Disk Defragmenter

Disk Defragmenter is a tool that puts all of your files back into place It rearranges all the files so that each file is stored in one sequence. This results into
the programs running faster.

Optimizing your drives can help your PC run smoother and boot up faster. To optimize them:

1. Select the search bar on the taskbar and enter defrag.

2. Select Defragment and Optimize Drives.

3. Select the disk drive you want to optimize.

4. Select the Optimize button.

Run CHKDSK from File Explorer

The easiest way to check for hard drive errors is to run the Error Checking tool via File Explorer. Error Checking is the user interface for the
CHKDSK command in Command Prompt.
Here’s how to run CHKDSK from File Explorer on Windows 10:
1. Open File Explorer and select This PC. Right-click the drive containing Windows OS (usually C:) and select Properties.
2. Navigate to the Tools tab and click Check.

3. If no errors are found, a prompt tells you: You don’t need to scan this drive. If you want to scan the drive anyway, click Scan drive.
 4. When CHKDSK is finished, click Show Details to view any errors that were repaired, or click Close to close the window.

Run CHKDSK from Command Prompt

You can run CHKDSK from the Command Prompt. Follow these instructions for entering the CHKDSK command and its unique parameters to
tell your Windows operating system exactly what to do and where.
Here’s how to run CHKDSK from Command Prompt on Windows:
1. Type cmd (Command Prompt) in the Start menu search bar, then click Run as administrator.
 2. Ty
pe
ch
kd
sk
an
d

hit Enter. CHKDSK will scan for drive errors and let you know if it found any you should repair, but it won’t try to fix them without a
command.

Keep reading to learn about specific CHKDSK commands and how to use them to fix errors found during a CHKDSK scan.
Run CHKDSK from installation media
If your computer won’t boot up or you see the Blue Screen of Death upon startup, you can run CHKDSK from an external drive (like a USB) or
other installation media with your version of Windows on it. This will check for errors and attempt to fix them before your Windows version
boots up.
Here’s how to run CHKDSK from installation media:
1. Insert your bootable Windows installation media (CD/DVD/USB drive) and restart your PC.
2. Press the F8 key multiple times before the Windows logo appears.
3. When prompted, select Repair your computer.
 4. Click Troubleshoot and then Advanced Options.
5. Select Command Prompt.

6. M
a
k
e

sure you know which drive or drive partition on your PC contains Windows (usually the C drive). To test this, type c: and then hit Enter.
Then, type dir and click Enter. If Windows items appear in the directory, this is your home drive. Repeat that process for all drives until
Windows items appear.

7. Now enter your preferred CHKDSK commands in Command Prompt.

8. If prompted to run CHKDSK the next time your system restarts, type Y, then press Enter.
CHKDSK will scan your Windows drive and attempt to repair any errors when your system reboots.
You can also install a clean Windows version from your bootable Windows media by following the steps above and selecting Install Now during
step 3. We recommend backing up your data before installing a fresh Windows version.
Device manager

The Device Manager displays all the devices that are configuredon a computer.
 Operating system flags the devices that are not operating correctly
with an error icon.
 Yellow circle with an exclamation point (!) indicates that the de- vice is in a problem state.
 Red circle with an X means that the device is disabled.
 Yellow question mark (?) indicates that the system does not know
which driver to install for the hardware.

Open Services in Windows

you need to open the Services app (services.msc), which lets you set what services run when Windows starts, disable the services you do not
need, and perform other useful actions
1. How to open Services using Search
Search is always a great choice for opening apps as fast as possible. If you’re using Windows 10,
2. How to open Services from the Run window
Press the Windows + R keys on your keyboard to open the Run window. Type services.msc and hit Enter on your keyboard or click/tap
the OK button.

Run services.msc
3. How to open Services from CMD, PowerShell, or Windows Terminal
You can also use the Command Prompt, PowerShell, or Windows Terminal to view your Windows services with the help of one simple
command. Just open CMD or the command-line app you prefer, and type:
services.msc

Type services.msc in CMD, PowerShell, or Windows Terminal

Press Enter, and the Services window immediately pops up.

Change a service's status from the Task Manager

A service's contextual menu gives you three choices when it comes to a service's status:
Start - Runs a stopped or inactive service.
Stop - Shuts down an active service.
Restart - Shuts down and then starts an active service.

Update & Security ➤ Windows Update

Windows update will ensure that your computer is up-to-date with new features and the latest security. This feature needs a connection to the Internet. It
connects to the Microsoft server and downloads and installs the updates on the system.
You can click on the Windows Update icon in the start menu and click on the download update to get the updates.
Windows Updates cannot be disabled or ignored in Windows 10, at all! Microsoft enforces a strict policy that all security and stability updates will be
pushed to all Windows 10 PCs,
Disk Cleanup
The hard disk contains many files that are unnecessary after a certain amount of time, but they still reside on the disk. These needs to be removed
manually or an automatic Disk .Disk Cleanup will delete all of your unused and unwanted files. It will also delete your garbage and old Internet files. It
should be performed weekly.

You can run the Disk Cleanup Wizard most easily by searching for disk or clean in the Start Menu
Close Unwanted Programs
Sometimes there are programs that we do not want to run anymore or programs that get halted due to some problem. Although the best way to close a
program is to choose the ‘Close’ or ‘Exit’ command from the ‘File’ menu but there is another way of closing it.
Pressing ‘Ctrl+Alt+Delete’ keys simultaneously brings up the Close Program

System Restore

Whenever we install a new software, it is always advisable to save the setting of the system so that at later stage if the system malfunctions then that saved
copy of the system, made when it was working normal, can be restored. It helps in getting the system up and running for use.
To make a restore point today choose the System Restore from search bar write create system restore
>click on->System Restore.
To restore the system to a previous restore point, follow the same steps, but just choose restore rather than making a new restore point.

System Restore is a system tool that is used to create a new Restore point or to re- store the system to a previ- ous restore point.It makes a secure copy of
the system settings when it is functioning normal, which is useful in case system malfunctions.
Problem Solution

Slow computer • Disk Cleanup

• Disk Defragmentation
• Close programs
• Possible risk of virus run an
Antivirus program

Frozen screen • Close programs

• System restore
• Restart your computer
• Check disk

Options to Use When a System Will Not Start

Safe Mode starts the Operating System using basic files and drivers only. The drivers and files used for mouse, monitor, keyboard, mass storage, base video, and
default system services are only loaded

Safe Mode with Command Prompt starts the Operating System using basic files and drivers only and displays only the command prompt.

Last Known Good Configuration starts the Operating System using the settings (registry information) that Windows saved at the last shutdown. Use Last
Known Good Configuration only in cases of incorrect configuration. It does not solve problems caused by corrupted or missing drivers or files.

Recovery Console is the System Recovery tool, used to restore the system to the previous Restore Point.

Event Viewer is a log file that maintains the log of all the vital activities that affect the system settings.

Device Driver is a program that controls a device. Every device printer, mouse, keyboard etc. has a device driver.

Registry is a database used by the Microsoft Windows operating system (Windows 95 and NT) to store configuration information.

Create a recovery drive

It's a good idea to create a recovery drive. That way, if your PC ever experiences a major issue such as hardware failure, you'll be able to use the
recovery drive to reinstall Windows 10. Windows updates to improve security and PC performance periodically, so we recommend you recreate
the recovery drive annually. Personal files and any apps that did not come with your PC will not be backed up. You'll need a USB drive that's at
least 16 gigabytes.

Warning: Use an empty USB drive because this process will erase any data that's already stored on the drive.

To create a recovery drive in Windows 10:

1. In the search box next to the Start button, search for Create a recovery drive and then select it. You might be asked to enter an admin
password or confirm your choice.
2. When the tool opens, make sure Back up system files to the recovery drive is selected and then select Next.
3. Connect a USB drive to your PC, select it, and then select Next.
4. Select Create. Many files need to be copied to the recovery drive, so this might take a while.

Need more options for creating a recovery drive?

 For Windows 7, see Create a system repair disc.

 For Windows 8.1, see Create a USB recovery drive.

Booting from Recovery Drive and Reinstall Windows 10

When you need to use the recovery drive, simply connect it to your computer and boot from it. The methods for booting from a thumbdrive
might vary depending on the model and make; consult your computer documentation for instructions how to boot from external media. Some
might require that you press ESC, F2, F9, F10, F11, DEL or a combination of keyboard commands. Some might even require that you boot into
the BIOS or Firmware and change boot options.


 The Windows logo will appear on screen, this might be here for a while, as long as you see the indicater, everything should be ok.


 Choose your keyboard layout - in my case, I will choose US. If you don't see your keyboard layout listed, click See more keyboard
layouts
 Click Troubleshoot

 Click Recover from a drive

 How to create system image backup on Windows 10

To create a full backup on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Settings on Windows 10.

2. Click on Update & Security.
3. Click on Backup.
4. Under the “Looking for an older backup” section, click the “Go to Backup and Restore (Windows 7)” option.

5. Click the “Create a system image” option from the left pane.
6. Under the “On a hard disk” setting, select the external USB drive for the full backup of Windows 10.
 Quick tip: You can use an external USB hard drive with data already on it. The tool will not format or erase any files in the drive. Instead,
it will create a folder called “WindowsImageBackup” to save the system image.

7. Click the Next button.

8. Select any other drive to include in the Windows 10 full backup (if applicable).

9. Click the Next button.

10. Click the Start backup button.
11. Click the No button.

Once you complete the steps, the backup will be created on the external USB drive. You will also be protected to “create
a system image repair disc.” However, you can skip this option since you can use the Windows 10 bootable media to
access the recovery environment.

Restore backup on Windows 10

To restore a full backup on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Power off the computer.

2. Connect the Windows 10 USB installation media.
3. Connect the USB backup drive.

Quick tip: The device must be configured to boot from USB. You will need to enter the BIOS and reconfigure the boot order if this isn’t the
case. Since this is different on most computers, check your manufacturer support website for specific details.

4. Power on the computer.

5. Click the Next button on the “Windows Setup” page.
6. Click the “Repair your computer” option from the bottom-left corner.
7. Click on Troubleshoot.
8. Click the “System Image Recovery” option.
9. Click on Windows 10.
10. Select the “Use the latest available system image” option.
11. Click the Next button.
12. (Optional) Check the “Format and portion disks” option if the backup restoration will be to a new drive.
13. (Optional) Check the “Only restore system drives” option to restore the drives needed to run Windows 10.
14. Click the Next button.
15. Click the Finish button.
16. Click the Yes button.

After you complete the steps, the backup will restore your system with all the installation files, applications,
configurations, and personal files.

Restore files from backup on Windows 10

The system image backup is meant to restore the entire system, not individual files. However, you can still open the
image to recover individual files.

To restore files from a full backup on Windows 10, use these steps:
1. Open Start.
2. Search for “Create and format hard disk partitions” and select the top result to open the Disk Management app.
3. Click on Action and select the Attach VHD option.

4. Click the Browse button.

5. Browse inside the WindowsImageBackup folder that contains the backup files.
6. Double-click the folder with the computer name.
7. Double-click the Backup xxxx-xx-xx xxxxxx folder.
8. Double-click the largest VHDX file to mount the image in File Explorer.
9. Click the Open button
10. Click the OK button.
11. Right-click the volume on the mounted drive (blue icon) and select the “Change Drive Letter and
Paths” option.
12. Click the Add button.
13. Select a drive letter.
14. Click the OK button.
15. Open File Explorer.
16. Click on This PC.
17. Open the mounted drive and browse the location of the files to recover.
18. Select and copy the files.
19. Paste the files to the location you want to restore them.

Once you complete the file restoration, right-click the drive and select the Detach VHD option and the OK button to
detach the backup drive.
When restoring files from the backup, you can only recover files backed up and created before the backup. To keep files
up to date, you should consider using different solutions, such as File History or OneDrive.
It’s important to note that Microsoft no longer maintains the system image backup tool on Windows 10, but you can still
use the feature. The reason is that the company wants you to use the “Reset this PC” feature to fix problems on
Windows 10 and cloud storage services like OneDrive to keep your files backed up in the cloud.

However, many things can go wrong on your computer, and having a backup can be considered one of the best disaster
recovery strategies. You should always consider creating a full backup at least once a week or before making any
changes or performing an upgrade.

It doesn’t matter the computer you have, it’s just a matter of time before it fails, and having a full backup will help you
in many ways.
 Remove an installed Windows update
If you've recently installed a Windows update, uninstall the update to try to resolve the issue.
1. Select the Start button, then select Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View your update history > Uninstall
updates.
View update history settings
2. Right-click the update you want to remove, and then select Uninstall.

Reset your PC

Resetting reinstalls Windows 10, but lets you choose whether to keep your files or remove them, and then reinstalls Windows. You can reset
your PC from Settings, the sign-in screen, or by using a recovery drive or installation media.
Reset your PC from Settings
1. Select the Start button, then select Settings > Update & Security > Recovery .
Open Recovery settings
2. Under Reset this PC, select Get started and then choose from the options and/or settings in the table below.

Option What it does

Keep my files >  Reinstalls Windows 10 and keeps your personal files.
Change settings >  Removes apps you installed.
Preinstalled apps On  Removes changes you made to settings.
 Restores any apps your PC manufacturer installed.
Option What it does

Keep my files >  Reinstalls Windows 10 and keeps your personal files.
Change settings >  Removes apps you installed.
Preinstalled apps Off  Removes changes you made to settings.
 Removes any apps your PC manufacturer installed.

Remove everything  Reinstalls Windows 10 and removes your personal files.

 Removes apps you installed.
 Removes changes you made to settings.
 Removes any apps your PC manufacturer installed.
Note: Remove everything > Change settings gives you two
options.
Data erasure On removes files and cleans the drive. If you're
planning to donate, recycle, or sell your PC, use this option. This
might take an hour or two, but it makes it harder for other people
to recover files you've removed.
Data erasure Off just removes files. It takes less time, but is less
secure.

Reset your PC from the sign-in screen

If you can't open Settings, you can reset your PC from the sign-in screen. Here’s how:
1. Press Windows logo key + L to get to the sign-in screen, and then restart your PC by pressing the Shift key while you select
the Power button > Restart in the lower-right corner of the screen.
2. Your PC will restart in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) environment.
3. On the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC, and then choose one of the options in the previous table.

To reinstall Windows 10 while Windows is running:

1. Connect the installation media you created to your PC.
2. Open File Explorer and select the drive with the installation media.
3. From the root directory of the drive, double-click setup.exe, and then select Yes when asked if you’d like to allow the app to make changes
to your device.
4. Select Change what to keep.
5. Select one of the following options, and then select Next:
 Keep personal files and apps – This will preserve your personal data, apps, and settings.
 Keep personal files only – This will preserve your personal data and settings, but all your apps will be removed.
 Keep nothing – This will remove all personal data, settings, and apps.

Warning: You cannot undo a reinstallation of Windows 10. Be sure to back up your files first if you choose the Keep nothing option.
6. To finish, select Install to start reinstalling Windows 10 on your PC.
Your PC will restart several times during the reinstallation.
To reinstall Windows 10 by starting your PC using installation media:
1. Connect the installation media you created to your PC.
2. Start your PC using the installation media.
Note: Check with the PC manufacturer on how to start the PC using media.
3. When Windows Setup starts, select Next and then Install now.
4. If you have a Windows 10 product key, enter it when prompted. Otherwise, select I don’t have a product key.
 5. If prompted, select a Windows edition (e.g. Home, Pro) to install and then select Next.
6. When prompted to choose a type of installation, select Custom: Install Windows only (advanced).
7. Select the disk or partition to which Windows 10 should be installed.
Note: If you suspect that your PC has been infected, consider deleting the existing partitions and reinstalling Windows 10 onto a clean disk.
Your data on any deleted partitions will be lost.
8. Select Next to start reinstalling Windows 10 on your PC.
Your PC will restart several times during the reinstallation.

USE HOTKEY DURING BOOT-UP

It may be too quick for you to have ever noticed, but your PC goes through a rapid POST process to get your startup screen loaded up as fast as it
can. It is also within this tightly timed window that you can access your BIOS by clicking your PC’s designated hotkey.
Unfortunately, different PC brands were all on different pages when designating a definitive BIOS key. HP laptops generally use F10 or the
escape key.
DEL and F2 tend to be the most popular hotkeys for PCs, but if you’re unsure of what your brand’s hotkey is, this list of common BIOS keys by
brand may help.
 Acer: F2 or DEL
 ASUS: F2 for all PCs, F2 or DEL for motherboards
 Dell: F2 or F12
 HP: ESC or F10
 Lenovo: F2 or Fn + F2
 Lenovo (Desktops): F1
 Lenovo (ThinkPads): Enter + F1.
 MSI: DEL for motherboards and PCs
 Microsoft Surface Tablets: Press and hold volume up button.
 Origin PC: F2
 Samsung: F2
 Sony: F1, F2, or F3
 Toshiba: F2
Windows 10 stuck on “Preparing automatic repair” a. Boot your
computer in Safe Mode
If you’ve been experiencing loop issues with Automatic Repair in Windows 10, and your system fails to complete the boot process before crashing on startup,
going into Safe Mode may help.

Start by confirming whether or not this problem happens when using Safe Mode (as opposed to normal boot mode). If you don’t get into a loop with Safe
Mode turned on, you can troubleshoot more efficiently by using Windows 10’s tools.

1. Reboot your computer and hold the F8 key on your keyboard while the boot screen is visible to enter the Windows Recovery
Environment (WinRE). On certain devices, you may need to hold down the Fn (function) key as well.
2. Navigate through to See advanced repair options > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.

3. You'll now see a selection of several restart choices. By pressing F5 on your keyboard, you’ll enable Safe Mode with Networking. Wait
for your system to restart and see if it successfully boots.

If you’re able to boot Windows 10 in Safe Mode without encountering the “Preparing automatic repair” screen, you can troubleshoot further! For example,
scanning your computer for malware with the Windows Defender is a great first step.
 b.Rebuild BCD with the Command Prompt
4. Reboot your computer and hold the F8 key on your keyboard while the boot screen is visible to enter the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).
On certain devices, you may need to hold down the Fn (function) key as well.
5. Click Repair your computer and then click on Troubleshoot from the options.
6. A list of advanced options will be shown on the screen. Simply select Command Prompt from here and wait for it to load. You should see a black
pop-up window show up on the screen.

7. Type in the following commands one by one, pressing the Enter key on your keyboard to execute each line:
b. bootrec /fixmbr
c. bootrec /fixboot
d. bootrec /scanos
e. bootrec /rebuildbcd
8. You’ll see the “Successfully scanned Windows installations” message show up when the repair process is complete. Type exit and press Enter to quit
the Command Prompt.
9. Reboot your computer and check if you’re able to get past the repair screen during the boot process.
c. Run the Fixboot and Chkdsk commands
The fixboot command is used to force your computer to boot and potentially fix issues with the startup. You can use this to try and get past the automatic
repair, allowing you to boot into your system.

If the fixboot command didn’t work, continue with the steps and try running Check Disk to repair your PC. The chkdsk command attempts to identify and get
rid of disk issues, which may help you with resolving issues with the boot loop at hand.

1. Reboot your computer and hold the F8 key on your keyboard while the boot screen is visible to enter the Windows
Recovery Environment (WinRE). On certain devices, you may need to hold down the Fn (function) key as well.
2. From the Choose an option screen, navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
3. Type in the following command and press Enter to execute it: chkdsk C: /r
 4. Wait for the scan to finish. If there was an error or the scan is unable to run, try using the following command: fixboot C:

Reset or Refresh Windows 10

Resetting Windows 10 is the last resort for a PC trapped in an automated repair boot cycle. You don't have to worry about losing your files or
data since you may choose between two options: making a clean reset (which deletes everything) or saving your personal files and applications.

Our experts recommend trying to save as much as possible before opting for the full reset — unless you don’t mind getting rid of your files in the
first place.

1. Reboot your computer and hold the F8 key on your keyboard while the boot screen is visible to enter the Windows Recovery
Environment (WinRE). On certain devices, you may need to hold down the Fn (function) key as well.
2. From the Choose an option screen, navigate to Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.
3. Pick from one of the available options, and then follow the on-screen instructions to reset or refresh Windows 10. After the process is
complete, you should be able to boot into your system without the loop happening.

 Blue Screen of Death - Many people think of blue as a calming color; however, when it comes up on your
computer screen with a bunch of white text, it probably has the opposite effect. The blue screen of death may
appear to be one of the scariest computer prob- lems you’ll come across. However, the whole computer may need
to reboot it. This STOP error appears on your screen for a variety of reasons: failing hardware, damaged software,
corrupt DLL files, problems with drivers and more. The remedy for a blue screen of death depends on the original
problem. The screen provides you with codes that can help you identify and fix your computer prob- lems.
 Applications That Won’t Install - If you’re having trouble with an application not installing, it may be because
your computer doesn’t have enough hard drive space. If this is the case, you need to free up some space. This is one
of the computer problems that’s, well, least problematic. You can free up some hard drive space by getting rid of
files and folders you don’t need. These may be tem- porary files, duplicate files or data for software you’ve
uninstalled.
 Applications Run Slowly - There are several reasons software might be running at turtle speed. You may have
computer problems that involve your operating system or an application, your oper- ating system might be missing
updates or your computer doesn’t have enough hard drive space. If you don’t have enough hard drive space, you
can scan, clean and optimize your hard drive.
C important
 SOFTWARE
Review security updates.
Review software updates.

Review driver updates.

Update the virus

definition files.
Scan for viruses and spyware.

Remove unwanted or unused

programs.
Scan hard drives for errors.
Optimize (defragment) hard
Drives.
Malicious software, is any software used to disrupt computer or mobile operations, gather sensitive information, gain
access to private computer systems, or display unwanted advertising. These malicious software find its way into:
• Boot sector
• File Allocation Table
• Partition table
• .Com and .Exe. Files.

Deadly effect of virus

• Delete files
• Change files,
• Steal important information,
• load unwanted applications
• Send documents via electronic mail (e-mail),
• Cripple a machine’s Operating system (OS), the basic software that runs the computer.

Computer Hardware Repairs and

Maintenance 6
 Virus warning signs

• The computer’s performance slows down considerably.

• Programs don’t function as thy should. They either don’t start, or if they start, they stop or do not give the desired
output.
• Computer fails to boot.
• Files and folders keep disappearing without anybody deleting them.
• The computer crashes or freezes indiscriminately such as program not responding errors.
• The computer keeps showing out –of -memory space messages or strange dialog boxes.
• Programs and windows popping up randomly.
• Disk can not be accessed
• New icons and programs get installed automatically.
• Printing doesn't work correctly
• Windows shuts down or restarts unexpectedly.
• A partition in the system disappears automatically.
• File size changes for no apparent reason
• An increase in the number of files on the system when nothing has been added.
Computer Hardware Repairs and
Maintenance 63
 A Good Virus Protection Program should:

Scan for viruses:

Should be able to check your drives for viruses, as well as the RAM of your
computer, and detect the presence of a virus.
Clean up the virus:
must be able to get rid of the virus it finds on your computer; otherwise, it
is useless.
Protect your System from viruses:
Must have the ability to load a piece of the program into memory at boot-up
time, to protect you from getting a virus in the first place.
Provide Automatic updates,
Must regularly and automatically check back with the manufacturer for
information on new viruses,

 Thank you and God Bless you all