Gateway Profile 6 Service Manual

CHAPTER5
55
Maintaining Your
Computer
•Setting up a maintenance schedule
•Caring for your computer
•Cleaning your computer
•Updating Windows
•Using BigFix
•Managing hard drive space
•Scheduling maintenance tasks
•Moving from your old computer
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CHAPTER5: Maintaining Your Computer
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Setting up a maintenance 
schedule
Use the following table to set up a regular maintenance 
schedule.
Caring for your computer
To extend the life of your computer:
•Be careful not to bump or drop your computer, and do 
not put any objects on top of it. The case, although 
strong, is not made to support extra weight.
•When transporting your computer, we recommend that 
you put it in the original packaging materials.
•Keep your computer away from magnetic fields....

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•Avoid subjecting your computer to extreme 
temperature changes. The case can become brittle and 
easy to break in cold temperatures and can melt or 
warp in high temperatures. Damage due to either 
extreme is not covered by your warranty. As a general 
rule, your computer is safest at temperatures that are 
comfortable for you.
•Keep all liquids away from your computer. When spilled 
onto computer components, almost any liquid can 
result in expensive repairs that are not covered...

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Cleaning the exterior
•Always turn off your computer and other peripheral 
devices before cleaning any components.
•Use a damp, lint-free cloth to clean your computer and 
other parts of your system. Do not use household 
abrasive or solvent cleaners because they can damage 
the finish on components.
•Your computer is cooled by air circulated through the 
vents on the case, so keep the vents free of dust. With 
your computer turned off and unplugged, brush the 
dust...

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Cleaning the mouse
If the mouse pointer begins moving erratically across the 
computer screen or becomes difficult to control precisely, 
cleaning the mouse will likely improve its accuracy.
To clean the mouse:  
•Wipe the bottom of the mouse with a damp, lint-free 
cloth.
Cleaning optical discs
Optical discs (CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray Discs) get dirty from 
frequent handling.
To clean an optical disc:  
•Wipe from the center to the edge, not around in a circle, 
using a product made...

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For information on running Windows Update, see “Windows 
Update” in the online User Guide. Windows Update can also 
be controlled through the Windows Security Center. For more 
information, see “Protecting Your Computer” in the online 
User Guide. 
Using BigFix
BigFix monitors your computer for problems and conflicts. It 
automatically gathers information about the latest bugs, 
security alerts, and updates from BigFix sites on the Internet. 
Whenever BigFix detects...

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Managing hard drive space
Windows provides several utilities you can use to check hard 
drive space, delete unnecessary files, defragment files, and 
back up files.
Checking hard drive space
To check hard drive space:  
1Click  (Start) then click Computer. The Computer 
window opens.Shortcut
StartÖ ComputerÖ right-click driveÖProperties
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2Right-click the drive that you want to check for available 
file space, then click Properties. Drive space 
information appears.
Deleting unnecessary files
Delete unnecessary files, such as temporary files and files in 
the Recycle Bin, to free hard drive space.
To delete unnecessary files:  
1Click  (Start), All Programs, Accessories, System 
Tools, then click Disk Cleanup. The Disk Cleanup dialog 
box opens.Shortcut
StartÖ ComputerÖ right-click driveÖ PropertiesÖ...

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2Click one of the options:
•My files only cleans only the folders for the 
currently logged in user.
•Files from all users on this computer cleans all 
folders.
The Disk Cleanup dialog box opens.
3Click to select the types of files you want to delete, then 
click OK. The types of files you indicated are deleted.
Checking the hard drive for errors
The Error-checking program examines the hard drive for 
physical flaws and file and folder problems. This program 
corrects file and folder...

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3Click Check Now, then click Start. Your drive is checked 
for errors. This process may take several minutes. 
After Windows has finished checking the drive for 
errors, it provides a summary of the problems that it 
found.
4Correct any problems that are found by following the 
on-screen instructions.
5Click OK.
Defragmenting the hard drive
When working with files, sometimes Windows divides the file 
information into pieces and stores them in different places on...