Maintaining Your Computer

Tech TuesdayLausanne Collegiate SchoolDecember 11, 2001

Why Maintain Your Computer?

Bikes must have air pumped in their tires. Cars must have their oil changed. Your computer must be kept in running order as well. What can you do to keep it in tip-top shape?

3 Steps to Maintenance:

Remember your A,B,Cs (and Ds) Clean your hardware when needed Know what to fix and what to have others fix

Now I Know my A,B,Cs...

A = Antivirus B = Backup C = Clean Up D = Defragment

Antivirus

Virus - A program created to destroy or interfere with your software/hardware Run Norton AntiVirus once a week to prevent infestation or repair damage Need more info? Email me for the PowerPoint on Viruses

Backup

Computers aren’t perfect; stuff can get lost or damaged Protect yourself; backup your work weekly Where to backup to:

Floppy Disks - not reliableEmail - safe for one file or twoServer (best, ask for PPT on

Backing Up)

Clean Up

Easier to find stuff if you clean up Only keep files you must work on ASAP on your desktop and file the rest. Email me for the PowerPoint on File Management

Defragment

Your computer is in a hurry and throws every piece of data in whatever empty spot it finds Not organized and slows you down Go to Start>Accessories>System Tools>Disk Defragmenter and run it monthly to speed up your computer

Second Step: Cleaning

Dust, skin, and more can mess up your computer Clean your hardware every 3 months (smoker in house) to 5 months (no smoker)

How To Clean What:What? How?

Case Damp cloth (no solvents)Don’t block air vents

CD Dry cloth (against grooves)

Laptop Screen

Dry cloth (little rubbing alcohol on cloth if bad)

Desktop Screen

Window cleaner on cloth

More Cleaning:

What? How?

Keyboard Use compressed air or shake upside down (don’t use vacuum!)

Mouse Turn the donut piece on bottom the opposite direction of the arrows, let ball will fall out; scratch back and forth on rollers inside mouse; tissue off ball and replace ball and cover

Last Word about Cleaning:

Keep your computer area free of stray papersNever lean anything against your computer Avoid food and drink Promptly clean any spills before they dry Supervise tots carefully!

Last Step: What to fix?

We are smart! We are Lynxes! We can fix our computer’s minor ailments!

(Repeat the above 3 times to yourself)

Fixing Easy Stuff:

Problem? Solution?

Frozen Computer

See PPT on Frozen Computer

Black Monitor

Check both cables on back of monitor, monitor power button

Mouse doesn’t work

Check mouse cord to computer; clean inside mouse

Other easy fixes:Problem? Solution?

Can’t get floppy out

Don’t force! Use finger or non-metal object to push bent piece down and pull out

Not printing Out of paper? Power on? Paper jam? Go to Start>Settings>Printers, right click on printer, left click on “work off line”

Lost a file Ask for PowerPoint on Finding Stuff on Your Computer

When it ain’t easy...

Write down what’s going on (include specific programs or things you did to solve the problem) and email Stewart Best to be overly cautious than take a risk and damage your computer Ask how the repair is done so you may be able to fix/prevent it in the future

Have a Happy Holiday Break!

Starting January 8th, Back to Basics! First session: Operating System