Disk Cleanup
Clear up the clutter with Disk Cleanup.
Windows programs use a lot of temporary files, which can accumulate
at an alarming rate. In particular, the folders \Windows\Temporary
Internet Files\ and \Windows\temp\ can really build up.
Here's how to do it:
Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point
to System Tools, and then click Disk Cleanup.
Click the drive you want to scan, and wait while the program
calculates how much disk space is available for cleanup.
To delete obsolete files, click the Disk Cleanup tab, select
the check boxes of the files that you want to remove, click
OK, and then click Yes.
To remove Windows components, click the More Options tab.
In the Windows Components area, click Clean Up.
To see what is included in any component, select the component,
and then click Details. If you want to remove individual items
within any component, clear the check boxes of the items you
don't need.
To remove installed programs, click
the More Options tab. In the Installed Programs area, click
Clean Up. On the Install/Uninstall tab, click the program
that you want to remove, and then click Add/Remove. Follow
the instructions on your screen to remove the program.
Scan Disk
Clean up your hard disk drive with ScanDisk
Through normal use of your computer, your hard disk drive
can become cluttered and a bit messy. And folders can become
cross-linked, file names can contain invalid or unknown characters
or become damaged, and file names can become disassociated
with their files. ScanDisk can fix these and other problems
for you. It's also a good idea to run ScanDisk on a regular
basis: once a week for Standard, and once a month for Thorough.
Here's how to do it:
Click the Start button.
Point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools,
and then click ScanDisk.
Click the drive you want to scan, and choose either the Standard
or Thorough test.
Click Start.
The Standard test checks the files and folders on the selected
drives for errors.
The Thorough test will give you further options. It performs
the Standard test plus checks your hard disk drive for physical
damage. You can even specify to scan areas of your disk containing
only data files, or just the areas with system files, or both.
Both Standard and Thorough have a set of Advanced options
that help you to deal with lost file fragments, invalid files,
and files that overlap the same disk space. You can also choose
to keep a log file of what ScanDisk finds.
Defrag
Defragment your hard disk drive to keep it in peak condition.
Files and applications on your computer's hard disk drive
are not always stored together as one unit, but are often
divided into smaller units and scattered around the hard disk.
This is caused by normal use.
On a fragmented hard disk, a computer
has to work harder to gather all of the small units to perform
the commands you give it; this slows down its ability to access
files and run applications. Running Disk Defragmenter helps
by putting all like files and applications into contiguous
groups so the computer can access them quickly.
If you use your computer a lot, it's
a good idea to run Disk Defragmenter on a regular basis. It's
also a good idea to run Disk Defragmenter after you install
a lot of applications to enable them to run at top speed.
Here's how to do it:
Click Start, point to Programs, point
to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk
Defragmenter.
Click the Settings tab, select the check boxes you want (to
ensure fastest startup of programs, select the first box),
and then click OK.
Click the drive you want to defragment, click OK, and then
click Yes.
Note: It is best to shut down all your applications before
you run Disk Defragmenter.
Update Virus Definitions
Any virus scanner is only as effective as its most recent
update, so obtaining frequent updates is critical to maintaining
a secure computing environment.
Here's how to do it:The instuctions
below are for manual updating. Antivirus definitions can also
be configured to update automatically.
Norman Virus Control:
You start Norman Internet Update by choosing Start | Programs
| Norman Virus Control | Internet Update. Or you can select
Internet Update from the menu that appears
when you click on the Norman icon in the system tray (lower
right hand side of the screen).
Norton Antivirus:
Start Norton AntiVirus (NAV) or Symantec AntiVirus Clicent
(SAC), and then click the LiveUpdate icon. The LiveUpdate
dialog box appears.
Click Next. LiveUpdate retrieves update information. This
may take a few minutes.Click Next. LiveUpdate begins downloading
the updates. Depending on what you have selected and the speed
of your Internet connection, this may take from a few minutes
to one or two hours. You can cancel this operation by clicking
Cancel. Canceling will not affect the current program.
Once the download is finished, LiveUpdate automatically installs
the updates and indicates when it has finished.
McAfee Antivirus:
Click on Start.
Point to Programs (XP users, click on All Programs)
Click on Mcafee.
Click on McAfee Shared Features
Choose Instant Updater
NOTE: Instant Updater can also be launched from with your
McAfee product. Open your McAfee product and choose the update
link from the Quick Jump menu.
Windows Update
Windows Update is the online extension of Windows
that helps you to keep your computer up-to-date. Use Windows
Update to choose updates for your computer’s operating
system, software, and hardware. New content is added to the
site regularly, so you can always get the most recent updates
and fixes to protect your computer and keep it running smoothly.
Any update that is critical to the operation
of your computer is considered a "Critical Update,"
and is automatically selected for installation during the
scan for available updates. These updates are provided to
help resolve known issues, and to protect your computer from
known security vulnerabilities. Whether a critical update
applies to your operating system, software programs, or hardware,
it is listed in the "Critical Updates" category.
