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Table of Contents
PC Maintenance............................................................................. 1
Creating Data Backup Discs.......................................................................1
Creating System Recovery Discs .................................................................1
Microsoft System Restore ......................................................................... 16
Application and Driver Recovery .............................................................. 16
System Recovery Overview......................................................................17
Creating System Recovery Discs ............................................................... 18
Creating a Recovery Tools CD.................................................................. 18
Running System Recovery from Recovery Discs........................................... 19
Running System Recovery from the Hard Disk Drive .................................... 19
iv
PC Troubleshooting and Maintenance Guide
PC Maintenance
This section includes information about tasks you can
perform to help ensure the trouble-free operation of
your PC, and to ease the recovery of important
information on your PC should problems arise in the
future.
Creating Data Backup Discs
You can use the CD or DVD burning software included
on your PC to create backup discs of important
information including personal files, e-mail messages,
and Web site bookmarks.
When writing data to a backup disc, you should use
software that includes write verification functionality.
This verification feature compares the data on your
hard disk drive with the data copied to the disc to
ensure it is an exact copy. Depending on your disc
burning software, you may need to manually enable
this feature.
Running the Disk Cleanup
Program
The Disk Cleanup program frees up space on your
hard disk drive by removing temporary and unused
files (including Temporary Internet Files and files in the
Recycle Bin). You can run Disk Cleanup manually, or
you can set it up to run automatically.
Running Disk Cleanup manually
1 Click Start, All Programs, Accessories,
System Tools, and then click Disk Cleanup.
Disc Cleanup searches for files to delete and
calculates how much disk space can be saved.
2 Choose the files to delete by placing a check mark
in the check box next to the file types listed.
3 Click OK, and then click Yes to finish deleting the
selected files.
Scheduling Disk Cleanup to run
automatically
Creating System Recovery Discs
This is a one-time step that you should perform while
your PC is working properly. If you later encounter
problems with your PC, you can restore it to its
original configuration using the System Recovery discs
that you create.
Before creating recovery discs, read “System Recovery
Overview” on page 17, and then create the discs as
described in “Creating System Recovery Discs” on
page 18.
Removing Unused Programs
1 Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2 Double-click Add or Remove Programs. The
Add or Remove Programs window opens.
3 Select the program you want to remove, and click
the Change/Remove button.
4 Follow the onscreen instructions.
NOTE: Some programs have their own uninstall
features. If you cannot uninstall a program from the
Control Panel, try using the program to uninstall.
1 Click Start, and then Run, and type the following
into the open field (note there is a space between
the r and the /): cleanmgr /sageset:100
2 Select the types of files that you want removed (for
example, temporary files, Temporary Internet Files,
and the files in the Recycle Bin).
3 Click OK to save the settings.
4 Click Start, All Programs, Accessories,
System Tools, and then click Scheduled Tasks.
5 Double-click Add Scheduled Task and then
click Next.
6 Select Disk Cleanup from the application list and
then click Next.
7 Accept the default task name or type a name for
the task, select when the task is performed, and
click Next.
8 Select the time and reoccurrence (if available), and
click Next. Disk cleanup may take a long time, so
select a time when the PC is on but not in use.
9 Enter your login name and password and
click Next.
If you do not have a password, leave the Password
field blank and click Next
.
PC Troubleshooting and Maintenance Guide 1
10 Select Open advanced properties for this
task when I click Finish and click Finish.
11 In the Run field of the Disk Cleanup window add
/sagerun:100 at the end of the path. For example:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\cleanmgr.exe
/sagerun:100
12 Click OK and, if prompted, verify your password.
Disk Cleanup runs at the time you have set.
3 On the Windows Advanced Options menu, use the
arrow keys to select Safe Mode and press the
Enter key.
4 Press the Enter key again to select the operating
system.
5 Log on to Windows. When the Desktop message
appears, click Yes to continue in Safe Mode.
6 After Windows starts, use the previous procedure
to run the Disk Defragmenter program.
Running the Disk Defragmenter
Program
When Windows stores files on your hard disk drive, it
often divides them into multiple pieces (or fragments)
so they fit into available space on the drive. When
you attempt to open a fragmented file, it must be
retrieved from more than one place, so the process
takes more time.
The Disk Defragmenter program groups the
fragmented files together on your hard disk drive to
improve PC performance. This does not affect the
location of files and folders on your PC.
NOTE:
long time to complete. You can run it unattended
overnight.
1 Open the Windows Task Manager by pressing
2 On the Applications tab, select all the programs
3 Click Start, choose All Programs,
4 In the Volume column, select the hard disk drive you
If Disk Defragmenter repeatedly starts, a hidden
background program is still accessing the hard disk
drive. Restart the PC in Safe Mode and run the Disk
Defragmenter program again:
1 Click Start, Turn Off Computer, and then
2 Press the F8 key as soon as the first logo screen
The Disk Defragmenter program may take a
the Ctrl key, the Alt key, and the Delete key at the
same time.
that are listed, and then click End Task. Close the
Task Manag e r.
Accessories, System Tools, and then click Disk
Defragmenter.
want to defragment (typically C:), and then click
Defragment.
Restart.
appears.
Checking for Hard Disk Drive
Errors
Perform the following procedure to check the integrity
of the hard disk drive in Windows XP. Close all open
programs before beginning the disk check.
1 Click Start, and then click My Computer.
2 In the window that opens, right-click the hard
disk drive that you want to check, and click
Properties.
3 In the Properties window, click the Tools tab.
4 Under Error-checking, click Check Now.
5 If desired, click the check box next to
Automatically fix file system errors and
Scan for and attempt recovery of bad
sectors.
6 Click Start. If prompted to restart, click Yes to
restart the PC.
Understanding Hard Disk
Drive Space
Compaq PCs with the Windows XP operating system
preinstalled may appear to have a hard disk drive
smaller than what is stated in the product
specifications, in the documentation, or on the box.
Hard disk drives are described and advertised by
manufacturers in terms of decimal (base 10) capacity.
Windows and other programs, such as FDISK, use the
binary (base 2) numbering system.
In decimal notation, one megabyte (MB) is equal to
1,000,000 bytes, and one gigabyte (GB) is equal to
1,000,000,000 bytes. In the binary numbering
system, one megabyte is equal to 1,048,576 bytes,
and one gigabyte is equal to 1,073,741,824 bytes.
Because of the different measuring systems, you may
see a difference between the size reported by
Windows and the size advertised. The storage
capacity of the hard disk drive is as advertised.
2
PC Troubleshooting and Maintenance Guide
Windows reports smaller capacity in the Windows Explorer tool and in the My Computer window because it
shows information about one partition on the hard disk drive at a time. The first partition contains the System
Recovery information.
Recommended Maintenance Schedule
Daily Weekly Monthly Quarterly (seasonally)
Manage e-mail
•
Delete e-mail from
unknown sources.
•
Do not open untrusted
attachments.
•
File e-mail.
Optimize performance
Optimize your browser
Protect against viruses,
adware, and spyware
•
Update definition files
or schedule a weekly
automatic update.
•
Run a full virus, adware, and
spyware scan or schedule a
weekly automatic scan.
•
Run Disk Cleanup.
(See “Running the Disk
Cleanup Program” on
page 1.)
•
Check for disk errors.
(See “Checking for Hard
Disk Drive Errors” on
page 2.)
•
Run Disk Defragmenter.
(See “Running the Disk
Defragmenter Program”
page 2.)
•
Delete cookies.
•
Delete cache.
•
Delete history files.
Use Windows Update
•
Check for updates
or schedule a monthly
automatic update.
(See the Getting Started Guide for details.)
Review the Start menu
•
Set to launch only needed
applications.
Clean up the desktop
•
Delete or uninstall unneeded
icons and applications.
(See “Removing Unused
Programs” on page 1.)
Set new passwords
(See the Getting Started
Guide for details.)
Clean the PC, monitor,
keyboard, and mouse
•
For detailed cleaning
instructions, go to
http://www.hp.com/
support
select your country/region
and language, search on
your PC model number,
and then search on the
keyword cleaning.
Empty the Recycle Bin
•
This, and other cleanup
tasks, can be performed with
the Disk Cleanup program.
(See “Running the Disk
Cleanup Program” on
page 1.)
Back up important files to
CD or DVD
(See “Creating Data Backup
Discs” on page 1.)
Maintain overall condition
•
Check cleanliness.
•
Make sure ventilation is
unobstructed.
•
Secure all connections and
cabling.
Create a Restore Point
(See “Microsoft System
Restore” on page 16.)
PC Troubleshooting and Maintenance Guide 3
Troubleshooting PC
Problems
This section contains a series of tables that describe
possible solutions to problems that may occur when
using your PC. Each table contains:
•
Symptoms that describe the sign or warning
message for the type of problem.
•
Possible solutions that describe what you should
do to try to solve the problem.
The troubleshooting tables appear in the following
order:
•
Audio
•
Video
Audio
Symptom Possible solution
•
CD and DVD Drives
•
Display (Monitor)
•
Hard Disk Drive
•
Hardware Installation
•
Internet Access
•
Keyboard and Mouse
•
Power
•
Performance
•
Miscellaneous
For additional information about monitor problems, or
for problems relating specifically to your printer, refer
to the documentation provided by the product’s
manufacturer.
No sound is produced.
Codec error messages
appear when certain
audio files are played.
Press the Mute button on the keyboard to see if the Mute feature is turned on.
Or
1
Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2
Click Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices, and then Sounds and Audio
Devices.
3
Click the Mute check box to remove the check mark from the box.
Click the task bar Volume icon (), or use the keyboard controls to increase the volume.
Ensure powered (active) speakers are turned on.
Turn off your PC, and reconnect the speakers.
Press the Standby button (select models only), or press the Esc key on the keyboard to resume
from standby mode.
Replace the passive speaker system with an active speaker system (sold separately). Active
speakers have a power cord and On button and connect to the Audio Out (green) connector
on the PC.
Unplug headphones if they are connected to your PC.
Open the file in Windows Media Player. Ensure Windows Media Player is configured to
automatically download codecs.
•
If the correct codec is available, the file will play. Note that you must be connected to the
Internet to download the codec file.
•
If the correct codec is not available, check to see if there is an update available for
Windows Media Player.
For more information, open Windows Media Player Help, and then search the online Help for
codec.
4
PC Troubleshooting and Maintenance Guide
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