PC Maintenance Class 8

Tonight's class was split into two. The first half we discussed Backups, and the second half we discussed Simple Home Networks.

Why Backup your Data?

Superheroes need it, police rely on it and everyone that uses a computer should use some form of it. In the world of mainframes and microchips it's called data backup or data recovery and it can mean the difference between a slight computer setback and living through your own electronic apocalypse.

Let's face it; our computers are a bigger part of life than ever before. We shop, work and play using computers. They've replaced stereos, encyclopaedias, even the mailman. They've become journals, photo albums and canvases for our art.

But computers aren't perfect. Files become corrupt, motherboards malfunction, CPUs call it quits taking our precious data with them.

The best defence is data backup software. Backing up data is vital for businesses; lost information can cause a major crisis or worse, lead to business failure. Individuals who don't backup computer data run the same risk. While this may not cause financial ruin, it can certainly be frustrating and even heart-breaking. So why do so few of us practice data backup?

Here are the common excuses:

"I'm too busy to backup my computer." We are busy; work, family and friends fill our days and leave us little time for boring things like computer maintenance. But today's backup software manufacturers make it easy. Through scheduled backups, your system can automatically perform a backup that fits your needs at an interval you choose - without interrupting life.

"I don't know how to backup data." Like preparing for a natural disaster, most of us understand how important data backup is, but don't know where to start. A big step is deciding how you are going to store the data you backup.

One option is Removable Backup Media, but this only narrows the field a little. You could buy a million 3.5" discs or perhaps invest in a larger-capacity external Zip drive. You could take the plunge into writeable CDs or stretch out your legs with the help of an external hard disk drive.

"My computer won't crash." You've had your computer this long and haven't had problems so far why worry about computer backup now? Data backup is about protecting your data's future, but with computers, it isn't if you crash, it's when you crash.

In today's high-tech world of sneaky spyware and venomous viruses, you are in more danger of data loss than ever before. Computer viruses grew by as much as 11% during 2003 alone.

Like tires on your car, the electronic circuits your computer rides on will eventually wear down and blow out. When this happens, you can either grieve at your loss or simply restore your data with data backup software.

So with that said, Windows Vista and Windows 7 have the built in Backup and Restore Centre to take care of this painlessly for you.

Networking in the Home.

Computer networks help users on the network to share the resources and in communication. Can you imagine a world now without emails, online news papers, blogs, chat and the other services offered by the internet?

The following are the important benefits of a computer network.

File sharing: Networking of computers helps the users to share data files.

Hardware sharing: Users can share devices such as printers, scanners, CD-ROM drives, hard drives etc.

Application sharing: Applications can be shared over the network, and this allows to implement client/server applications

User communication: Networks allow users to communicate using e-mail, newsgroups, and video conferencing etc.

The following are screen shots from the presentation that was shown in class:

PC Maintenance Class 6

Tonight, is Quiz Night....

Well not exactly a pub quiz, but more or a general computing quiz.  The questions we had this evening were loosely based on those given in the Module One, of the ECDL Computing qualification.

I am glad to say, that had the group sat Module One, they would have all passed with flying colours.  The best part of the session was going through the answers, listening to the ambiguity and differences of opinion for some of the answers.

Good time was had by all!

PC Maintenance Class 3

Check out the Windows 7 Control Panel Walkthrough series

As you know, the Control Panel in Microsoft Windows 7 is the central location for all your operating system configuration needs. There, you will find 45 individual tools that will allow you to configure and control just about every aspect of Windows 7.

When you launch it, you’ll discover that the default display for the Control Panel is the Category view and that there are eight categories. You can display the Control Panel in either a large or a small icon view, but either choice shows icons for each of the 45 tools.

Because the Control Panel has so many tools, Microsoft added a Search box to make it easy for you to find the tool that you need for a particular task. Chances are, more often than not, you’ll want to use the Search box when you need to find a specific tool.

To help you become familiar with all the tools that are available in Windows 7’s Control Panel, here is the Windows 7 Control Panel Walkthrough Photo Gallery series, in which you are shown every tool in each of the Control Panel categories.  A brief overview of what each tool does.

To further help you become familiar with all the tools in the Windows 7 Control Panel, each Gallery contains a tree diagram that shows a map of the tools presented in the walkthrough.

Each of the Windows 7 Control Panel Walkthroughs in this series exists as a TechRepublic Photo Gallery on the TechRepublic site.

• System and Security CategoryThe System and Security category is the first one in the Control Panel and contains all the tools that you’ll use to perform system, administrative, and security-related tasks.
• Network and Internet CategoryThe Network and Internet category is the second one in the Control Panel and contains all the tools that you’ll use to check the status of the network, change settings, set preferences for sharing files and computers, configure Internet connections, and much more.
• Hardware and Sound CategoryThe Hardware and Sound category is the third one in the Control Panel and contains all the tools that you’ll use to add and remove printers and other hardware, change system sounds, configure AutoPlay, manage power, update drivers, and more.
• Programs CategoryThe Programs category is the fourth one in the Control Panel and contains all the tools that you’ll use to uninstall programs or Windows features, manage gadgets, and more.
• User Accounts and Family Safety CategoryThe User Accounts and Family Safety category is the fifth one in the Control Panel and contains all the tools that you’ll use to change user account settings and passwords, set up parental controls, manage credentials, and more.
• Appearance and Personalization CategoryThe Appearance and Personalization category is the sixth one in the Control Panel and contains all the tools that you’ll use to change the appearance of desktop items, apply various desktop themes and screen savers, customize the Start menu or Taskbar, and more.
• Clock, Language, and Region CategoryThe Clock, Language, and Region category is the seventh one in the Control Panel and contains all the tools that you’ll use to change date, time, language, numbers, currency, and more.
• Ease of Access CategoryThe Ease of Access category is the eighth one in the Control Panel and contains all the tools that you’ll use to adjust your computer settings for vision, hearing, and mobility as well as configure speech recognition to control your computer with voice commands.

PC Maintenance Class 2

For many in the group tonight, this evenings session was the first time that they had seen the inside of a computer let alone take it apart. 

Believe it or not, sometimes the trickiest part of taking a computer to pieces, can be removing the case lid! Some computers have really fancy cases and locking catches, and it so happened that the demo computer that I had was one of them. What appeared to be a simple case of removing to retaining screws, it appeared that one could then slide the top panel off, however there was a blue switch-like lever that released the lid.

I demonstrated to the group what the various bits and pieces inside the computer were. We looked at all of the components. These are:

• The Mainboard
• The Memory (RAM ...Random Access Memory)
• The Processor / Central Processing Unit (CPU)
• Processor Fan and Heatsink
• Power Supply
• DVD Drive
• PC Case

Whether this is an aspect of the course that you are interested in doing or not, it's nevertheless important to have an understanding of the mechanics that build up a modern day computer. Now despite the fact we stripped the computer completely apart, most PC Maintenance when it comes to fixing our computer, on really involved removing one part, such as a power supply or a DVD drive. So all in all, we probably jumped a bit too deep in the pool for some of the beginners. 

The group was split into two, and I allowed the newer students the opportunity to take apart the demonstration computer, and then afterwards some of the students from last year did the re-assembly.

Here are a few images of the practical exercise.

Saeed and Keith looking serious!

Dick and Roger looking on, in an advisory role!

A Group Effort!

About to Remove the Power Supply

"It looked straightforward last term!!"

For the remaining 20 minutes or so of the class we did a 'fresh' install of Windows 7 onto a laptop, the exercise that failed on us last week....luck was on our side as things worked fine.

Next week we are going to have a proper look at Windows and how it works, and a few things under the bonnet, by exploring the Control Panel!

Tune in next week, same web address, same blog!!  :D

PC Maintenance Class 1

Welcome back to the Autumn Term of the Academic Year of 2012-13 - where did the summer go? Where was the summer at all, many of you will say, however here we are with Autumn officially beginning this week!

We always start each new class with a general introduction session. I find its a good ice breaker for everyone, from the new student to the seasoned veterans that come back!

Although low on numbers, I am hoping that we will be fine this year, two of my classes were cancelled before they got off the ground. Fingers crossed.

Anyway, this first class of the new term was an introductory session to what we cover on this fairly in-depth course. The presentation I used, talked the students through the various aspects of the course that we would be following over the next three terms. Topics that we'll be looking at include: Computer hardware, software, Anti-viruses, Home networking, Wi-fi, Reinstallations, Upgrading, Building a PC from Scratch, Applications, Operating Systems - you name it, we'll cover it! I tell all the students that if there is something specific that they want to do, then to just ask, and we will sort something out!

A copy of the PowerPoint presentation I used in class can be downloaded from here, in PDF format. You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer, and that can be downloaded separately from http://get.adobe.com/reader/ 

The later part of the class we started to look at how Windows 7 was installed fresh on a computer, we had a bit of a glitch because the computer I was using was exceptionally slow, but we will revisit that next week, and start from scratch again.

In terms of reading materials for this class, I still recommend the Windows Plain and Simple Range of books from Microsoft.  They can be purchased from all good book retailers, such as  Amazon.co.uk