The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Staying “Up” Computer Upkeep and Disaster Planning Michael Mullerworth |
"Upbeat" means being in control, optimistic and enthusiastic. Improvement, progress, and pride are features
of being on the "up and up". Factory managers and maintenance engineers want maximum "uptime" and little
or no "downtime". When computers are "down", it is at the very least inconvenient or annoying, and at worst
catastrophic! So what can we do to stay "up" and avoid a "downer"?
Get up and go, catch up on help-ups to prevent foul-ups! Front-up to startup and backup, and pick up
other keep-ups. And don't crack up or throw up before you give up reading this!
| Anyone using Windows 95 or 98 may find these "Ups" especially useful as other information sources dry up. Many links to extra reading are provided. |
Startup/Bootup
A Startup (floppy) Disk (also called Rescue Disk or Boot Disk) is not needed often, but is an essential!
- If your computer will not start, it can be booted up with a Startup disk. The computer must be directed to look first for the A: drive; this is determined by the Setup Utility or CMOS. To enter Setup, early in the startup process press Del (or another key or keys depending on your system - watch the monitor for instructions). Look for Boot Sequence, and make sure A: comes before C: or CD-ROM. Then Save Settings and Exit.
The Startup Disk will boot to a DOS prompt, and allow access to your disk drives (including CD-ROM if the correct drivers are included). It's Readme file explains how to check your system, and how to restore files that may be needed to start properly. Some of these may have to be extracted from the Windows Installation CD (see Setup, below).
- Reinstallation of an operating system is best done from the DOS (Command) prompt after a "clean boot" from a Startup disk.
- The Startup disk is also required to prepare (format) a new hard disk prior to operating system installation, or to repartition, reformat and reinstall the operating system on an existing hard drive
- It will help in removing a virus in the boot sector or hidden in memory.
In Windows 95 & 98, from Control Panel open Add/Remove Programs, and select the Startup Disk tab. In Windows 95, the CD-ROM drivers will have to be added. Or you can download a boot disk from http://www.bootdisk.com/, and choose the Windows 98 disk. Another choice is the Ultimate Boot Disk, which claims to read most brands of CD-ROM drives.
Write-protect the disk, make sure to test it (does it boot, and can you access all your drives, including the CD-ROM?), and make a new one every few months.
Additional reading: "Creating a Windows 95 Startup or 'Rescue' disk", PC Update, May 1998: http://www.melbpc.org.au/pcupdate/9805/9805article6.htm.
| You need backups because every hard disk will fail at some time, often unexpectedly. Backup today! |
Backup
A backup is a copy of a file, folder, selected essential information (eg. configuration settings,
documents, spreadsheets, e-mail settings and message folders, addresses, and favourites), or a whole
hard disk. Ideally, backups should be kept separate, on another storage disk, tape drive, or CD-ROM.
Generally a system backup is a copy of the Registry, which contains all the information necessary for
the computer to function as it has been set up. By replacing the registry with an earlier copy, you can
restore the computer's previous behaviour. A Registry backup can be made by clicking Start | Run then
Type Regedit and press Enter. The Registry Editor opens. Click File | Export Registry, and decide
what to name the file (eg. the current date) and where to store it (4-8 MB depending on your programs).
To restore the copy, repeat the procedure, but select Import Registry. Windows 98 automatically makes
backups for the last 5 days and stores them in a hidden Windows folder called Sysbckup.
Windows 95 has another method. On your original Win 95 CD, look for a file called ERU.exe - the Emergency
Recovery Utility. Look for the folder: D:\other\misc\eru (where D: is the letter of your CD-ROM drive)
and copy that folder to your hard drive. No particular installation is needed. The associated text file
explains how ERU.exe can be used to back up, or to revert to previously backed up, key configuration files
(the registry and so on).
Small data files (e.g. Word documents) and applications can be backed up on floppy disks. Buy good
quality disks to avoid data corruption, write-protect them, and keep away from magnets (eg. speakers).
Backing up large data files, folders, partitions or drives can be done using either Windows Backup or a
non-Windows application. If you cannot find (Windows) Backup in Programs | Accessories | System Tools,
it can be installed via Control Panel | Add/Remove Programs | Windows Setup | System Tools (in Windows 98)
or Disk Tools (in Windows 95).
More information: two articles in PC Update, March 2000:
http://www.melbpc.org.au/pcupdate/2003/2003article7.htm
and "Backing up your hard drive" PC Update, July 2002:
http://www.melbpc.org.au/pcupdate/2207/2207article11.htm.
Set up/Restore
If you can start up your computer in the normal way, proceed as follows. In both Windows 95 & 98,
use the Add/Remove Programs option in Control Panel to install applications and supporting software from
the installation disks or CD-ROMs. Windows Components can be installed via Windows Setup in Add/Remove
Programs Properties. Internet Explorer 5 and 6 can be repaired from Add/Remove Programs. Highlight MSIE
& Internet Tools, click Add/Remove, and select Repair IE.
| Operating system and application files can become corrupted, leading to malfunction of your programs or a system crash. Reinstallation of the operating system or program, or of specific files, is sometimes necessary. |
To replace missing or corrupted system files in Windows 98, use System File Checker. It can be found via
Start | Programs | Accessories | System Tools | System Information | Tools.
In Windows 95, run Setup from the Windows 95 disk(s), and choose the option to validate and restore
files.
Antivirus programs should be disabled before any installation or reinstallation, and it is generally
advised to do an operating system reinstallation from a clean boot to DOS, using a Startup Disk
(see above). A useful ploy is to copy the Windows installation files to a separate directory on the hard
disk, in case the Windows CD is mislaid or damaged. In this case, when asked for the Windows CD-ROM, you
must direct the search to the appropriate directory on your hard drive.
If you cannot start up normally, try doing so in Safe Mode. To start in Safe Mode hold down Control or
F8 during startup and select "Safe Mode" from the menu offered. If this fails, try again using your
Startup Disk (see above). Open Help, request troubleshooting, choose from an extended list of
topics. Another startup choice is DOS mode, ie. the Command prompt, with CD-ROM support. Most of the
Windows installation files are in the special (compressed) Cabinet format (*.cab). To extract particular
files from the cabinet files if needed, see extract in Windows Help, or type [extract /?] at a DOS
prompt.
Cleanup/Free Up
Nowadays many users have large capacity hard disks in their computers, but even then disk space can fill
up rapidly with large files such as graphics and audio. With normal use all hard disks will also accumulate
useless files, often significantly slowing computer response. The main problem is to be sure that no
critical files are deleted in the cleaning process. Files that accumulate rapidly and that can be deleted
safely are Temporary Files, Temporary Internet (Cache) Files, and the Recycle Bin. Other files needing
periodic clearing out are e-mail and newsgroup folders (these can be compacted), unused program files,
and maybe cookies (although this may temporarily slow Internet browsing). A limit to the size of the
Internet Explorer Cache (Temporary Internet Files) can be set in Control Panel | Internet Options; similar
options exist in other browsers.
| Store up/Save
up It is easy to forget passwords, and to lose serial numbers and registration codes for applications (especially if you have lost, loaned, or damaged your original disks). Save them in a place where you can find them, either in hard copy, or on hard or floppy disk. |
In Windows 98 you can use Disk Cleanup, found in Start | Programs | Accessories | System Tools. Disk
Cleanup can be set to run automatically if the system is low on disk space. If Disk Cleanup is too slow,
use Find files by type (*.tmp, ~*.*) and date (more than 2 or 3 days old), and Delete. Files that are
currently in use cannot be deleted, except by exiting to DOS, but usually there are not many and most
often they can be retained.
Cleanup should always precede Tidy up/Check up (see below).
More information: "Freeing disk space" PC Update, February 1996
http://www.melbpc.org.au/pcupdate/9602/9602article5.htm,and "How to free up disk space"
http://www.melbpc.org.au/report/freeupdiskspace.pdf
(this one is a PDF, Portable Document Format file and needs the Adobe Acrobat Reader).
Hold-up
Pause to think a moment if you are not certain whether it is safe to delete a file or folder, especially
as some files are "shared" with other programs. Instead of sending them to the Windows Recycle Bin,
where they could be removed when it is emptied, create a new folder called "Holding". Move the
doubtful files to there and wait for a few days or weeks to see if all your programs continue to work
normally. Then you can safely delete them. Of course you could do the same by restoring them from the
Recycle Bin, provided it is not emptied automatically by default settings, or by mistake.
Tidy up/Check Up
This should follow Cleanup (see above).
Files on your hard disk(s) are not always located optimally for fast access. Files needed to run a
program may be scattered instead of near each other. This may slow performance. With removal and
reinstallation of many programs, fragmentation of files may worsen as new files are rewritten
patchily over vacant areas. Periodically check the physical state of your hard disk(s)
first using Scandisk, and then Defragment the drives to speed up hard disk access. Scandisk checks
files and folders for errors, and (in Thorough mode) examines the drive surface for damaged areas.
The Disk Defragmenter rearranges files and folders so that associated files are near each other.
It can also be set to consolidate free space, like pushing a row of books to one
end of a bookshelf and standing them upright. These programs are found in Start | Programs |
Accessories | System Tools.
A quick non-Windows defragmenting program is Vopt, available from
http://www.goldenbow.com. It is shareware and approximately 2MB, and it is very fast.
A larger, slower, but free program is Diskeeper Lite (over 10 MB), from
http://www.executive.com/freeware/diskeeper-lite/download.asp.
Blow-up
Heat is generated by computer components, notably the CPU and the Power Supply. Overheating will
affect performance, and may even damage or destroy components, or in extreme cases cause a fire.
There is always a fan in the power supply, and modern CPUs have heat-sinks and fans to dissipate heat.
A noisy fan (or noisy hard drive) may be on the verge of failure and a fan noise that suddenly stops
warrants investigation. There should be enough space for air circulation around the computer, especially
near the power supply. Dust and debris is drawn into the computer case over time, and this should be
blown out or carefully vacuumed when the case is opened; do this occasionally, especially in dusty
environments.
| The danger of ignoring warnings about overheating is illustrated in the story of Icarus, which could be called "Icarus and the Fear of Frying". In the Greek fable, see http://www.thanasis.com/icarus.htm, Daedalus, a skilled artisan, made wings out of feathers for himself and his son, Icarus. The wings were attached with wax, and they worked well! Father warned son not to fly too close to the Sun, but Icarus soared higher and higher till the wax melted, and he fell to his death. |
Lookup Help
When you are lost, or feeling frustrated with your computer, try searching for help first. Get familiar
with the Help features of your operating system and applications; for example, the F1 key is a common
shortcut to Help, and many toolbars have a [?] button. Or read the instruction manual if you have one!
If you have Internet access, a visit to the Microsoft Knowledge Base will often provide the answer you
seek. Go to
http://support.microsoft.com/ and enter a key word, or for
assistance try
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;KBHOWTO.
| Dial-up Help Dial Help is Melbourne PC members helping members, by telephone or e-mail. It is a free service, provided by volunteers. Details are to be found in an insert with each issue of PC Update. Many Help topics are listed, with the volunteers’ contact details. Or Dial-up the Internet, and go to the Melbourne PC Message Of The Day page http://hww.melbpc.org.au/motd/. From there, you can link to “Helpdesk” and then to “iHelp” for Internet-related help as well as to the full “Dial Help” list. Emergency Help is available from the First Aid line, between 10 am and 3 pm. |
Keep-Ups/Patch-Ups
(Upgrades and Updates)
Conventionally, an Upgrade is a major improvement, like a new version of an existing application, or a
rebuild of the hardware, and an Update is usually a lesser addition of fresh information designed to
correct bugs in the software, or to improve its efficacy. If you are satisfied with the way your
application software is working, there is no need to get the latest version as soon as it is released
(see "Why upgrade?"
PC Update, March 2002:
http://www.melbpc.org.au/pcupdate/2203/2203article9.htm). Often it is better to wait until some of
the (almost inevitable) bugs are identified and sorted out. However there are some instances where
keeping up is strongly recommended.
Important applications that should be upgraded or updated are your Internet browser and e-mail client.
This is best done by visiting Windows Update regularly and installing Critical Updates, or from the
application vendor's Web site. Updates for commonly used programs are frequently issued as such, or as
patches to close security loopholes in existing versions.
An application that is most important to update frequently is your antivirus program, because computer
viruses (and other malware) are prevalent and sometimes very dangerous. Malware is a term used for all
malicious code that could reach your computer and cause trouble. (See "Belt up" below)
Read Defensive Computing in PC Update, June 2002:
http://www.melbpc.org.au/pcupdate/2206/2206article6.htm.
ShieldsUp!
Whenever you connect to the Internet to explore Web sites or to send and receive e-mail, your computer
is exposed to entry through 65,535 ports. Many of these may be open, allowing unimpeded
access. "Probing" by other Internet users may be random and innocent, or it may be to steal information,
or gain access to drop a trojan or zombie which can be activated later. You will be unaware of intrusion
unless you have installed software such as
ZoneAlarm: http://www.zonelabs.com/ (see Button up, below). You can test your computer's security by going to
Steve Gibson's ShieldsUp! site at: http://grc.com/.
Additional reading: Firewalls in PC Update, April 2001:
http://www.melbpc.org.au/pcupdate/2104/2104article8.htm
and ZoneAlarm Pro 3.0 in PC Update, May 2002:
http://www.melbpc.org.au/pcupdate/2205/2205article5.htm.
Button up
The likelihood of intrusion is increased if you have a potentially permanent connection to the Internet
such as ADSL or cable (unlike a dial-up connection), and if you are connected to a network, with
file-sharing enabled. A firewall (a defence shield) then becomes a necessity. It can be configured
to monitor and control both incoming and outgoing traffic to the Net. Be aware that some free programs
may contain Spyware which reports on your browsing habits or snoops through your files. A free program
called AdAware http://www.lavasoft.nu/ can detect these.
Belt up
Another aspect of security is antivirus protection, which can be set to alert you, and to detect and
destroy what it recognises as a virus. New virus code is being written and released constantly and new
identification information is needed regularly - as these viruses are discovered. Virus definition or
signature updates are prepared and issued by the antivirus software writers, sometimes more than once
a day! ISPs who scan e-mail for viruses must also update. No antivirus program is 100% effective, so
having both ISP and user protection is probably better. Besides, you can still be infected via downloaded
files, especially through IRC (Internet Relay Chat), from contaminated floppy disks or CD-ROMS, and
even from visiting some Web sites (unless the browser is also kept updated).
Most antivirus programs also suggest creating a Rescue Disk or Reference Disk, which stores information
about your computer's boot sector and partition table in case they are damaged by a virus and need
restoration.
| Summing Up "Upkeep" Install a good antivirus program, and add upgrades as they appear. Download virus signature updates at least twice a week. Delete Temporary files monthly, other file cleanups less frequently. Every one to two months go to Windows Update and download Critical Updates. Also Upgrade or Update non-Windows applications for improved security. Run Scandisk and Disk Defragmenter every three to six months. Beware of overheating, clean out dust and fluff, say, every twelve months. Backup regularly, test if restore succeeds, store backups separately if possible. Make a Startup disk, write-protect it, test it and keep it safe. |
Addendum - published in December 2002 PC Update
1. Microsoft has withdrawn access to Windows Update for Windows 95 and 98.
Direct Internet access is now available only for Windows 2000 and XP1. Knowledge-base articles are
still accessible via a search. So it is not possible for Windows 95 and 98 users to Go to Windows
Update to be offered a list of critical and recommended updates. Instead they should use one of the
following URLs:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[LN];downloadover
https://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp
will scan your machine for installed updates and patches, and list critical and recommended updates.
2. In the paragraph on ShieldsUp! it should have been stated that firewall protection is not essential
for dial-up Internet usage, but strongly advisable for ADSL and cable connections.
3. Other sources of Lookup Help are Search Engines like Google and the newsgroups, which, for those
familiar with using them, can be very useful sources of information and advice.
Reprinted from the November 2002 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
