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Installing Programmes / Uninstalling Programs (Continued) 102 • Click on “Start” • Select “All Apps” and click. • Select the program you want to uninstall by right-clicking on it with you mouse button. • Select “uninstall” to delete and uninstall the program. Control Panel or Alternatives (continued)… Using Windows START Menu for an UNINSTALL Option: START
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Errors 104 Slow Performance or Hanging / Programme not Responding • Running too many tasks at once: Too many programs running simultaneously, taking up processing power and reducing the PC's performance. Some programs will continue running in the background even after you have closed them or will start automatically when you boot up your computer. By holding down the Ctrl and Alt button down and hitting the delete button will activate the to a blue screen where the “Task Manager” option is available. By opening the Task manager you will see what programs are running and your can force close them from there. • Windows corrupt: Windows operating system has gone corrupt and needs to be reset. Best is restart your computer and let the automated diagnostic built into Windows take care of this problem. If this is still prevalent, then it is best to contact your IT or re-install Windows.
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Errors (Continued) Slow Performance or Hanging / Programme not Responding 106 • Windows in que to update: Programs not responding or very slow could be an indication that Windows is in que waiting to update. The updated versions of Windows now show this when you go to the power on / off settings, especially when you want to restart or shut down. • Firmware wants to update: Often the manufacturer wants to update the drivers or utilities within the system and this might also cause slow or poor performance. • MS Office files are corrupt: This happens seldom, but with older Office packages this was a problem when the drivers or files containing such drivers became unstable or in some cases, even lose the file, I.e. dll-file not found. Often also an indicator of pirated software, recognised by Microsoft the moment you log onto the Internet.
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Errors (Continued) Slow Performance or Hanging / Programme not Responding 108 List of potential possibilities: • Running out of RAM (Random Access Memory) • Running out of disk drive space (HDD or SSD) • Old or fragmented hard drive • Too many background programs (i.e.. Skype, or opening MS Media Player) • Too many start-up programs (i.e.. “pin” to start-up) • Falling behind on Windows or driver updates • Malware or viruses • Special effects and visual features Useful Link (READ ONLY, do not install): https://www.ccleaner.com/knowledge/whyyour-pc-is-so-slow-and-how-you-can-speed-it-up
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Systems Checks / Diagnostics 110 System Updates: • Open the Windows start menu, and click the Settings icon on the left. • Click Update & Security (this page will tell you if you’re behind on Windows updates, and what steps you need to take if you are). Windows Administrative Tools: • Click on “Start” Icon and select “All Apps” • Scroll down to “Windows Administrative Tools” and click to open a host of tools to use for checks, updates, diagnostics, and disc cleaning. NOTE: Always save current / open files prior to doing any of the above!
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Optimising Performance 112 Disc Clean-up • Found under the “Windows Administrative Tools’ folder, select “Disc Cleanup”. • Upon opening, the program will run automatically to check for unnecessary files, temporary file (especially internet file). • Select the files to delate permanently, but if you are unsure, select “Cleanup Systems Files” (make sure there is nothing in the “Recycle Bin” that you might want to keep. Save those under another folder, i.e.. “Junk Files”) • Perform the latter at least once a week; delete files to free up more disc space
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Optimising Performance (Continued) 114 Disc Clean-up / Disc Defrag • Found under the “Windows Administrative Tools’ folder, select “Defragment and Optimize Drivers” and click to select. • A system folder will open showing you details of installed drivers, click on the one you want to analyse of defrag (Defragment is to get rid of clusters all over the HDD and to locate them as close to each other as possible. This will make the search engine run much faster). • Most of the newer Windows programs have an automated feature to perform a defrag at specific time (see “scheduled optimization”, if ON, then no defrag is required). • If the “current status exceeds 0%, (i.e.. 10%) then click on “Optimize” to optimize the systems drivers (if 0%, then DO NOT select “Optimize”)
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Optimising Performance (Continued) 116 Other tips: • Don’t load too many big files such as music and videos; they eat storage space and slow down the PC • Don’t load Apps or Programs you don’t trust! Only load from a reliable source, i.e.. Microsoft, Apple-Store or Google Play. • Keep your command path with folders and files as short as possible. Command Paths: ◦ Too long: C:/Windows/Work/Imports/Sea/RB/Costing Sea.xls ◦ Shortened: C:/Windows/Imports-Sea RB Costing.xls In many cases, a long command path proves to be tricky when the system wants to back up, either to OneDrive or to an external drive. The system will then tell you “path too long, could not copy all files”.
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Desktop Shortcuts for Internet Files 118 • Open website item you wants to use regularly, and highlight the link. • right-click on mouse for a pop-up menu that will ask you if you want to “copy” the link (click “copy”) • Go to your screen and right-click on mouse for a pop-up menu that will ask you if you want to create a new folder (“New”) • Click on new and select “new shortcut” from the pop-up menu. • In the pop-up menu, right-click in the “Type of location of the item” and paste the web link you copied earlier. • Then click on next to create the shortcut • A new screen will appear asking you what you want to name the file, thus type in the name and click on “Finish” to close the shortcut and to it to create an icon on your screen (desk-top).
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Restart 120 ALWAYS! Save your work BEFORE you restart the computer! A “Restart” should only be performed if: 1. There is a system error (Windows) and the system is stuck (frozen or hanging), or 2. After installation of new software or drivers, which in many cases will warn you that the system needs to restart for any changes to take place, or Restarting is a message to tell the computer to reset (reboot), hence it will restart all the drivers (only) without shutting down. A “Restart” has a built-in feature that will warn you if there open files on the system, which is a prompt to tell you to save such files if you haven’t done so yet. NEVER! Do not perform a “restart” during a system or software update. This might cause the software to go corrupt or even “crash” the HDD!
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Restart (Continued) 122 AUTO RECOVERY & ONEDRIVE • Windows contains an “auto recovery” feature whereby it creates automatic save points for files you are working in. • However, this is NOT a failsafe feature since it carries out auto-saving at intervals, hence you might lose work during between such intervals. • It is best to save your work at intervals or activate the “OneDrive” feature to sync and auto-save your files as you are working. • BEWARE! After an auto-save, and upon you opening the file within the program you worked in, Windows will create a pop-up menu (mostly at left0hand side) to show files auto-recovered. ALWAYS check the date and the latest time for the file that contained your latest work! • If “OneDrive” was activated, it might be best to open your file in that feature to ensure ALL your latest work was recovered therein.
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Security 2 Logging Off / Shutting Down 124 LOGGING OFF: • By logging off, you are telling the system that you, the registered User for that PC will be exiting the system. • This will NOT shut the system down! The PC might merely go into a “sleep” mode, awaiting re-activation for the current or new user to log in. SHUTTING DOWN: • Shutting down is telling the PC to close all files (again save your work) and that it should create a “restore point” at that specific time. • By shutting down, the PC will close all files and switch the hardware off (takes about 20-seconds), until the User switches the PC back on via the “Power” button.
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Broken Windows 126 On a very cold winters morning, wife text husband: “Windows frozen, stuck, won’t open!” Husband text back: “Take lukewarm water, pour around edges of windows, then take small hammer and tap until windows open.” Wife text back: “Didn’t work! Computer started sparking and I set room on fire!”
Lesson 1 Concluded 127