De-Gunking Your Computer
- 1. Tuning Up Your Computer Let’s Get the Gunk Out
- 2. Why Has It Slowed Down?
- 3. Why Has It Slowed Down? Need to know a little about how it works Memory Do you work a little slower as you get older? Is some of that because you can’t remember where you put stuff? Computers have the same problem.
- 4. Why Has It Slowed Down? Need to know a little about how it works Memory Two kinds of computer memory RAM (Random Access Memory) No moving parts All electronic Operates at the speed of light Disk Hard disk drive Electro/mechanical device Thousands of times slower
- 5. Why Has It Slowed Down? When there is not enough of this This gets used instead Memory
- 6. Why Has It Slowed Down? Memory - RAM “ But I didn’t take any RAM memory OUT! It didn’t used to be slow! Why is it slow now?” Stuff YOU put in memory when you: Added a printer Added virus checking Added a firewall Added anything that needs to be running at all times LOOKS WHAT IS RUNNING HERE!
- 7. Why Has It Slowed Down? Memory - RAM “ But I didn’t take any RAM memory OUT! It didn’t used to be slow! Why is it slow now?” Stuff you didn’t know was added: Spyware “ a broad category of malicious software designed to intercept or take partial control of a computer's operation without the informed consent of that machine's owner or legitimate user.” Wikipedia
- 8. Why Has It Slowed Down? Memory - RAM “ But I didn’t take any RAM memory OUT! It didn’t used to be slow! Why is it slow now?” Stuff you didn’t know was added: Spyware when you downloaded that cute shoping helper
- 9. Why Has It Slowed Down? Memory - RAM “ But I didn’t take any RAM memory OUT! It didn’t used to be slow! Why is it slow now?” Stuff you didn’t know was added: Spyware when you downloaded that music “sharing” program
- 10. Why Has It Slowed Down? Memory - RAM “ But I didn’t take any RAM memory OUT! It didn’t used to be slow! Why is it slow now?” Stuff you didn’t know was added: Spyware – Where can I find out more? WWW.Wikipedia.Com How can I get rid of it and protect against it? September 2006 edition of Consumer Reports Free AntiSpyware Tradenamed Ad-Aware From Lavasoft at WWW.Lavasoft.Com
- 11. Why Has It Slowed Down? RAM – How Much is Enough? For Windows XP Microsoft recommends at least 128MB I recommend at least 512 MB For Windows Vista Microsoft recommends: Minimum of 512 MB for Vista “Capable” machines Minimum of 1GB for Vista “Premium Ready” machines
- 12. Why Has It Slowed Down? Memory – Hard Drive This kind of memory is usually called “storage” Your primary (usually your only) hard drive is your “C:” drive Too little available space on your C: drive will slow your computer On an XP system you should always have at least 2GB available See next slide for how to tell
- 13. Why Has It Slowed Down? Memory – Hard Drive How Do I Tell How Much Available Space I Have on The C: Drive? Left Click “Start” Left Click “My Computer” Right click “Local disk (C:)” Left click “Properties”
- 14. Why Has It Slowed Down? Memory – Hard Drive How Do I Free Up Space on My Hard Drive? Left click “Start” All Programs Accessories System Tools Disk Cleanup Check and Delete any or all
- 15. Why Has It Slowed Down? Memory – Hard Drive Fragmented Files on Your Hard Drive What are they? Files stored in pieces How do I “fix” them” DeFragment the disk
- 16. Why Has It Slowed Down? Memory – Hard Drive Fragmented Files on Your Hard Drive
- 17. Fixing Fragmented Files on Your Hard Drive Memory – Hard Drive Fixing Fragmented Files on Your Hard Drive Click on “Start” Programs Accessories System Tools Disk DeFragmenter Helpful Links: http:// helpdesk.its.uiowa.edu/windows/instructions/defrag.htm http:// support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid =kb;en-us;314848
- 18. Improving Security Four Rules Run Windows Update – plug the holes that let the gunk in October 10, 2006 (Computerworld) -- In one of its biggest releases in recent months, Microsoft Corp. today issued 10 security bulletins detailing fixes for more than two dozen separate vulnerabilities -- several of which are already being actively exploited in the wild…. Six of the bulletins announced today are rated as critical by Microsoft and detail fixes for a total of 16 separate flaws…. MS06-057 is perhaps the most critical, McAfee noted. The critical flaw, which exists in Windows Shell, can be used to take complete control of compromised systems and has already been widely exploited in so-called "drive-by install" and "drive-by download" attacks via Internet Explorer,
- 19. Improving Security Windows Update Why are there holes in Windows? What is a “buffer overflow” and why should I care? Black Hats and White Hats and the Blue Hat Conference Zombies – Is YOUR machine attacking someone? When and How Often Should Windows Update run?
- 20. Improving Security Demo Windows Update Start All Programs Windows Update Set up to run automatically
- 21. Improving Security Four Rules Run Windows Update – plug the holes that let the gunk in For Virus and Spyware gunk that gets in anyway… 2. Install and run Anti Virus software – keep subscription current
- 22. Improving Security The Subscription Process AntiVirus includes two critical components: 1. Software - purchased 2. Virus Descriptions – subscribed to What happens to protection when the subscription runs out?
- 23. Improving Security Four Rules Run Windows Update – plug the holes that let the gunk in For Virus and Spyware gunk that gets in anyway… 2. Install and run Anti Virus software – keep subscription current 3. Install and run AntiSpyware software–keep subscription current
- 24. Improving Security Four Rules Run Windows Update – plug the holes that let the gunk in For Virus and Spyware gunk that gets in anyway… 2. Install and run Anti Virus software – keep subscription current 3. Install and run AntiSpyware software–keep subscription current 4. Run a Firewall Start Control Panel Security Center
- 25. Improving Security Registry Cleanup What is the Windows Registry ? How do I clean it up? http:// www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID =171203805
- 26. De-Gunk a New Computer “ The PC De-Crapifier” Jason York WWW.Yorkspace.com See the article “ Consumer Watch: New-PC Gunk: Extras You Don't Want:” in the September 2006 “PC World” Or http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,126466/article.html
- 27. Fini Jim’s Blog http:// WhiteHouseComputing.Blogspot.Com
Editor's Notes
- #2: Topics discussed include elimininating unnecessary files and programs, optimizing your hard drive, cleaning the Registry, installing the latest Windows updates and bug fixes, improving security, and preventing spam gunk.