PERFORM COMPUTER OPERATIONS:
MAINTAIN COMPUTER EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS
STE – ICT Computer Systems Servicing NC II Quarter 3
Learning Outcomes:
LO 6. Maintain computer equipment
1.
Computer Maintenance
Code: TLE_IACSS9-12PCOIi-j-9
COMPUTER MAINTENANCE
Software Tools
Software tools are used to help diagnose problems, maintain hardware, and protect
data stored in a computer. These can be categorized into two groups:
◦ Disk Management tools
Tools used to detect and correct disk errors, remove unwanted files, and prepare a
disk for data storage.
◦ Protection software tools
These are used to keep the computer safe from
viruses, spyware, and types of malicious attacks that
could damage an operating system, application, or data,
that could cause hardware performance problems or
components.
Format
This is used to delete all data on a hard drive to prepare
storage information.
Scandisk or Chkdsk
This is used to scan the disk for physical errors in order to
check the integrity of its files and folders.
Defrag
This is used to optimize space on a hard drive in order to
access programs and data faster
Disk Management
This tool is used to manage hard drives and partitions, initialize disks, and create or format
partitions.
Disk Clean-up
It allows users to remove files that are no longer needed or that can be safely deleted.
Removing unnecessary files, including temporary files, can help to speed up and improve the
performance of the hard drive and computer.
Run Disk Cleanup in Windows Vista and 7
Run from My Computer
To open Disk Cleanup on a Windows Vista or Windows 7
computer, follow these steps:
1. Click Start
2. Go to All Programs > Accessories > System Tools
3. Click Disk Cleanup
4. Choose what type of files and folders to delete at the Files
to delete section
5. Click OK
Run from Command Prompt
To open Disk Cleanup via Command Prompt (command line) on
a Windows Vista or Windows 7:
1. Open Command Prompt
2. Type: cleanmgr
3. Press Enter
Run Disk Cleanup in Windows 8 or 8.1
Run from My Computer
To open Disk Cleanup on a Windows 8 or
Windows 8.1 system, follow these instructions:
1. Click Settings > Click Control Panel >
Administrative Tools
2. Click Disk Cleanup
3. At the Drives list, select which drive you
want to run Disk Cleanup on
4. Select which files you want to delete
5. Click OK
6. Click Delete files
7. To delete system files that are no longer needed on
your computer, click Clean up system files.
8. Shadow copies and restore points (except the last
ones) can be deleted by going to the More options tab
> Click Cleanup
Run Disk Cleanup in Windows 10
Run from My Computer
To open Disk Cleanup on a Windows 8 or Windows 8.1
system, follow these instructions:
1.
Type Disk Cleanup in the Search Bar
2.
Press Enter
3.
At the Drives list, select which drive you want to run
Disk Cleanup on
4.
Select which files you want to delete
5.
Click OK
6.
Click Delete files
7.
To delete system files that are no longer needed
on your computer, click Clean up system files.
8.
Shadow copies and restore points (except the
last ones) can be deleted by going to the More options
tab > Click Cleanup
Troubleshooting
Disk Cleanup is stuck
1. If Disk Cleanup is getting stuck at a certain
deletion process (deletion of temporary files or
deletion of Windows updates), try any of the
following tips:
2. Run Disk Cleanup as an Administrator
3. Delete the files and folders manually, but be
logged in as an Administrator. If Disk Cleanup
is getting stuck at deleting Internet Explorer
temporary files, delete the temporary files
manually. Be logged in as Administrator or as
any user with administrative rights to the
system when doing so
Scan Drive Steps:
Run asfc /scannowcommand. To do so,
follow these steps:
1.
Open Command Prompt
2.
Type: sfc /scannow /offbootdir=D:\
/offwindir=D:\Windows\ , where D:\ is
your Windows drive letter, and D:\Windows
is your Windows installation path
3.
Press Enter
Protection Software Tools
Microsoft Security Essentials
This type of tool continuously checks the security of the computer in order to ensure
that the software firewall and anti-virus programs are working and that automatic updates
are downloaded and installed.
Anti-virus Software
This type of tool protects the computer against virus attacks.
Spyware Remover
This type of tool protects the computer against software that sends information about the
web habits of a user to potential attackers.
Firewall
This type of tool is a program that runs continuously to protect the computer from
unauthorized communications.
ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE/ PROGRAMS
Antivirus
▪ Antivirus or antivirus software, sometimes known as anti-malware software, is a
computer software used to prevent, detect and remove malicious software.
▪ Antivirus software was originally developed to detect and remove computer viruses.
▪ In particular, modern antivirus software can protect from: malicious browser helper
(BHOs), browser hijackers, ransomware, keylogger, backdoors, rootkits, trojan
horses, worms, malicious LSPs, dialers, fraud tools, adware and spyware.
▪ Some products also include protection from other computer threats, such as infected
and malicious URLs, spam, scam, and phishing attacks, online identity (privacy),
online banking attacks, social engineering techniques, advanced persistent threats
(APT), and botnet DDoS attacks.
Antivirus Types
▪ Firewall Software – analyzes incoming and outgoing data packets on a network;
that is, all the information sent and received through the computer’s network
connection.
▪ Network Layer Firewalls – are called packet filters. These firewalls are the simplest
of firewalls, and only allow information packets to pass through the firewall if the
packet matches the specific set of rules.
▪ Proxy Servers – acts as a firewall in that they inspect incoming packets for specific
applications and block all other requests.
▪ Application Layer Firewalls – these firewalls inspect all packets for specific
protocols, such as FTP and browser traffic.
Types of Antivirus Software
▪ Signature Based Detection – the antivirus software can then scan each file on the
computer’s hardware and memory and compare the entire file, as well as small
sections of each file, against the virus signature database.
▪ Heuristics – to help protect computers against new and unknown malware,
heuristics detection algorithm were created.
▪ Rootkit Detection – rootkits are a particularly nasty form or malware.
▪ Real Time Protection – most antivirus software provides real-time protection, often
under any number of clever synonyms such as resident shields, background guard,
autoprotect, and so on.
▪ Antispyware – software provides real-time protection, just like most antivirus
software does. Additionally, just like most antivirus software, antispyware software
relies on up to date spyware signature definition files to work properly.
Examples of Antivirus
▪ Adaware
▪ McAfee
▪ Kaspersky
▪ AVG
▪ Norton
▪ Avira
▪ ESET Nod32
▪ Bit Defender
▪ Microsoft Security Essentials
▪ Windows Defender
DUSTING INSIDE THE COMPUTER
Step 1: Turn off your computer and unplug it from the electrical outlet or surge protector
Step 2: Open up your computer's case.
Step 3: Using compressed air, dust the internal components of your computer with short
bursts of air, try to remain at least a few inches away from the surface of the
motherboard, memory, processor, and expansion cards.
Step 4: Remove the dust buildup on your case fans with a can of compressed air. Hold the
fan with your finger to keep it from spinning while you're blowing the compressed
air onto it. Fan blades can be delicate and may crack if spun too quickly. You can
use rubbing alcohol and wipe the blades with a cotton swab for the finishing touches.
If the fans are hard to reach or extremely dirty, feel free to remove them from the
case for easier cleaning.
Step 5: Remove the dust buildup from the power supply using a can of compressed air. If
your case has a dust filter underneath the power supply, be sure to clean the filter
too.
Step 6a: The heat sink and fan that's mounted on your processor should be cleaned as well.
Again, with a can of compressed air and using short bursts, blow the dust away from
the heat sink and fan. If the buildup is too heavy, you may need to remove the heat
sink and fan from the processor to get it thoroughly cleaned. Just remember to clean
the thermal grease off of the processor and the heat sink, then apply new thermal
grease before reattaching the heat sink to the processor.
Step 6b: To remove the thermal grease, moisten a lint-free cloth with 99 percent isopropyl
alcohol, then wipe away the thermal grease from the processor and the heat sink.
Less concentrated alcohol will also work but may leave a residue that could reduce
the efficiency of the thermal paste or grease. A commercially available thermal
material remover, called ArctiClean, can be used instead of the isopropyl alcohol,
and coffee filters can be used instead of a lint-free cloth.
Step 7: Finally, dust off all the ports on the computer with compressed air and clean all the
exterior vents with rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab.
(https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-clean-the-inside-of-your-computer/)
FILE MANAGEMENT
File Management: What is it?
Always remember that any information is stored in a computer as a file. File
management refers to the way you organize the storage of your information on the computer.
File management basically answers the question: “Where is your information stored?”.
Everything is hierarchically organized: information is stored in a file that is stored in a folder
that (can be stored in another folder). These are stored on a storage media that is stored on
a computer that is eventually located on a local area network (LAN).
Always keep in mind the analogy between file management in a computer and file
management in an office: in the former, information is inside an electronic file, in the later,
it is on paper in folders in a filing cabinet.
All of the computer elements: file, folder, storage media, and computer are defined
below.
1. File
Any information in a computer is stored in a file. Computers store information as files
or disks, just as office staff store files in a filing cabinet. Programs as well as documents are
stored as files.
Naming Convention
File names consist of primary name and an extension separated by a dot (e.g.
exam.docx). The extension, like the icon, indicates the type of the file. For example, the
extension ‘.doc’ indicates that the file was created using Microsoft Word. Please follow the
common rules for naming your file.
Extension
.doc, .docx
.xls, .xlsx
.ppt, .pptx
.txt
.exe
File Type
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft PowerPoint
Text File
Executable File
2. Folder
A folder is a container in which a group of related files can be stored, just as folders
are used in to store files in the office filing cabinet. Folders are used to store files in an
organized way. A folder may contain both files and other folders, just as folder in the office
cabinet may have other folders inside it.
Naming Convention
A folder usually has only a primary file name (e.g. Teaching). Please follow the common
rules of naming your folder.
3. Storage Media
A storage media (i.e. hard disk, floppy disk, CD-ROM, etc.) is a physical device on
which you can store files and folders. It is the top container in a computer.
Naming Convention
Besides a label name, each storage media installed in your computer is identified by
a letter followed by a colon ( : ) sign:”
• The floppy drive is usually allocated at letter A – A:
• Sometimes, a second floppy drive is present and the letter B is allocated to it – B:
• The hard drive is usually allocated the letter C – C:
• Sometimes, a computer can have more than one hard drive or the hard drive can be
divided in 2 partitions. Hence, this new drive would get the letter D – D:
• The CD-ROM drive usually gets the first unused letter. E for example – E:
• Any removable media like ZIP drive or external USB hard disk get the next available
letter. F for example – F:
4. Computer
All the instructions have more than one computer hence, it is also useful to be able to
identify which computer your data is stored on. For instance: the “secretary’s computer or”
the second computer on the left-hand side of the computer center”.
This becomes even more important when computers are connected together in a local
area network (LAN) because you will be then able to access your documents from any
computer. So, at the top level of hierarchy you will need to identify the computer where they
are stored using the proper computer convention for network access.
Naming Convention
When a computer is connected to network it is given a unique name (you can’t choose
it, this is given by the technician who installed the network).
If you don’t know the name of your computer, follow this procedure:
a. Right-click on “My Computer” icon
b. Click on “Properties”
c. Select the tab “Computer Name” (for Windows XP) or “Network Identification”
d. The name of the computer is displayed
When accessing a computer from the network, you have to start by a double
backslash: \\. For example: \\NETPUNE.
Common Rules for Naming Files and Folders
When creating a file or folder, it is important to give them a meaningful name. Using
a name that describes the content of the file makes it easier to retrieve in the future.
Naming Rules:
• In a folder, and folder names must be unique
• File and folder names can be a maximum of 255 characters
• Spaces and dots are allowed
• * | <> ? / \ “ : are not allowed
• File and folder names are not case-sensitive
Locating Information
The main reason for file management is so that you can locate files and information
easily. Each file is stored in a specific location on the computer. To locate a file, you need to
know its path, also called location or address.
On a standalone computer, a file path is composed by: a letter representing the storage
media, the names of the folders you have to go through and the name of the file. Each field
is separated by a backslash ‘\’.
Example: D:\Tezerra\Training Materials\Windows\Coursel.doc
On a networked computer: A file path starts with a computer name, then the name of
the network folder, the names of the folder you have to go through and the name of the file.
Each field is separated by a backslash ‘\’.
Example: \\NEPTUNE\D\Tezerra\Training_Materials\Windows\Coursel.doc
Importance of File Management
Always keep in mind the main reason why you are using a computer:
• Ability to store: a computer can store an incredible amount of information in a very
limited space.
• Ability to reuse: at any time, you can reuse an old piece of information and correct it
or amend it and make a new document very quick.
• Ability to share: it is very easy to exchange information stored on a computer,
especially through a network or the Internet.
File Management: How you do it?
Files are created using a specific application, depending on the nature of the document
you want to create. Microsoft Word creates a typographic document. Excel creates a
spreadsheet document, etc. By using the Save As command, you will store the newly created
file in a specific location.
File management is achieved with Windows Explorer. This is the program that will
allow you to display all your files, create folders, move, copy, delete, rename them, etc.
Windows Explorer/File Explorer
Files and folders on your computer can be represented as a tree-structure where disks
are roots, folders are branches and documents are leaves. This is why the Windows Explorer
presents the information stored on the computer.
Starting Windows Explorer/File Explorer
1. Click Start button
2. Click the programs to display the programs menu
Left
Pane:
Folder
Right
Pane:
Folder
3. Click Windows Explorer/File Explorer
• Left Pane – this pane displays the tree structure of the disks and the folders stored on
a computer starting from the desktop
• Right Pane – this pane shows the folder contents that is selected in the left pane; all
the files and subfolders. The right pane is divided into columns that provide various
details about the files and subfolders in a folder
Column Name
Description
Name
Name of the file or folder and icon representing its type
Size
Size occupied by each file in the storage device
Type
Type of the file
Modified
Date and time the content of a file or folder were last changed
You can sort the files and folders by name, size, type or modified date by clicking on
the desired column name.
Displaying the Files and Folders
Using the left pane
1. Click on the + sign to open a folder and display its subfolders
2. Click on the folder name or icon to display its content into the right pane
Using the right pane
1. Double click on a folder to display its content. Note that the left pane is updated and
the open folder has changed.
Navigating around using the toolbar
Use this button to display the content of the parent folder
Searching for files and folders
Click this button in the toolbar to launch a search. You can
also run a search from the Start Menu.
The following window is displayed:
Selecting files and
folders
Windows explorer allows you to perform various operations on a file. To perform any
operation on one or many files, you first need to select them.
•
Single file location
Click on the filename or icon in the Windows/File Explorer right pane to select a single
file. Note that when you select a file, its name is highlighted and the status bar displays
its size.
•
Multiple file selection
There are different ways of selecting more than one file. Note that when you select
multiple files, their names are highlighted and the status bar displays the total size of
your selection.
Continuous file selection
To select a group of files which are displayed consecutively in the right pane:
1. Click on the first file of the list
2. Press and hold the shift key
3. Click on the last file of the list
Discrete file selection
To select a group of files which are not displayed consecutively in the right pane:
1. Click on the first file
2. To add to the selection, press and hold the Ctrl key while clicking its name or icon.
Select all
To select all the files and subfolders of the folder currently displayed:
1. Open the Edit Menu by clicking on the menu bar
2. Click ‘Select All”
Select all using keyboard shortcut
To select all the files and subfolders currently displayed:
1. Click on the first file
2. Press Ctrl+A on the keyboard
Deselecting files
To deselect files that have been selected, click any blank area in the right pane.
Creating folders
By creating folders, you can store all the files that contain similar information in the
same folder and organize the data on your disk in order to retrieve them easily.
To create a new folder, with Windows/File Explorer:
1. Select the place you want to put the new folder by selecting the relevant disk or folder
in the left pane.
2. Open the File Menu by clicking File on the menu bar.
3. Point or click to New (This will display a submenu with a choice of objects to create).
4. Click Folder (A new folder called New Folder is displayed in the left pane. Note that
there is a box around the name, which is highlighted, and the cursor is positioned at
the end of it).
5. Type a new name and press enter.
To crate a new folder using the right-click on the mouse.
1. Right-click the mouse on to the place you want to create a folder to.
2. Click New
3. Click Folder
4. Type a new name and press enter.
Renaming files and folders
To rename a file or folder using Windows/File Explorer:
1. Select the file or folder by clicking on its name or icon in the right pane
2. Open the File menu or by clicking file on the menu bar
3. Click rename
4. Type a new name and press enter
To rename a file or folder using mouse clicking:
1. Right-click the file
2. Click rename
3. Type a new name and press enter
When you change a file name, its primary name changes while the extension remains
the same.
Moving files across folders
To improve the way in which your files are organized on disks, you can move files or
folders from one folder to another. Be careful. When you move a file, it is deleted from its
original location.
•
The “Move to Folder” command
1. Select the files and folders to move
2. Open the Edit menu by clicking Edit on the menu bar
3. Click “Move to Folder”
4. Select the destination folder in the dialog box by navigating through the folder
hierarchy
•
The cut and paste method using Windows/File Explorer
1. Select the files you want to move
2. Open the edit menu by clicking edit in the menu bar
3. Click cut (the selected object icons are grayed to indicate that there are going
to be deleted from this location)
4. Select the destination folder by clicking its name in the left pane.
5. Open the Edit menu by clicking Edit in the menu bar
6. Click Paste (the selected file appears on the right pane)
•
The cut and paste method using keyboard commands
1. Select the files you want to move
2. Press Ctrl+X on the keyboard (the selected object icons are grayed to indicate
that there are going to be deleted from this location)
3. Select the destination folder
4. Press Ctrl+V on the keyboard (the selected file appears on the right pane)
•
The drag and drop method
1. Select the files or folders you want to move
2. Drag the selection to the destination folder in the right pane
Copying files to folders
It is a good practice to maintain the copies of important files. This practice is referred
to as making a back-up of your files. Maintaining copies of files protects you against
accidental data loss. You can copy files from one folder to another in the same disk or to a
folder in another storage medium.
•
The “Copy to Folder” command
1. Select the files and folders to copy
2. Open the Edit menu by clicking on Edit in the menu bar
3. Click “Copy to Folder”
4. Select the destination folder in the dialog box by navigating through the folder
hierarchy
•
The copy and paste method using Windows/File Explorer
1. Select the files and folders to copy
2. Open the Edit menu by clicking on Edit in the menu bar
3. Click Copy
4. Select the destination folder by clicking its name in the left pane.
5. Open the Edit menu by clicking on the Edit in the menu bar
6. Click Paste
•
The copy and paste method using keyboard commands
1. Select the files and folders to copy
2. Press Ctrl+C on the keyboard
3. Select the destination folder
4. Press Ctrl+V on the keyboard
The selected files and folders appeared in the right pane.
•
The drag and drop method
1. Select the files and folders to copy
2. Hold the Ctrl key and drag the selection to the destination folder
Deleting files
Files that are not required any longer should be removed from the disk. Removing files
frees valuable disk space.
1. Select the files and folders to delete
2. Open the File menu by clicking File in the menu
3. Click Delete
Alternatively, once the selection is made, you can press the Delete key on the
keyboard.
Restoring deleted files – the Recycle Bin
When you delete a file, Windows moves it to the Recycle Bin. This is like a garbage
collection area. Files that you remove from other folders stay in the Recycle Bin until you
instruct Windows to delete it.
Then, the Recycle Bin allows you to recover deleted files if they are needed later. Note
that the files deleted from a floppy disk are removed entirely and cannot be restored.
Opening the Recycle Bin
Double click on the Recycle Bin in the Desktop to open it.
In the Recycle Bin window is a list of all the files that can be restored. By default, all
recoverable files are listed alphabetically, with other details such as when the item was
deleted and its original location.
Restoring files and folders
1. Select the files and folders to restore
2. Open the File menu by clicking on File in the menu bar
3. Click Restore
Or
1. Double-click the files and folders to restore
2. Click Restore
The restored files are then moved back to their original location and can be found in
their original folder, even if that folder had been deleted.
Alternatively, once the selection is made, you can drag the selection from the Recycle
Bin and drop it any other location.
Clearing the Recycle Bin
1. Open the File menu by clicking on File in the menu bar
2. Click “Empty the Recycle Bin”
Or
1. Select the first file on the list
2. Press Ctrl+A on the keyboard to highlight all the files to be cleared in the Recycle Bin
3. Press Delete key on the keyboard
A confirmation dialog box will appear. From here, you can click Yes to complete the
action or No to cancel it.
Note that once files are deleted from the Recycle Bin, they can no longer be recovered by
Windows.
(https://www.slideshare.net/AbenezerAbiti/file-management-128262936)