Reimaging
Reimaging is the process of replacing your current Hard Drive with an identical one which contains the latest drivers and programs. It will solve all software problems. Your personal documents naturally will not be on the new drive. Before reimaging, you should copy all of your documents to CD's, a USB jump drive, a Flash Card or external Hard Drive so you have a permanent copy. Each CD will hold about 650 MB of information. .If you save your music as data you can fit about 150 songs/CD. Pictures vary in size but average about 400 pictures/CD. Packs of 50 CDs generally sell for under $15 or you can purchase CDs from Mr. Hotz for 25 cents.
The reimaging process takes Mr. Hotz less than a minute followed by personal configuration of the new drive (directions on handout in room 121) which will take you about 10 minutes and must be done in IHA.
Maintenance
Your laptop should be firmly velcroed in your case at all times. Even the process of putting a "naked" laptop on a desk or table can corrupt files on the hard drive by scratching the disk platter. Laptops without cases will be banned from the IHA network.
If you wish to avoid getting reimaged, the following steps will help get rid of pop-up ads, smut, and speed up your computer. Most problems are a result of unintentionally downloading applications and spyware. These applications usually start every time your computer starts, using up computer resources or sending information back to the sites they came from. Never run an .exe file unless you're sure it will install something that you want.
Spybot Search and Destroy
Run Spybot Search & Destroy. Search for updates and download
them. It may ask to install a newer version. The program is set to use the
school's proxy server so it is best done at school. (The advanced mode /
settings will let you uncheck the proxy server if using at home). CIick Check
for Problems (15 minutes). It may find 50, 60 or even hundreds of problems
(personal highest - 363). Click Fix Selected Problems. Click Immunize - OK -
and immunize again.
Remove known nasty programs
through Control Panel
Click Start - Control Panel - Add or
Remove Programs - If any of the programs listed above appear or there is any
program you are sure you do not want, highlight it and remove it. Do not remove
Windows XP HotFixes or DiskData. Remove all search bars and anything mentioning
ads.
msconfig
You can reduce the number of programs which start when your computer starts up.
Click Start - Run - type msconfig - OK. Choose the startup TAB. Any program
that is checked will run by default when the computer starts. In general, the
laptop needs the first 15 or 20 programs, do not uncheck them. On the bottom
half of the list, you may uncheck programs that you do not need. This will not
delete the programs. You can run them when you need them using Start - All
Programs. Thus you can uncheck AOL, AOL Companion, BearShare, KaZaa, ShowBehind,
msmsgs (MS Messenger), and other names which infer ads or downloading.
Windows Update
You should periodically check to see if Microsoft has updated any Windows
components. This is easily done in Internet Explorer by clicking Tools -
Windows Update. The website will scan your computer to see what can be updated.
All critical updates should be installed. You may need to repeat this process
several times to get all critical updates. You will be protected from most known
worms. Non-critical updates are optional.
System Restore
You can go back in time! The System Restore feature allows you to undo changes
that were made to your computer after a certain date. Thus if your computer
started misbehaving last week, you may be able to restore it to the condition it
was in 2 weeks ago. Your laptop should have created "restore points" whenever a
new program was added. This will not remove docs, pics, music files, etc. -
just programs (registry changes, desktop, etc.).
Click Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - System Resore
Restore my computer to an earlier time - Next. All bold Calendar dates have a
possible restore point.