Day 29

Fixing Common problems

Joke of the Day

... 640K (of RAM) ought to be enough for anybody." -- Bill Gates, 1981.

In this lesson we will look at programs that can help us keep our PCs healthy.

These programs include:

Norton Utilities

PowerQuest Partition Magic 5

Windows 98 Configurator

About these utilities

Introducing Norton Image

Image takes a "snapshot" of a disk's critical file information, a process called imaging. The disk's image is used by the Norton Utilities programs UnErase Wizard and UnFormat (a DOS utility program) to restore deleted files or directories and rebuild deleted folders if you accidentally format or seriously damage a disk.

Image saves your disk's boot record, file allocation tables (FATS), and root information to an image data file (IMAGE.DAT). It also creates an image backup file (IMAGE.BAK) of the previous IMAGE.DAT file, which you can use if your current image file is damaged. Without a disk's image, reconstructing deleted files can be difficult, especially if the files are heavily fragmented. Using Image provides peace-of-mind data protection and ensures the best chance of a full recovery.

Introducing LiveUpdate

Symantec's LiveUpdate technology makes it easy to keep Norton Utilities up-to-date. LiveUpdate uses your computer's modem or Internet connection to download updates directly from Symantec.

About Norton Diagnostics

Norton Diagnostics provides you with tools to test peripheral hardware, memory and other internal components of your computer.

Introducing Norton Disk Doctor

Norton Disk Doctor diagnoses and repairs a variety of disk problems. It performs several tests, checking everything from the disk's partition table to its physical surface. If Norton Disk Doctor finds a problem, it notifies you before making repairs. If you check Automatically Fix Errors, Norton Disk Doctor makes the necessary repairs automatically.

Introducing Norton File Compare

Norton File Compare lets you easily compare different versions of a text file, see what changed between versions, and selectively undo changes. You can use Norton File Compare to compare any two text files, so it is ideal for comparing different versions of initialization (INI) files, program source code files, and even HTML files designed for viewing on the World Wide Web. You can also use Norton File Compare together with Norton Registry Tracker to track modifications and undo changes made to critical files and Windows registry settings.

Introducing Norton Optimization Wizard

Norton Optimization Wizard improves computer performance by optimizing several critical elements of Windows:

Ø Swap FileThe Windows swap file is used for temporary data storage to increase the effective size of your computer's physical memory (RAM). By default, Windows changes the size of the swap file dynamically, to meet changing system conditions. An unfortunate side effect is increased disk fragmentation, which can hurt computer performance. Setting a minimum size for the swap file can reduce or eliminate swap file fragmentation, and, secondarily, slow the normal disk fragmentation process. Norton Optimization Wizard examines your system and sets an efficient minimum swap file size. It also moves the swap file to your fastest drive.

ü SpeedStartMany computer applications in use today are large and complicated. Consequently, you can spend a significant amount of time just waiting for your applications to start. Norton SpeedStart tracks how applications load into memory, and optimizes the loading process. Subsequently, many of your applications will load noticeably faster.

q Registry FilesThe registry is a database used by Windows and other applications to store hardware and software configuration information. The registry is vital to Windows, and the efficiency of data storage in the registry can have an impact on computer performance. Norton Optimization Wizard reorganizes registry data for efficient storage and retrieval, improving the performance of Windows and your software applications.

Introducing Norton Registry Editor

Ø Norton Registry Editor is a powerful tool for managing the Windows registry. In addition to letting you edit, search, import and export registry information, it allows you to track changes to the registry, undo changes and bookmark frequently visited places in the registry.

ü Every time you add software or hardware, the registry database is updated. Other registry settings are changed automatically when you make changes within application programs, such as changing settings in the Windows Control Panel. In most cases, it's easier and safer to make configuration changes this way and thereby avoid making changes directly to the registry.

q However, some modifications can only be made directly in the registry, including some user interface and performance-enhancing customizations and hardware troubleshooting chores. Sometimes, you may want to have a look at the registry just to understand how your programs are configured.

o Use Norton Registry Editor whenever you want information about the registry or your registry settings, or when you need to make changes to the registry or to INI files on your system. System administrators can use it to compare registries and INI files on remote networked PCs.

Introducing Norton Registry Tracker

Norton Registry Tracker helps you keep track of changes made to critical files, folders, and registry keys on your system. Norton Registry Tracker takes "snapshots" of tracked items when they change, showing you the changes that were made and allowing you to restore tracked items to their former state with the Quick Fix and Restore features.

Introducing Norton SpeedStart

Many computer applications in use today are large and complicated. Consequently, you can spend a significant amount of time waiting for your applications to start. Norton SpeedStart, which is enabled from Norton Optimization Wizard, tracks how applications load into memory, and optimizes the loading process. Subsequently, many of your applications will load noticeably faster.

Introducing Norton System Check

Norton System Check provides an alternative to Norton System Doctor. While Norton System Doctor provides continuous monitoring of the health of your system, Norton System Check provides an immediate or scheduled system checkup. Norton System Check finds disk problems and Windows problems, it can improve performance, and it can give your computer a preventative maintenance checkup.

Norton System Check starts with a wizard interface to let you choose the kinds of diagnostic tests you want to perform. After running the tests, Norton System Check displays an easy-to-read report of the problems it has found. Problems are listed by problem type in the order of severity. You can choose to display the list sorted by name or status

Introducing Norton System Doctor

Norton System Doctor continuously monitors your computer to keep it free of problems and running at peak efficiency. It can alert you immediately when conditions require attention, and can fix many problems automatically, without interrupting your work.

The Norton System Doctor main window is a panel of sensors that can monitor just about every aspect of your computer system, including the disks, memory, CPU, and network. Norton System Doctor sensors include alarms that alert you to critical conditions requiring attention. The sensors also provide information that can help you fine-tune the performance of your computer. Double-click any sensor for a brief description of what it does.

Introducing Norton WinDoctor

Norton WinDoctor is the safe and easy way to diagnose and repair the most common types of Windows problems. It checks all the information necessary for Windows to run properly. Plus it checks for components needed by programs that run under Windows.

Introducing Norton WipeInfo

Norton WipeInfo removes all traces of selected files or folders from your hard drive. Free space can also be wiped from your hard drive, ensuring that previously deleted information is not left on your hard drive

Introducing Speed Disk

Ø Speed Disk is the fastest, most efficient way to optimize your hard disks. Speed Disk defragments files and rearranges them for fastest access. Speed Disk has been improved in this version of Norton Utilities to optimize faster and better than ever before. It even defragments and optimizes the Windows swap file.

ü When you start Speed Disk, it scans your primary hard disk and recommends an optimization based on the amount of file fragmentation. You can use the recommended optimization or customize it. Speed Disk can also show you information about file fragmentation and disk cluster usage.

q After using Speed Disk, you will notice marked improvements in computer performance. In addition to the performance gains, optimizing disks improves the chances of recovering deleted or damaged files. Speed Disk can also reduce wear and tear on the disk's read/write heads. When files are fragmented, the read/write heads must make several passes over the disk to locate all of a file's data.

Use Speed Disk regularly to help maintain optimal computer performance and ensure better data recovery. It's a good idea to run Speed Disk any time you have modified large numbers of files.

Introducing System Information

System Information gives you detailed information about your computer, the peripherals keyboard, mouse, printers, and multimedia devices attached to your computer, and your computer's Internet and network connections.

Introducing UnErase Wizard

UnErase Wizard helps you recover deleted files that are protected by Norton Protection, the standard Windows Recycle Bin, or Novell's Salvage (for recovery of files on a network). If a file is recoverable but cannot be recovered automatically, UnErase Wizard helps you to reconstruct it.

On Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me, UnErase Wizard frequently recovers unprotected files as well even those deleted from the Recycle Bin. Although UnErase Wizard can recover files that you did not first protect with Norton Protection, it is a good idea to enable Norton Protection to ensure successful recovery of all deleted files.

You can search for a deleted file by its filename and by words that you think the file may contain. This is especially useful if you can’t remember the filename, but you do remember its topic.

About PartitionMagic

Imagine how disorganized your office would be if you kept all your files in one drawer. Surprisingly, this is similar to the way many people organize the space on their hard disks. With PartitionMagic, you can quickly and easily create partitions, which act as "file drawers," on your hard disks for storing valuable information such as data files, applications, and operating systems. Storing information in separate partitions helps you organize and protect your data, safely run multiple operating systems, and reclaim wasted disk space.

PartitionMagic enables you to secure your data by physically separating it from other files. Separate partitions also make backups to networks and removable drives easy.

PartitionMagic helps you reliably run multiple operating systems on the same computer. Some versions of PartitionMagic also include BootMagic, a powerful boot manager that helps you safely install new operating systems and lets you choose which operating system you want to use when starting your computer.

Because of limitations with the FAT file system which is DOS, Windows 95, and Windows 98, as much as 40 percent of your hard disk space can be wasted. PartitionMagic reclaims wasted space quickly and safely by using more efficient partition sizes. It can also convert FAT partitions to FAT32 and vice versa.

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