Wiley Upgrading and Fixing Computers Do-it-Yourself For Dummies
Contents
1. Performance Information and Figure 1 8 Find properties you nee srity gt System p searen Controt Pane 2 View basic information about your computer System Rating Intel R Pentium R 4 CPU 3 00GHz Installed memory RAM 4 00 GB 3 25 GB usable Pen and Touch r ner splay Touch Input is available fo No Pe this D Computer name domain and workgroup settings Computer name Andy PC BP Change settings Full computer name Andy PC Computer description Workgroup WORKGROUP s to activate Activate Windows now out what edition of Windows your computer runs as well as other computer d to know before upgrading Identifying parts inside your computer The big three Windows version CPU and RAM usually have the most influence on which software and new parts your computer can handle But sometimes you need more detailed information especially about your type of video card for instance or perhaps your DVD drive s make and model Windows burps up this type of information when you prod further as described below 1 Click the Start menu right click the Computer icon and choose Properties Refer to Figure 1 4 Choosing Properties unleashes the System Properties dialog box 2 Click the words Device Manager in the task pane along the window s left Refer to Figure 1 8 The Device Manager dialog box jumps to the screen displaying your computer s parts When2. Always install the ones in the Important Updates category as they contain patches for security problems You needn t install updates from the Recommended Updates categories unless you think they will correct problems you re currently experiencing with your computer Making sure System Restore is working System Restore built into Windows 7 Windows Vista and Windows XP often works miracles for problematic computers If your computer suddenly stops working correctly System Restore often enables you to bring your computer back to a time when everything worked fine When it s working correctly System Restore automatically creates restore points that save important settings when Windows is up and running smoothly The more restore points you have available the more options you have for finding a time when your computer was running strong and lean You can also create your own restore point a useful tool before installing a new part or software by following these same steps To make sure System Restore s running or to fix it if it s not working correctly follow these steps 1 Click the Start button right click Computer and choose Properties as shown in Figure 1 4 The System window appears q Getting Started A Windows Media Center al Andy Taa Calculator Documents Sticky Notes s Pictures W Snipping Tool Music J Paint a Remote Desktop Connection Ca Computer Open ae Ma
3. System type 32 bit Operating System Tools Pen and Touch No Pen or Touch Input is available for this Display Figure 1 5 Click the System Protection option Chapter 1 Start Here First Computer Name Hardware Advanced System Protection P Use system protection to undo unwanted system changes and restore previous versions of files What is system protection System Restore You can undo system changes by reverting your computer to a previous restore point System Restore Protection Settings Available Drives Protection 4 New Volume C System On a New Volume G Off Configure restore settings manage disk space Configure and delete restore points Create a restore point right now for the drives that Greate have system protection tumed on Figure 1 6 Click the Configure button to find System Restore setup options click the Create button to create a restore point 19 Restore Settings System Protection can keep copies of system settings and previous versions of files Select what you would like to be able to restore Restore system settings and previous versions of files Only restore previous versions of files Turn off system protection Disk Space Usage You can adjust the maximum disk space used for system protection As space fills up older restore points will be deleted to make room for new ones Current Usage
4. on Automatic Updates 3 In the Important Updates section shown in Figure 1 3 choose Install Updates Automatically and click the OK button to save your settings GO Choose how Windows can install updates Windows Change settings x 4 Search Control Pane When your computer is online Windows can automatically check for important updates and install them using these settings When new updates are available you can also install them before shutting down the computer How does automatic updating help me Important updates y Install updates automatically recommended y Install new updates Every day gt at 3 00 AM Z Recommended updates E Give me recommended updates the same way receive important updates Who can install updates F Allow all users to install updates on this computer Note Windows Update might update itself automatically first when checking for other updates Read our fivacy statement online Cancel Box Figure 1 3 When the Install Updates Automatically option is selected Windows Update can automatically update your computer are Chapter 1 Start Here First 7 The downloaded updates normally install every day at 3 a m If you normally turn off your computer at night change the installation time to the afternoon by clicking the 3 00 AM drop down and choosing a different time Windows Update organizes patches into two categories
5. version of Windows your computer s type of CPU and its amount of memory 1 Click the Start button right click Computer and choose Properties Refer to Figure 1 4 2 In the Windows Edition section look to see your version of Windows as shown in Figure 1 8 In the System section look at the System Type line to see whether you re running the 32 bit or 64 bit version of Windows Thinking about upgrading your memory You need a 64 bit version of Windows to access 4GB or more of memory I explain the difference between 32 bit and 64 bit versions of Windows in Chapter 18 Using Windows XP Your version of Windows appears in the System section 3 In the System section look at the Processor line to see your computer s type of CPU and its speed in gigahertz GHz Windows XP users will find their processor and amount of memory listed in the Computer area 4 In the System section look at the Installed Memory line to see your amount of memory This particular computer contains 4GB of memory But because it s running a 32 bit version of Windows only 3 25GB of that memory can be used the rest of the memory in this computer is wasted The moral Don t upgrade a 32 bit version of Windows to more than 4GB of memory Chapter 1 Start Here First 2 OO JE System ana Secu Control Panel Home Gy Device Manager EJ Remote settings EJ System protection E Advanced system settings Action Center Windows Update
6. 708 56 MB Max Usage g 5 13 97 GB Delete all restore points this indudes system settings and previous versions of files ox Cancel Figure 1 7 You set options for System Restore in this dialog box 20 Part I Getting Ready to Upgrade NING Identifying your Windows version CPU and amount of memory Computers come in a wide variety of makes and models pieced together with parts made by a variety of manufacturers So how do you know who made what part Luckily Windows takes pity on its users and tells you exactly what parts lurk inside your computer you don t even need to remove its case The first step is finding out your Windows version your computer s central processing unit CPU and its amount of random access memory RAM And why should you care you might ask shifting impatiently in your chair Because when you buy computer software or parts the box s fine print lists the system requirements followed by lots of details about what your computer must have to use the software or part If your computer doesn t meet those detailed requirements the software or part won t work very well if at all on your computer To add insult to injury many stores won t let you return software even if it doesn t work on your computer Some stores even refuse to accept unopened software Check your store s return policy before opening your wallet Follow these steps to locate your
7. D Topics in this chapter v Determining when to upgrade 1 Determining when not to upgrade 1 Upgrading do s and don ts 1 Turning on Windows Update v Making sure System Restore works 1 dentifying your Windows version and your computer s parts Chapter 1 Start Here First Y picked up this book for any of several reasons You may be eyeing Windows 7 Microsoft s newest version of Windows and want to upgrade your computer to meet Windows 7 s needs Perhaps one of your computer s parts died and you re looking for a replacement Or maybe your computer simply needs some fine tuning Either way start with this chapter This chapter starts with the easy stuff by letting you know when it s time to upgrade and when it s time to simply throw in the towel and buy a new computer You discover how to find out what version of Windows lives on your computer as well as how to identify the CPU and amount of memory hiding inside your computer s case This chapter also explains how to identify every part inside your computer s case so you can see if your computer meets those fine print system requirements listed on the side of many software boxes To keep your work as light as possible this chapter explains where Windows 7 has the power to repair itself ifthose powers are turned on and running correctly that is You find complete instructions on making sure the self healing abilities of Windows
8. Update and System Restore are up and running Remember anytime you re not sure what plugs in where check out this book s Appendix It s a visual directory of all your computer s connectors and the gadgets that will fit into them 0 Part I Getting Ready to Upgrade Determining When to Upgrade Your computer usually tells you when it wants an upgrade Some warning signals are subtle others more obvious At worst they can be downright annoying In any case keep track of the following when you re deciding whether it s time to open the wallet and grab the toolbox When your operating system demands it The latest version of Windows Windows 7 is easily Microsoft s best operating system in years If you ve caught the latest and the greatest fever it s easy to find out if your computer is up to snuff Microsoft lists Windows 7 s system requirements at http windows microsoft com systemrequirements and I dissect them in Chapter 18 When you keep waiting for your computer to catch up You press a button and wait And wait When you re constantly working faster than your computer give your computer a boost with some extra memory and a faster video card 1 When you can t afford a new computer When a new computer s out of your price range upgrade your computer one part at a time Add that memory now for example then add a new hard drive with that holiday bonus Time each purchase to match the
9. downloads patches that plug the latest holes found in Windows defenses Windows Update works only if it s turned on however Follow these steps to make sure Windows Update is turned on and working to protect your computer 1 Click the Start button and choose Control Panel Then choose System and Security as shown in Figure 1 1 The System and Security window appears If you see a sea of icons rather than what s shown in Figure 1 1 click the Windows Update icon and click Change Settings from the window s left pane Still using Windows XP Then click the Start button click Control Panel and click Security Center i Getting Started fo i ORE gt Control Panel gt 4 search Contro Panes P D Windows Media Center Andy f 3 a Calculator er Adjust your computer s settings View by Category 7 Documents Sticky Notes 1 Sy User Accounts and amp Pictures w Res Family Safety x Snipping Toot 7 Back up you Ba user D ye Music Find and fix pr at J Paint d Internet any user Games Appearance and Personalization E Remote Desktop Connection 2 Computer Magnifier Control Panel k sj Solitaire 7 Hardware and Sound View devices and printers Add a device 3 Programs Adjust screen resolution Clock Language and E R te i y Be eee Region R Uninstall a progran Change keyboards or other input methods Devices and Printers Default Programs gt All Progra
10. first opened the Device Manager lists the parts found in a typical computer the display adapter for example monitor keyboard and disk drives The next step shows how to reveal the exact brand and model of those parts living in your computer In Windows XP fetch the Device Manager by clicking the Hardware tab and clicking the Device Manager button To see the make and model of a specific part click the little triangle to the left of its name 22 Part I Getting Ready to Upgrade MBER KV amp For example to see what type of video card sits inside your computer click the tiny icon next to Display Adapters the Windows term for a computer s video circuitry As you can see in Figure 1 9 the name of your video card s model and manufacturer appear invaluable information when the part stops working Armed with that information for example you can search for updated drivers translators between Windows and the part To see even more information about that part double click its name and a window appears Click that window s Driver tab to see the manufacturer date and version number of the currently installed driver essential information when you re troubleshooting a part s driver When a particular part stops working look for its make and model in the Device Manager Then head to the manufacturer s Web site and download that part s latest driver a chore covered in Chapter 17 G De
11. gnifier i Control Pa Manage sj Solitaire Map network drive Disconnect network drive Show on Desktop Rename All Programs Properties Figure 1 4 Check in with Sytem Restore via your computer s Properties option 18 Part I Getting Ready to Upgrade 2 From the System window s left pane click System Protection as shown in Figure 1 5 The System Properties window appears opened to the System Protection tab 3 Select the drive called System if necessary it s usually already highlighted as shown in Figure 1 6 and click the Configure button Or to create a restore point click the Create button 4 Choose the setting called Restore System Settings and Previous Versions gO a System and Security System 44 Sear ay A a r of Files as shown in Figure 1 7 If necessary slide the Max Usage bar to the right until it shows around 5 Then click the OK button to save your changes Control Panel Home a s r View basic information about your computer Device Manager Windows edition Remote settings Windows 7 Ultimate System protect Copyright 2009 Microsoft Corporation Advanced system settings All ights reserved E System E Rating 25 Windows Experience Index aio Processor Intel R Pentium R 4 CPU 3 00GHz 3 00 Action Center GHz Windows Update Installed memory RAM 4 00 GB 3 25 GB usable Performance Information and
12. lowest prices When you finally buy your new computer save costs by salvaging your monitor as well as new parts you ve added to your old computer 1 When you want a new part in a hurry Computer repair shops aren t nearly as slow as most repair shops Still do you really want to wait four days for some kid to install that new video card especially when you have a nagging suspicion that you could do it yourself in less than 15 minutes 1 When there s no room for new software When your hard drive constantly spits up Disk Full messages you have three options e Uninstall programs you no longer use and copy unneeded files to CDs or DVDs This takes a lot of time e Better yet replace your computer s hard drive with a larger and faster one a task covered in Chapter 6 Windows 7 makes this easier than ever e Buy a removable drive to serve as a parking garage for files and programs also covered in Chapter 6 Most external drives plug into your computer s USB port a chore as simple as plugging in a thumb drive When you re afraid to open the case Fear of opening your computer s case is no longer an excuse to put off upgrades Many new computer parts now live on the outside of the computer You find external DVD drives and burners hard drives memory card readers sound boxes and much more None of these devices require popping open the case to install them Chapter 1 Start Here First Determining When V
13. ms Help and Support Change display language Figure 1 1 After you open the Control Panel choose System and Security 16 Part I Getting Ready to Upgrade 2 In the Windows Update section click Turn Automatic Updating On or Off as shown in Figure 1 2 The Windows Update Settings window appears Here Windows XP users should click Turn on Automatic Updates if the updates are turned off ce HS Search Controt Pane p GOU gt Control Pa System and Security Control Panel Home System and Security Network and Internet Hardware and Sound Programs Y Action Center R n your computer s status and resolve issues W Change User Account Control settin Troubleshoot common computer problems Restore your computer to an earlier time Windows Firewall User Accounts and Family Check firewall status i Safety Allow a program through Windows Firewal Appearance and z g System Personalization la Clock Language and Region or speed View amount of RAM and proc Experience Index Ease of Access See the name of this computer Windows Update Turn automati pdating on or off Check for updates View installed updates Power Options Require a pa sword when the computer wakes Change what the power buttons do Change when the computer sleeps Figure 1 2 Click in the Windows Update section to find settings for turning
14. omething doesn t fit right stop scratch your head and try again using a slightly different tactic When trying to plug a cable into the back of your computer for example look closely at the end of the cord and then scrutinize the plug where it s supposed to fit See how the pins are lined up a certain way See how the plug s shape differs on one side Turn the plug until it lines up with its socket and push slowly but firmly Sometimes it helps if you jiggle it back and forth slightly Ask your spouse to tickle you gently Things that plug directly into things inside your computer seem to need the most force Things that plug onto the outside by contrast slip on pretty easily They also slip off pretty easily so some of the cables have little thumb screws to hold everything in place firmly Don t bend cards Many of your computer s internal organs are mounted on fiberglass boards That s the reason there s a warning coming up right now Don t bend these boards no matter how tempting Bending the board can break the circuits subtly enough to damage the card Worse yet the cracks can be too small to see so you may not know what went wrong If you hear little crackling sounds while you re doing something with a board plugging it into a socket or plugging something into it you re pushing the wrong way Stop regroup and try again Check out Chapter 9 and make sure you re pushing the right type of card into
15. ou Shouldn t Upgrade Sometimes you shouldn t upgrade your own computer Keep your hands off during any of the following circumstances When a computer part breaks while under warranty If your new computer is under warranty let the manufacturer fix it In fact trying to fix or replace a part sometimes voids the warranty on the rest of your computer Some manufacturers void the warranty if you simply open your computer s case Read the warranty s fine print before grabbing a screwdriver ay Keep track of your warranty expiration date it s usually listed on your sales receipt Lost it Some manufacturers Gateway Dell and a few others provide access to your warranty information through their Web sites as described in Chapter 21 On a Friday Don t try to install a new computer part on a Friday afternoon When you discover that the widget needs a left bracket too many shops will be closed leaving you with a table full of detached parts until Monday morning When youw re working on a deadline Just like kitchen remodeling computer upgrading sometimes takes twice as long as you d originally planned Most parts install in a few minutes but always allow yourself a little leeway If your computer is old Not all computers can be upgraded If you bought your computer before 2004 you re probably pouring money into a sinking ship Check out your Windows Experience Index in Windows 7 described in Chapter 18 and see how
16. the right slot 14 Part I Getting Ready to Upgrade How to fish out dropped screws When a screw falls into the inner reaches Still can t find it Pick up the computer s of your computer it usually lands in a spot case with both hands gently turn it inaccessible to human fingers The follow upside down and tilt it from side to side ing should call it back home The screw should fall out s it in plain sight Try grabbing it with 1 If you still can t find the screw and it s some long tweezers If that doesn t not making any noise check the floor work wrap some tape sticky side out beneath the computer Sometimes around the end of a pencil or chopstick screws hide in the carpet where only With a few deft pokes you may be able bare feet can find them to snag it A magnetized screwdriver can Don t power up your computer until you can come in handy here as well p Py p y account for every screw or you ll find your If you don t see the runaway screw self with even worse problems a shorted gently tilt the computer to one side and out motherboard Give your computer a then the other Hopefully the screw will final shake before putting the case back on roll out in plain sight If you can hear it Any lost screws will announce their pres roll you can often discover where it s ence with a telltale rattle hiding Don t rush yourself Give yourself plenty of time to install a new part If you r
17. tricity you should discharge yourself no matter how gross that sounds before starting to work on your computer Touch a piece of bare metal like the edge of a metal desk or chair to ground yourself You also must ground yourself each time you move your feet especially when standing on carpet wearing slippers or after moving the cat back out of the way If you re living in a particularly static prone environment pick up a wrist grounding strap at the computer store They usually sell them near the packages of memory NING Chapter 1 Start Here First 13 Do hang on to your old boxes manuals warranties and receipts When you need to pack up your computer for a move nothing works better than its old box and packaging material I keep mine on the top shelf in the garage just in case I move Don t bother hanging on to the smaller boxes though like the ones that come with a video card or mouse Hang on to all your old manuals even if you don t understand a word they say Sometimes a new part starts arguing with an older part and the manuals often have hints on which switch to flip to break up the fight At the least they list the part s model number an important fact when troubleshooting Just push some dust mice aside under the bed and slide all the manuals under there Don t force parts together p g Everything in your computer is designed to fit into place smoothly and without too much of a fight If s
18. ush yourself or get nervous you re much more likely to break something which can cause even more nervousness Start early in the week or even on a Sunday so you ll know the stores will be open the next day if something goes wrong Don t open up monitors or power supplies You can t repair anything inside monitors or power supplies Also the power supply stores up voltage even when it s not plugged in Ryu gt Don t ever try to open your power supply or monitor They can store electricity inside that may really zap you Do Vour Prep Work Before beginning to upgrade make sure you ve fastened your seat belt by carrying out all the steps in the following sections Chapter 1 Start Here First 15 Turn on Windows Update Bored youngsters work late nights probing Windows to locate programming problems When they discover a new flaw they write a virus or worm a small malicious program meant to do damage such as erasing important files to take advantage of it These kids release the virus and it begins damaging people s computers as it spreads worldwide When alerted to a new security exploit as they re called Microsoft programmers scratch their heads and wonder what s wrong with today s youth Then they release a special piece of software to fix the problem To grab that special software called a patch or update your computer needs Windows Update Microsoft s free Windows Update program automatically
19. ve trouble figuring out which particular part is gagging your computer Do make a restore point before every upgrade The Windows System Restore feature does a great job of reinstating your computer s settings that made it run smooth and clean However System Restore works only if your computer has a restore point for it to return to If you re installing anything that involves software drivers or setup programs head to the section Making sure System Restore is working later in this chapter That section describes how to make your own restore points to supplement the ones Windows automatically creates So make a restore point that describes what you re about to do Before installing that wireless network adapter for instance make a restore point with the name Before installing the new wireless network adapter Then if the wireless network adapter bulldozes your finely tuned network settings System Restore can return to those peaceful days when your network buzzed happily giving you time to troubleshoot the problem Do watch out for static electricity Static electricity can destroy computer parts That s why many computer parts especially things on circuit cards come packaged in weird silvery bags that reflect light like the visor on an astronaut s helmet That high tech plastic stuff absorbs any stray static before it zaps the part inside To make sure that you don t zap a computer part with static elec
20. vice Manager EER Eo A File Action View Help 8 m amp 4 tq Andy PC 7 Computer Gy Disk drives Display adapters N k NVIDIA GeForce 6600 Microsoft Corporation WDDM 43 DVD CD ROM drives Floppy disk drives ce Floppy drive controllers W Human Interface Devices Gg IDE ATA ATAPI controllers IEEE 1394 Bus host controllers lt gt Keyboards A Mice and other pointing devices E Monitors E Network adapters a Portable Devices D Ports COM amp LPT Processors Sound video and game controllers System devices Universal Serial Bus controllers Figure 1 9 The Device Manager can tell you all the details you need to know about the parts in your computer
21. well your computer s CPU rates Old CPUs are expensive to upgrade making a new computer a better deal Or if you re running Windows XP download Windows Upgrade Advisor also in Chapter 18 to see if your computer s still powerful enough for Windows 7 ay Before upgrading a computer check these numbers Add the cost of needed parts more memory a bigger hard drive a faster video card and or monitor a DVD burner and updated software including Windows 7 and compare it with the cost of anew computer Chances are a new computer costs less Plus it already comes with Windows 7 and its parts will all be compatible Upgrade Do s and Don ts Over the years as hungry computer repair technicians swapped tales of occupational stress they gradually created a list known as The Upgrade Do s and Don ts The following tips have all been salvaged from lunchroom discussions across the nation and placed here for quick retrieval 11 2 Part I Getting Ready to Upgrade Do upgrade one thing at a time Even if you ve just returned from the computer store with more memory a wireless network card a new hard drive and a new monitor don t try to install them all at once Install one part and make sure that it works before going on to the next part If you can stand it wait a day to make sure no problems turn up If you install more than one part at the same time and your computer doesn t work when you turn it on you may ha
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search