The Healthy PC: Preventive Care and Home Remedies for Your Computer

by Carey Holzman

Overview

Learn routine maintenance as well as desktop basics, hard drive care and defragmentation, and plenty more to make your PC more efficient and keep it running smoothly. Learn software management, tame the Internet, secure your machine, deal with downloads, and much more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780072229233
Publisher:	McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media
Publication date:	10/27/2003
Series:	Hardware Series
Pages:	230
Product dimensions:	7.39(w) x 9.17(h) x 0.59(d)

About the Author

McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	xi
	Introduction	xiii
Part I	Basic Maintenance
Chapter 1	Temporary Files, Internet Cache, Scandisk	3
	Deleting the Temp Files	4
	Enabling Automatic Cleanup in Windows XP	6
	Checking Your Disk with Scandisk	7
	Running Scandisk with Windows 98/ME	7
	Running Scandisk with Windows XP	8
	Reading the Scandisk Report	9
	Defragmenting Your Disk	11
	Summary	13
Chapter 2	Improving PC Performance and Reliability	15
	Locating and Eliminating Software Spies	16
	What Is Spyware?	16
	What's the Problem with a Little Advertising?	17
	How Can You Locate and Remove Spyware?	19
	Antivirus: Does This Look Infected to You?	24
	What Can a Virus Do?	24
	How Does Antivirus Software Work?	25
	What Kinds of Viruses Are There?	26
	Darwinism: Why Do Viruses Exist and Who Creates Them?	27
	Self-Defense: How Can I Protect Myself?	27
	This Old Windows	29
	What Kinds of Updates Are There?	30
	How Do I Stay Current?	31
	How Can I Find Out about New Critical Updates?	33
	Summary	36
Chapter 3	Optimizing Your Internet Connection	37
	For Dial-Up Modem Users Only	38
	What Does 56k Actually Mean?	38
	How Can I Determine Which Modem I Have?	40
	How Can I Get a Faster Connection?	44
	How Fast Is My Modem Connecting?	47
	For Broadband Cable Modem, DSL Modem, and Satellite Users Only	49
	How Can I Check My Internet Connection Configuration?	49
	How Can I Determine My Internet Speed?	51
	Summary	51
Part II	Internet 101
Chapter 4	Internet Cookies, Temporary Internet Files, and Pop-ups	55
	Internet Cookies	56
	How Do Internet Cookies Work?	56
	So What's All the Fuss About?	57
	Taming the Cookie Monster	57
	Temporary Internet Files	60
	Are Temporary Internet Files Good or Bad?	61
	Taking Control of Your Temporary Internet Files	63
	Internet Pop-ups	64
	Popping the Pop-ups!	64
	For Windows XP Users: Getting Rid of Messenger Pop-Ups	69
	Summary	72
Chapter 5	All About Email: Spam and Hoaxes	73
	Email Hoaxes	74
	How Can I Tell a Hoax from a Legitimate Message?	75
	What Else Should I Know About Email Hoaxes?	77
	Spam	77
	Why Do I Receive So Many Spam Messages?	77
	Why Is It Called Spam?	78
	Is There Anything I Can Do About Spam?	79
	Summary	86
Chapter 6	Firewalls	87
	What Is a Firewall?	89
	Aren't Firewalls Complicated and Expensive?	89
	What About Hardware Firewalls?	90
	I Was Told Windows XP Includes a Firewall!	92
	How Can I Tell If My Computer Is Vulnerable?	94
	Universal Plug and Play	96
	Disabling UPnP in Windows Me	96
	Disabling UPnP in Windows XP	98
	More on File and Printer Sharing	100
	Removing File and Printer Sharing from Windows 98/Me	100
	Removing Unnecessary Basic Services from Windows XP	100
	Summary	102
Chapter 7	Basic Windows Performance Tips	103
	DMA Mode	104
	Enabling DMA Mode in Windows 98/Me	105
	Enabling DMA Mode in Windows XP	108
	Active Desktop	110
	Disabling Active Desktop in Windows 98/Me	110
	Disabling Active Desktop in Windows XP	111
	Unnecessary Animations	112
	Disabling Unnecessary Animations in Windows 98/Me	113
	Using Tweak UI with Windows 98/Me	114
	Disabling Unnecessary Animations in Windows XP	116
	Fonts	117
	How Many Fonts Are Too Many?	117
	Taking Control of Your Fonts	118
	Windows Swap File	118
	How Does Swapping Work?	118
	Configuring Your Windows Swap File in Windows 98/Me	120
	Summary	123
Part III	Optimize Windows Performance
Chapter 8	More Windows Performance Tips	127
	Unnecessary Software and System Resources	128
	Removing Unnecessary Software	128
	Checking System Resources (for Windows 98/Me Users)	129
	Disabling Unnecessary Programs from Startup	131
	Windows XP Performance	134
	Disabling Unnecessary Services from Windows XP	134
	Turning Off Error Reporting and Automatic Restart in Windows XP	137
	Using NTFS in Windows XP	139
	Summary	142
Chapter 9	Safe Computing	143
	Leave the PC On or Turn It Off?	144
	Using Windows Power Settings for Desktop Computers	145
	Using Windows Power Settings for Laptop Computers	147
	Do I Need a Screensaver?	148
	What's a UPS?	149
	Back Up Your Important Data!	152
	Using a USB Thumb Drive	154
	Backing Up Your Data	155
	Summary	156
Chapter 10	Computer Upgrades	157
	Upgrading Your Operating System	158
	Adding Memory (RAM)	159
	Do I Need More RAM?	159
	What Kind of RAM Is Compatible with My System?	161
	Plugging in RAM	161
	Upgrading Your Monitor	162
	What's the Viewable Area?	162
	LCD or Glass?	163
	Upgrading Your CPU	164
	Upgrading Your Hard Disk	164
	Upgrade Your Internet Connection	165
	Replacing Your Computer	166
	Limitations of Proprietary Computers	166
	Which Computer Should I Get?	166
	Summary	167
Part IV	Advanced Topics
Chapter 11	Preventive Maintenance	171
	Maintain Computer Parts	172
	Blow Out Dust and Debris	172
	Ensure All Fans Are Operating Properly	173
	Verify That the Capacitors on the Motherboard Are Not Leaking	174
	Download the Latest Drivers	175
	Checking Your Current Drivers	176
	Checking for New Drivers	177
	Removing Temp Files Manually	179
	Deleting Temp Files in Windows XP Systems	179
	Deleting Temp Files in Windows Me Systems	182
	Deleting Temp Files in Windows 98 Systems	183
	Summary	185
Chapter 12	What to Do When Things Go Wrong	187
	System Restore	188
	What Does System Restore Do?	188
	Using System Restore (for Windows Me/XP Users)	189
	Safe Mode	191
	Starting Windows 98/Me Systems in Safe Mode	191
	Starting Windows XP Systems in Safe Mode	193
	Software to Avoid	195
	Summary	196
Part V	Appendixes
Appendix A	Free Technical Support	199
	Technical Support Web Sites	200
	PC User Groups	200
	Newsgroups	201
Appendix B	Networking	203
Appendix C	System Resources	207
Appendix D	Windows 98/Me Help!	211
Appendix E	Windows XP Help!	217
Appendix F	Useful and Safe Freeware	221
	Index	225