer

• You can also specify how much time to display the list of operating systems for a dual boot before the default starts

• If you have problems starting Windows, you can set options to instruct Windows what to do

• You can set options to automatically restart and create a system log of events to track where any problem occurs


Cleaning up a Disk

• Cleaning up a disk involves removing unnecessary files to make room for other files on your computer

• Disk Cleanup, a Windows program, can clean up your hard drive safely and efficiently so you don’t delete necessary files

• Disk Cleanup searches your selected hard disk, the lists temporary files, Internet cache files, the Recycle Bin, and unnecessary programs that can be deleted without affecting the system files

• You can select the types of files Disk Cleanup will delete, or delete Windows components or installed programs you no longer use


Cleaning up a Disk (cont.)

Disk Cleanup for Local Disk (C:)

Recycle Bin selected for Disk Cleanup


Scheduling tasks

• Task Scheduler is a program that enables you to schedule tasks, to run regularly, such as Disk Cleanup, at a time convenient for you

• Task Scheduler starts each time you start Windows

• With Task Scheduler, you can schedule a task to run daily, weekly, monthly, or at certain times (such as when the computer starts or idles), change the schedule for or turn off an existing task, or customize how a task runs at its scheduled time

• You can create a basic task using the Create basic Task Wizard or a more complex task using the Create Task dialog box


Restoring Computer Settings• Windows 7 is a reliable operating system, but

any time you make changes to your computer, such as adding or removing software or hardware, you run the risk of causing problems with the operating system

• System Restore can undo harmful changes to your computer (not personal files) and restores its settings to an earlier time before there were any changes made to your computer, called a restore point• System Restore creates restore points automatically

as you work, but you can also set them at any time; it is turned on by default when you install Windows 7

• If you have recently performed a system restoration, you can use System Restore to undo your most recent restoration


Restoring Computer Settings (cont.)

System Properties dialog box with the System Protection tab

System Restore dialog box


Starting Windows when problems occur• If you have a problem starting Windows, you can

use one of several start-up options to help you start Windows in a safe environment where you can restore settings and fix the problem

• Safe mode is a good place to start; if a problem does not occur when you start in Safe Mode, you can eliminate basic Windows files and drivers as possible causes of the problem

• If you added a device or changed driver, you can use safe mode to remove the device or restore the changed driver

• You can also use Last Known Good Configuration to restore settings saved when your computer was last shut down properly


Removing and Repairinga Program• If you don’t use a program often, you can

remove it to save disk space, and reinstall it later if necessary; if you’re having problems with a program, you can repair it

• Windows 7 comes with many programs called Windows components, such as Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, and games already installed on your computer

• If you want to free space on your hard drive, you can use Programs and Features to remove a component


Removing and Repairinga Program (cont.)

• If you have installed a program that is not included on the Windows 7 installation disc, such as Microsoft Office, you should avoid using Windows Explorer to delete the program because program files and other information might be located in other places, and you might not find everything

• Some programs share files with other programs and deleting can cause damage to the other programs

• To uninstall a program, use the Uninstall button or the Change button on the toolbar in the Programs and Features window, and follow the software-specific uninstall program


Removing and Repairinga Program (cont.)

Programs and Features window

Windows Features dialog box


Terminating an Inactive program

• If a program stops responding to mouse or keyboard commends, Windows Task Manager can exit the program and then you can restart it

• To terminate in inactive program:• right-click an empty area on the taskbar, then click

Start Task Manager of press [Ctrl][Alt][Delete]• in the Windows Task Manager window, click the

Applications tab if necessary• click the program to terminate in the task list, click

End Task, sometimes it takes a few moments to terminate the program; then click Close

• if the program doesn’t terminate, click End Task again


Adding a Program

• Windows 7 comes with many programs; a typical installation installs only the most common programs, but you can install any additional Windows components as needed

• You can use links in the Programs window to add Windows components not included in the original installation or that you removed to free space on a disk

• When you install a Windows component, you may need the Windows 7 installation disc to complete the process; in most cases, the files are already available on your hard disk


Adding a Program (cont.)

• If you want to install a program that is not included on the Windows 7 installation disc (known as a third-party program), such as Microsoft Office, you need to use the installation program provided by the software manufacturer on disc or downloaded from the Web

• When you install a new third-party program on your computer, the Start menu highlights the menus you need to click to start the program


Adding a Program (cont.)

Windows Features dialog box

Windows Features dialog box with a game selected


Getting older programs to run on Windows 7

• The Program Compatibility Wizard can update a program written for an earlier version of Windows that is incompatible with Windows 7

• The wizard steps you through the process of testing a program in different Windows environments and with various settings

• To use the wizard:• open the Control Panel, click the Programs link, click

the Run programs made for previous versions of Windows link, then follow the on-screen instructions

• you can also set the options manually on an older program by setting the program to run in compatibility mode


Setting Default Programs

• When you double-click an audio or video file, or click a Web link, a default program associated with that file type automatically starts and opens the file

• The Set program access and computer defaults link Default Programs window of the Control Panel provides an easy way to change the default program used for specific file types• these include file types such as .bmp or .jpg, and

common activities, such as Web browsing, sending e-mail, playing audio and video files, and using instant messaging

• you can also specify which programs are available from the Start menu, the desktop, and other locations

• To change default options, you need to have administrator privileges for your computer• the options you set apply to all users on your

computer


Setting Default Programs (cont.)

Set Default Programs window

Set Associations window


Running MS-DOS programs and commands• In addition to running Windows 7 programs

you can also enter commands and run programs written in MS-DOS

• Microsoft Disk Operating System (MS-DOS, or DOS) employs a command-line interface, in which you must type commands at a command prompt to run tasks• DOS differs from Windows 7, which is a Graphical

User Interface (GUI) that uses icons and windows• A command prompt begins with a character such as

> or $• DOS command has a strict set of rules, called a

command syntax, that you must follow when expressing a command


Running MS-DOS programs and commands (cont.)• To open the command prompt, click the Start

button, point to All Programs, click Accessories, and then click Command Prompt; at the prompt, type a command including any parameters, and then press [Enter]

• You can ping a connection to make sure it works and find out an IP address. Ping is a diagnostic network tool that verifies whether an IP address is accessible

• To test a connection, type ping IP address at the command prompt, and then press Enter • to find an IP address, type ipconfig or type ipconfig

/all, and then press [Enter]• to get a new IP address, type ipconfig/release, press

[Enter], type ipconfig/renew, and then press [Enter]


Summary

• Windows 7 offers useful tools for managing routine tasks

• The Performance Information and Tools utility in the Control Panel provides a central location for you to determine the performance of your computer

• A good way to find out about the health of your system is to run a system diagnostics report

• If you installed more than one operating system on your computer (known as a dual-boot), such as Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7, you can select the default operating system you want to use when you start up your computer


Summary (cont.)

• Task Scheduler is a program that enables you to schedule tasks, to run regularly, such as Disk Cleanup

• System Restore can undo harmful changes to your computer (not personal files) and restores its settings to an earlier time before there were any changes made to your computer, called a restore point

• Windows 7 comes with many programs; a typical installation installs only the most common programs, but you can install any additional Windows components as needed

• The Program Compatibility Wizard can update a program written for an earlier version of Windows that is incompatible with Windows 7

microsoft windows 7 - illustrated unit n maintaining your computer

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