De-Bugging and Tuning Up Your PC Let’s Get the Gunk Out The slides for this presentation are available on the web. For directions to get to them see “Sharing Your Presentation” at http:// WhiteHouseComputing.Blogspot.Com

Why Has It Slowed Down?

Why Has It Slowed Down? Need to know a little about how it works Memory Do you work a little slower as you get older? Is some of that because you can’t remember where you put stuff? Computers have the same problem.

Need to know a little about how it works

Memory

Do you work a little slower as you get older? Is some of that because you can’t remember where you put stuff?

Computers have the same problem.

Why Has It Slowed Down? Need to know a little about how it works Memory Two kinds of computer memory RAM (Random Access Memory) No moving parts All electronic Operates at the speed of light Disk Hard disk drive Electro/mechanical device Thousands of times slower

Need to know a little about how it works

Memory

Two kinds of computer memory

RAM (Random Access Memory)

No moving parts

All electronic

Operates at the speed of light

Disk

Hard disk drive

Electro/mechanical device

Thousands of times slower

Why Has It Slowed Down? When there is not enough of this This gets used instead Memory

Why Has It Slowed Down? Memory - RAM “ But I didn’t take any RAM memory OUT! It didn’t used to be slow! Why is it slow now?” Stuff YOU put in memory when you: Added a printer Added virus checking Added a firewall Added anything that needs to be running at all times LOOK WHAT IS RUNNING HERE!

Added a printer

Added virus checking

Added a firewall

Added anything that needs to be running at all times

LOOK WHAT IS RUNNING HERE!

Why Has It Slowed Down? Memory - RAM “ But I didn’t take any RAM memory OUT! It didn’t used to be slow! Why is it slow now?” Stuff you didn’t know was added: Spyware “ a broad category of malicious software designed to intercept or take partial control of a computer's operation without the informed consent of that machine's owner or legitimate user.” Wikipedia

Spyware

“ a broad category of malicious software designed to intercept or take partial control of a computer's operation without the informed consent of that machine's owner or legitimate user.”

Wikipedia

Why Has It Slowed Down? Memory - RAM “ But I didn’t take any RAM memory OUT! It didn’t used to be slow! Why is it slow now?” Stuff you didn’t know was added: Spyware when you downloaded that cute shoping helper

Spyware

when you downloaded that cute shoping helper

Why Has It Slowed Down? Memory - RAM “ But I didn’t take any RAM memory OUT! It didn’t used to be slow! Why is it slow now?” Stuff you didn’t know was added: Spyware when you downloaded that music “sharing” program

Spyware

when you downloaded that music “sharing” program

Why Has It Slowed Down? Memory - RAM “ But I didn’t take any RAM memory OUT! It didn’t used to be slow! Why is it slow now?” Stuff you didn’t know was added: Spyware – Where can I find out more? WWW.Wikipedia.Com How can I get rid of it and protect against it? September 2006 edition of Consumer Reports Free AntiSpyware Tradenamed Ad-Aware From Lavasoft at WWW.Lavasoft.Com

Spyware – Where can I find out more?

Why Has It Slowed Down? RAM – How Much is Enough? For Windows XP Microsoft recommends at least 128MB I recommend at least 512 MB For Windows Vista Microsoft recommends: Minimum of 512 MB for Vista “Capable” machines Minimum of 1GB for Vista “Premium Ready” machines

For Windows XP Microsoft recommends at least 128MB

I recommend at least 512 MB

For Windows Vista Microsoft recommends:

Minimum of 512 MB for Vista “Capable” machines

Minimum of 1GB for Vista “Premium Ready” machines

Why Has It Slowed Down? Memory – Hard Drive This kind of memory is usually called “storage” Your primary (usually your only) hard drive is your “C:” drive Too little available space on your C: drive will slow your computer On an XP system you should always have at least 2GB available See next slide for how to tell

This kind of memory is usually called “storage”

Your primary (usually your only) hard drive is your “C:” drive

Too little available space on your C: drive will slow your computer

On an XP system you should always have at least 2GB available

See next slide for how to tell

Why Has It Slowed Down? Memory – Hard Drive How Do I Tell How Much Available Space I Have on The C: Drive? Left Click “Start” Left Click “My Computer” Right click “Local disk (C:)” Left click “Properties”

Left Click “Start”

Left Click “My Computer”

Right click “Local disk (C:)”

Left click “Properties”

Why Has It Slowed Down? Memory – Hard Drive How Do I Free Up Space on My Hard Drive? Left click “Start” All Programs Accessories System Tools Left click on Disk Cleanup Check and Delete any or all as you think appropriate

Left click “Start”

All Programs

Accessories

System Tools

Left click on Disk Cleanup

Check and Delete any or all as you think appropriate

Why Has It Slowed Down? Memory – Hard Drive Fragmented Files on Your Hard Drive What are they? Files stored in pieces How do I “fix” them” DeFragment the disk

What are they?

Files stored in pieces

How do I “fix” them”

DeFragment the disk

Why Has It Slowed Down? Memory – Hard Drive Fragmented Files on Your Hard Drive

Fixing Fragmented Files on Your Hard Drive Memory – Hard Drive Fixing Fragmented Files on Your Hard Drive Click on “Start” Programs Accessories System Tools Disk DeFragmenter Helpful Links: http:// helpdesk.its.uiowa.edu/windows/instructions/defrag.htm http:// support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid =kb;en-us;314848

Click on “Start”

Programs

Accessories

System Tools

Disk DeFragmenter

Improving Security Four Rules Run Windows Update – plug the holes that let the gunk in Microsoft Critical Security Bulletins for February 2007 Lets click above and take a look at the six “critical” fixes “ An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.” Or in other words… THE HACKER OWNS YOU

Four Rules

Run Windows Update – plug the holes that let the gunk in

Improving Security Windows Update Why are there holes in Windows? What is a “ buffer overflow ” and why should I care? Black Hats and White Hats and the Blue Hat Conference Zombies – Is YOUR machine attacking someone? When and How Often Should Windows Update run?

Windows Update

Why are there holes in Windows?

What is a “ buffer overflow ” and why should I care?

Black Hats and White Hats and the Blue Hat Conference

Zombies – Is YOUR machine attacking someone?

When and How Often Should Windows Update run?

Improving Security Demo Windows Update Start All Programs Windows Update Set up to run automatically Link to Microsoft FAQ on Windows Update

Demo Windows Update

Start

All Programs

Windows Update

Set up to run automatically

Link to Microsoft FAQ on Windows Update

Improving Security Four Rules Run Windows Update – plug the holes that let the gunk in For Virus and Spyware gunk that gets in anyway… 2. Install and run Anti Virus software – keep subscription current

Four Rules

Run Windows Update – plug the holes that let the gunk in

Improving Security The Subscription Process AntiVirus includes two critical components: 1. Software - purchased 2. Virus Descriptions – subscribed to What happens to protection when the subscription runs out? Answer: a virus created after that date will be much harder – maybe impossible – for your antivirus software to detect.

The Subscription Process

Improving Security Four Rules Run Windows Update – plug the holes that let the gunk in For Virus and Spyware gunk that gets in anyway… 2. Install and run Anti Virus software – keep subscription current 3. Install and run AntiSpyware software–keep subscription current

Four Rules

Run Windows Update – plug the holes that let the gunk in

Improving Security Four Rules Run Windows Update – plug the holes that let the gunk in For Virus and Spyware gunk that gets in anyway… 2. Install and run Anti Virus software – keep subscription current 3. Install and run AntiSpyware software–keep subscription current 4. Run a Firewall Start Control Panel Security Center 4. Windows Firewall 5. On Note – assumes you are not running a different firewall already

Four Rules

Run Windows Update – plug the holes that let the gunk in

Start

Control Panel

Security Center

Improving Security Registry Cleanup – Creating a System Restore Point What is the Windows Registry ? How do I clean it up? http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=171203805 BEFORE any attempt to work on the Windows Registry ** CREATE A SYSTEM RESTORE POINT **

Registry Cleanup – Creating a System Restore Point

What is the Windows Registry ?

How do I clean it up?

http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=171203805

BEFORE any attempt to work on the Windows Registry

Improving Security Registry Cleanup Creating a System Restore Point Click Start All Programs Accessories System Tools Click System Restore Click Create a Restore Point then Next Type description of this restore point Click create Restoring TO a Previous Point Do steps 1 to 5 2. Click Restore my Computer.. 3. Click Next, Follow Directions

Registry Cleanup

Creating a System Restore Point

Click Start

All Programs

Accessories

System Tools

Click System Restore

Click Create a Restore Point then Next

Type description of this restore point

Click create

Do steps 1 to 5

De-Gunk a New Computer “ The PC De-Crapifier” Jason York See the article “ Consumer Watch: New-PC Gunk: Extras You Don't Want:” in the September 2006 “PC World” Or http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,126466/article.html

“ The PC De-Crapifier”

Jason York

See the article

“ Consumer Watch: New-PC Gunk: Extras You Don't Want:”

in the September 2006 “PC World”

Or http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,126466/article.html

Fini Jim’s Blog http:// WhiteHouseComputing.Blogspot.Com

Jim’s Blog

http:// WhiteHouseComputing.Blogspot.Com