"Corbin, Shelley" On Fri, 26 Apr 2002 17:02:28 -0400, you wrote: "does anyone have any tips on preventative maintenance of hardware or software they would like to share?" I am forwarding the following, compliments of a local computer club. Irene Moore ----- Original Message ----- From: "Murray Dobbs" To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2000 9:22 AM Subject: [pcct] Windows maintenance lists > TIP # 1- monthly procedures: > > > > > ----- An Ounce of Prevention (For Win9x) ------ > > Maintain your hard drive by performing these steps at least > monthly, in this order: > > 1.) Delete all files and folders with dates older than one > week from C:\WINDOWS\TEMP. > > 2.) Purge your Web browser's history and Internet cache files. > > 3.) Run ScanDisk. Select the Standard radio button and enable > Automatically Fix Errors. Click on Advanced and, under Log File, > pick Replace Log; for Cross-Linked Files, select Delete; click > Free under Lost File Fragments; under Check Files For, check > "Invalid dates and times;" and disable "Check host drive first, > " unless you've compressed your hard drive. > > 4.) Empty the Recycle Bin. > > > > > TIP #2 - program uninstalls: > > --- Fix Windows (For Win98/Me) --- > > If you're like me, you often check out demo programs or games. > When you're done with them, you uninstall them; thinking that the > uninstall routine will remove them completely. Unfortunately, this is > NOT the case and may cause problems down the line. Here are my > tips to cleaning up after a program uninstalls. The programs I refer > to are only available in Win98, 98SE, Me versions. > > A) Check the file folder that contained the original program. Often > saved games or character files remain on the computer EVEN AFTER THE > UNINSTALL. Simply delete the offending folder and regain mucho disk > space. > > B) Check your startup folder using msconfig.exe. Many programs will > leave "stubs" in this folder, even after they're removed. Unchecking > the startup program in msconfig will regain system resources and you > may find all manner of useless stuff that can be easily shutoff > without having to resort to editing your registery. > > C) Use System File Checker (sfc.exe) and Version Checker (vcmui.exe) > to assure that your system files have not been corrupted, deleted or > changed by an install/uninstall routine. Games are notorious for > installing old versions of DirectX over the new one you downloaded > last week. This can cause video, sound and joystick problems that can > be easily cured by checking for and restoring the files with the most > recent file version number and or date. Don't pay too much attention > to file dates as they sometimes are erroneously saved as the date they > were installed, not the create date. > > D) Run dxdiag.exe if you have problems that you know are related to > DirectX. You can see if your drivers are up to date, check to see if > they are working properly and change some default DX settings for > compatibilty. > If DXDiag say the driver is uncertified, don't worry too much unless > you know the driver is the problem; "certified drivers" are not usually > the most recent or best for your games. > > These simple tasks will improve the load speed of Windows 98 and > help to mitigate problems from poorly designed uninstallers. I have > found and fixed many issues using these programs and I hope you > can too! > > > > > TIP # 3 - date of installs > > SOFTWARE SECRET: THE WINDOWS HISTORIAN > -------------------------------------- > > PROBLEM: You need to find out what date a particular device was > added to your Windows PC. > > SOLUTION: The free Microsoft System Information tool (which > ships with Windows) has an obscure but potentially very useful > History feature. You can use it to review driver and device > changes (including first-time installs) across the life of > your system. To access the feature, select Start, Programs, > Accessories, System Tools, and choose System Information (or > just run MSinfo32.exe). Click once to expand Components in > the tree, then click on History. The default option is Complete > History, but you can also choose the Last Seven Days option. > > > > > TIP # 4 - housekeeping > > THE PC WORKOUT > (Source: PCWorld.com) Does your PC run as if it's over the hill? > Follow these three steps to get it sprinting again. > <<http://www.idg.net/go.cgi?id=320245>> > > > > > TIP # 6 - a long to do list > >From TechRepublic: <http://www.techrepublic.com/> > > The Ultimate Preventive Maintenance Checklist > > What's the support pro of 1999 and beyond to do for preventive > maintenance on user machines? TechRepublic readers contributed > to this checklist of 29 things you can do to try to keep your users > happy and online. > > 1. E-mail your computer users. Let your clients know in advance what > will be happening on the preventive maintenance visit. Users get > attached to their system and seeing something change can be upsetting > to them. In the e-mail ask them if anything strange is going on with their > system or if they have any questions for you. Often a user may be > hesitant to let you know something is wrong, thinking it's no big deal or > afraid of having a finger pointed at them for being the problem. One of > the most common complaints you 'll receive is the computer is getting > slower. More often than not, the user is becoming a power user, > becoming more familiar with the software they are using. This may be > a good time to upgrade the computer to realize productivity gains from > the user. > > 2. Empty the Recycle Bin. Some users need to be reminded to > periodically empty the Recycle Bin. > > 3. Delete .tmp files. Before running ScanDisk and Defragmenter, delete > all *.tmp files that have been created prior to the current day. It will > surprise most people to learn how much hard drive space has been used > by .tmp files. > > 4. Delete files that begin with a tilde. When cleaning the system of > garbage files, readers might like to also check for any files beginning > with a tilde(~). Make sure that all your application programs are closed > first such as word-processing, spreadsheet and graphics programs as > sometimes the temporary file you are currently viewing sometimes use a > tilde. If the above are closed the tilde files can be deleted. Some users > may find they have a lot of these on their systems! > > 5. Delete old .zip files. Users tend to unzip the files but then leave > the zipped file on their computer as well when they don't need it. > > 6. Delete .chk files, and switch the swap file. For those with > permanent swap files, it is sometimes a good idea to set the swap file > back to temporary and then permanent again. This cleans out any > garbage (and therefore possible corruption). > > 7. Run ScanDisk and defrag the drive as needed. If your Windows 95 > users aren't running these utilities themselves, it doesn't hurt to check > the disk and make sure the number of disk errors and the percentage > of fragmentation are within acceptable limits. For Windows 98 clients, > use the Task Scheduler to automate ScanDisk. > > 8. Check browser history and cache files. Check that the user history > files and Internet cache settings are set properly (cache size). > Recommend you delete the cache files and history files then reset the > history files to no more than three days unless the user specifically > needs to store that information longer. By freeing up the cache, > downloads from the Web actually speed up as there is more space > available to store the temporary files. > > 9. Clean out Windows temporary Internet files. If the browser is > Microsoft's Internet Explorer, clean out the c:\Windows\Temporary > Internet files folder. > > 10. Confirm that backups are being done. Do you have a network > solution for automatically backing up user files to a server? If not-- > and if you're relying on end users to back up their own files--ask > users when the last backups were done. Make sure they're rotating > their disks. Drag their MyDocuments folder onto a server drive for > them. Remind them to verify the backups by trying to restore a sample > file or folder. > > 11. Update drivers as needed. Make sure you've installed the latest > drivers for printers, modems, sound cards, video cards, and other > devices. > > 12. Create or update the boot disk. Every Windows user should have a > boot disk and every NT client should have an emergency repair disk. > While you're making your rounds, poll your users and make sure they > have the disks they'd need in case of emergency. NT clients need to > have their emergency repair disks upgraded with the RDISK/S > command every time there's a change in the network setup, such as > the addition of new users or new devices. > > 13. Check the operating system and applications. Update your OS and > applications with the latest service packs or updates. Save your > company some money; don't try to support multiple versions of the same > application. > > 14. Check the connections. Users love to move their equipment around. > Make sure all the plugs are snug in their connections. And make sure > your users are using surge protectors and not a string of extension cords > to power their machines. While the computer is open, re-seat all > connections including, expansion cards, CPU, memory, data cables > and power connections. > You'd be surprised how often an expansion card isn't seated all the > way, especially AGP video cards and PCI cards. > > 15. Take inventory. Update your master inventory of computer assets. > Verify serial numbers, CPU speed, hard drive space, memory, etc. > > 16. Make sure the hardware works. Many computers haven't seen a floppy > or CD inserted in years as most upgrades and new installations are done > from the server. Clean or replace floppy disk and CD drives as needed. > > 17. Clean the screens. Do your users a favor and bring the appropriate > screen-cleaning cloth or solution with you on the preventive > maintenance visit. > > 18. Change passwords. Unless you can enforce a "change your password > every X days" policy via your network software, use the preventive > maintenance visit to remind your users to change their system passwords. > > 19. Check the printers. Print a test page on your users' printers. Make > sure the printers are producing clean copies, and that the toner > cartridges aren't about to run out. > > 20. Update the anti-virus software. Make sure your users know how to > update their anti-virus software. While you're there, update it for them. > > 21. Reboot the system. In some shops, the workstations are left on all > the time. While you're there, reboot the system to force a memory reset > and to make sure the machine will boot when you're not there in person. > > 22. Bring that can of air! It's still a good idea to blow the dust and > debris out of keyboards every now and then. And make sure there isn't > dust accumulating on the back of the machine or wherever the air fan is > located.It's amazing how much dust can collect in a computer over time. > Blowing out the inside of the computer has a couple of pitfalls that must > be addressed. First, since the pressure is much higher than with canned > air, don't direct the air at an unsecured fan. Try using a pencil erasure > to hold the fan from turning while you clean out the power supply and > CPU. Blow out the power supply from the inside out first, or you will > get tons of dust blown into the computer. Take each computer to a > place that doesn't mind the dust, outdoors preferably. > > 23. Clean the keyboard. With power off, tip or turn the keyboard > upside down and carefully use the palm of your hand to strike the > keyboard several times. You'll be surprised how much junk will fall > out. > > 24. Clean the CD-ROM drive. Clean the laser. Many programs are > installed corrupted from a dirty CD reader. > > 25. Clean the floppy drive. In addition to using canned air for the > floppy drive, use a 3.5" floppy drive cleaning kit. It consists of a > cleaning diskette and a bottle of solution that you apply to the diskette. > First, apply the solution to the cleaning diskette. Second, insert the > cleaning diskette into the floppy drive. Third, type: DIR A: > (or DIR B:), which willspin the diskette (repeat this three times). > > In some locations, PCs are located in areas where the floppy drive, > a.k.a. air intake manifold, collects quite a lot of dust and grime, so > canned air alone does not remedy this problem. 26. Clean the mouse. > It never hurts to make sure the mouse is free of dust and grime. > > 27. Check the power sources. Make sure systems are plugged into > protected outlets or power strips, if not uninterruptible power supplies. > > 28. Check the fan. Remember to check that the CPU's cooling fan is > working and that the airflow isn't impeded by dust. > > 29. Check the network hardware. It is also necessary to check and > reboot hubs, routers, switches, and print servers from time to time. > They contain memory that needs to be flushed and have connections > that can work loose. > Most networks have a server reboot schedule but forget about the > other, just as vital, network kit. > > > **************************************************************************** **************************************************************************** ***************************** Curious about the people moderating your messages? Visit our staff web site: http://freepctech.com/staff.shtml