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