Business Computing Tips

By Karen Fainges

If you go to the start button and up to programs, you will find a heading called
accessories. These can vary depending on your machine, but all windows 95 and
later
machines have a list of system tools. These tools can be very valuable in
keeping your
machine running at peak level.

Disc cleanup- This program is used to delete old, unwanted files off your
system. For
example it can empty the recycle bin, remove temporary files, and dump old
programs you
don't use. It is a good idea to do this about once a month, once a fortnight if
you are
a heavy internet user. Just chose the disc you want to clean, (normally c:) and
select
the options you want.

Disc defragmenter - this tidies all the files on your computer so things are
easier to
find. This speeds up the computer, & also warns you about any bad sectors that
may have
crept in. Again, running this about once a month is fine. Just select the drive
to
defragment. For most systems, this is c:.

Scandisc - this is the program you will notice running when you switch off the
computer
without shutting down properly. If you think there is an error, you can run this
without
turning your computer off first. It will go through and find files that seem too
large,
in the wrong place or broken and offer advice. When in doubt, save the drive
first
before making changes. It will automatically ask you do to this in any case.

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Please feel free to pass this newsletter on to your friends, just let them know
I wrote
it.

Karen Fainges holds a Bachelor of Business, and a Grad. Dip. of Vocational and
Educational Training. All that is nice but it's the 14 years of having to make
sales or
starve that make her think she has really learnt what does and doesn't work. A
tutor for
all ages, she specialises in helping people get started on the long road to
technology.

"It has to be practical, it has to be cheap, and it has to work."

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