Using Useful Utilitys

The utilites are needed to look after the computer, if they are used right you can keep the computer running fast and far more cleaner than just leaving it to build up. You can download many utilitys from the interent for your computer, or you can use the ones that microsoft include in their own operating system. Which are the following:

• Disc Cleanup
• Disc Defrag
• System Restore

Disk Cleanup:

This is part of the microsoft onboard utilitys, and it is designed to free up space on the hard drive. The proccess normaly takes from any where from 2-15 minutes. It envoloves doing the following tasks. It envolves scanning the hard drive for files that are no longer in use. The user also has the option of compressing files if they dont want them to be removed. This is recommended to do as it will keep the computer running fast.

Compression of old files
Temporary Internet files
Temporary Windows files
Downloaded Program files
Recycle Bin
Removal of unused applications or optional Windows components
Setup Log files
Offline files

Disk Defragment:
Windows Disk Defragmenter is another computer program which is included in Microsoft Windows. The programme was designed to increase access speed of the computer. The application rearranging files stored on a disk to occupy contiguous storage locations, or defragmenting. The purpose of defrags are to optimize the time that it takes to read and write files from the hard drive. This proccess normaly takes from anything from 10 minutes to 3 hours.


System Restore:

This is when you restore your computer to a previous pre set virsion of your computer. By default the computer will save the state of the computer ever month or when an important update happens. This is so you can return to a previous virsion if anything happens with the computer.

Setting a Firewall

Microsoft windows XP has a firewall in serves pack 2, so all i need to do is to make sure it is turned on and to check the settings which the screenshot below showWhy install a firewall?

I need to installl a firewall to keep the computer safe and fast. Firewalls will protect my computer from unwanted users, shielding it from unauthorized objects.

Doing a Defragment

The first step of disk defrafmenter is to select which hard drive you would like to analyze, but in this case i only have one hard drive so i can only analyze one. To get to Disk Defragmenter you go to ALL PROGRAMS then ACCESSORIES then DISK DEFRAGMENTER The last step to defragmenter is to click defragment and then letting the computer do the rest.

Why do a Defrag?

Fragmentation affects the system performance, it will need to be done regularly to aviod slowing down the computer and keeping it quick and fresh. Windows Disk Defragmenter is designed to increase loading speeds and increase the amount of usable space. This process is done by rearranging the files stored on the hard disk to an appropert locations. The purpose of defrag in a whole is to optimize the time it takes to read and write files.

Connect to the web

Connecting to the proxy server oscar with the port 8080. This is done by going in to internet explorer options and then going to the tab connections, under this tab i then clicked lan settings and entered the server and port in to proxy servers address. Once theses settings have been applied i than can connect to the internet

Installing Updates

Installing an update, is done by going to the microsoft windows update website, and then clicking the way you want to install the update, express(install all updates) or custom (chossing the updates you want) in this case the custom way.I then need to choose which updates i need and what updates there are. I have choosen to update the internet explorer to 7. Which is the update which i have selected.

The update is then downloaded and installed automaticly to the computer, from the internet.

Internet explorer is now ready to use after i have choosen the correct settings that i want.

Why update my Computer?

I will need to keep my computer uptodate to get all of the fully free sercurity updates from microsoft, plus all of all the other free stuff.

Installing AVG FREE (VIRUS PROTECTION)

The screenshot below shows me down loading the Anti-Virus protection from AVG FREE's website.

After i downloaded the software i then needed to install the software to the computers hard drive. I have selected to use the standard settings as the configuration will be already done. I then need to follow the choices before i can actualy install the software.

After installation i then need to personalize AVG, for example how and when would i like an automatic scan of the computer, and when i scans do i want it to scan quick and slow down the rest of the computer, or do i want it slow and run the computer at normal speed. I can also at this stage choose what name i would like to register the software under.

After personalizing and chossing the settings for the software it will then actuall install to the computer.

Once the programme opens the software then updates itself and then its ready to be used, and it will automaticly update itself.

Why install Protection?

Protection is need to prevent trojans and other types of viruses from the internet, by using this free protection i can keep my computer fresh, fast and free from viruses, which in effect will make the computer safe.

Installing Microsoft Windows XP

To install windows XP, the computer needs to boot from the CD which is done by just pressing any key, once the key has been pressed the computer will check to make sure that all the components are there for the computer to work, once this has done the computer can then go through the next stages.

The next stage of the installation is to choose what you want to do in the setup, to setup windows XP, to repair windows, or to quit. Once entered has been pressed it then needs me to make sure that i agree with windows License agreement, when i do i the press F8. Then i need to choose which hard drive i would like to install windows on.

Then it will format the hard drive and install windows on to the computers hard drive.

The last part of the installation is to let the computer reboot and install the XP settings, such as networking. Once done the set up wizard will ask you if you want to registar windows. Then windows is ready to run.