Section 10 - Windows Vista Maintenance

Besides knowing to use your computer, you should also know how to care for your computer. In this tutorial, we will learn about some ways to keep you computer and your datas always safe.

Here are articles relating to Windows Vista maintenance:

Using Windows Vista Automatic Updating

Microsoft always provides updates for Windows operating system in order to make sure that Windows runs smooth, free from problem. You can set so that Windows automatically updates itself or you can install Windows updates manually.
 

Backing Up and Restoring Backed-Up Files

You may lose your datas (files) because you accidentally delete them or your harddisk gets damaged. Therefore, in order to protect them, you should back up them routinely so that when they lose, you can restore them back.

Restoring System Changes

If you change your Windows Vista System or you install a software, and then you find your Windows doesn't work correctly, you can try using Windows System Restore to restore your computer's system to an earlier date (restore point) when everything worked correctly.
 

Creating a Restore Point For System Restore

Actually Windows Vista creates a restore point automatically just before the significant system events happen, such as the installation of a software or device driver. But, if you want, you can create it manually.

Checking and Fixing The Disk For Errors

Windows has an error-checking utility that can check and try to fix your disk for errors. If your harddisk has no errors, surely it will improve the performance of your computer.

Defragmenting Your Drives

Windows Vista provides a tool, called Disk Defragmenter, that functions to perform defragmentation, by rearranging the fragmented data so that your drives (hardisk) can work faster.

Deleting Unnecessary Files Using Disk Cleanup

In order to free up your disk space and help your computer run faster, one way that you can do is by deleting unnecessary files such as temporary internet files, files in recycle bin, etc. Windows provides you the Disk Cleanup, a tool that can scan for various unnecessary files and deleting them as your need.

Managing Startup Programs

Startup programs are programs that run automatically when Windows starts. However, if too many programs run on startup, it can make your Windows starts slowly. Moreover not all of the programs are necessary enough, and if one or more programs are broken or missing, then you'll get error messages when Windows is starting. Therefore you need a tool that can manage them. Windows Defender has a facility for that. By using Windows Defender, you can view all programs on startup, as well as disabling, enabling, or even removing them.

Viewing Your Computer Information

Need to know the specification of your computer? You can view the basic and also the advanced information about your computer easily.

Viewing Your Computer Score

Windows Vista can measures the capability of your computer by testing CPU, RAM, hard disk, general desktop graphics, and 3‑D gaming graphics hardware components of your computer. Each hardware component has its individual subscore. Whereas the base score of your computer is determined by the lowest subscore (not the average of the subscores).

Viewing The Usage of Your Computer's CPU and Memory

You can know some detail about your computer's CPU and memory that are being used through the Task Manager.