Additional information may be found in my Red 3 Ring Self-Help Notebook: "Computers - PAF- Utilities", Vol. 1, general. It is located in the Los Angeles Regional Family History Center (LARFHC) to the right of the entrance to the microfilm room.
A copy of this class handout and copies of all transparencies shown in this class are in the "Computers - PAF - Utilities" Notebook, Vol. 1.

See a complete list of my 75 Red 3 Ring Self-Help Notebooks at http://www.larfhc.org/notebooks.htm

1. Placement, Care, Cleaning and Cables
2. Books
3. Improve Computer Performance, Efficiency and Disk Management
4. Safe Exiting
5. Copying and Backup
6. Startup Disk
7. Disk Compression
8. Organization
9. Computer Parts and Hardware
10. Free periodicals
11. Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
12. Printing
13. Software
15. Computer Definitions, Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Search Engine
16. Upgrade
17. Computer Troubles
18. Internet Troubles
19. Repairs

1. Placement, Care, Cleaning and Cables

Placement and care of PC computer, disks and CDs
Cleaning Mouse, Drive, monitor and computer
Length of cables to hardware

2. Books

Visual series - published by IDG Books
Master Windows 98 Visually IDG's 3-D Visual Series ISBN 0-7645-6034-4 Book has 713 pages with a CD. The page numbers below are from this book.
Buy the books used or new at discount prices online at: http://www.addall.com or http://www.bookfinder.com/ or http://books.half.ebay.com/ using the title or subject.
T1 (Overhead Transparency No. 1)

The paths to complete the tasks below use the term "click" and "roll". "Click" is pressing and releasing the left button of your mouse and right-click is pressing and releasing the right button of your mouse. My term "roll" is keeping the left button of your mouse pressed and moving the mouse pointer or arrow ("roll" the mouse ball) through the different locations.

3. Improve Computer Performance, Efficiency and Disk Management

Check Window Properties for percentage of system resources free.
Click Start, click Settings, click Control Panel, Control Panel Window appears, double-click System, System Properties box appears, click Performance tab, click OK to close. Page 307 in Master Windows 98 Visual book T2

Removing programs from the Start Menu.
When you remove the programs from the Start Menu, you are not removing them from your computer. You are only removing the startup of the program when you turn on your computer. If you are keeping the programs in your computer, make "shortcuts" for the programs you are removing if you don't have them on the "desktop" screen before you remove them from Start Menu.
Click Start, click Settings, click Taskbar & Start Menu, Task bar Properties dialogue box appears, click the Start Menu Programs tab, click Advanced, minimize, choose the program, right-click program, click Create Shortcut, click and hold and drag Shortcut to Desktop.
To remove the programs, click Start, click Settings, click Taskbar & Start Menu, Task bar Properties dialogue box appears, click the Start Menu Programs tab, click Remove to remove an item from the start menu, the Remove Shortcuts/Folders dialogue box appears, click the item you want to remove from the Start Menu, click Remove to remove the item, click Closed to close the dialogue box, click ok to close the Task bar Properties dialogue box. Pages 264 and 265

Check amount of C: (Hard Drive) disc used and unused or free space by viewing "(C:) Properties".
Double-click My Computers, My Computer window appears, right-click the drive you want to check, menu appears, click Properties, Properties dialogue box appears, click ok to close. Page 309 T3

Check the amount of disk used by viewing the properties of all other hard drives.

Delete selected files from Recycle Bin
Double-click the Recycle Bin on the Desktop, select files to delete, click on File and roll to Delete, release button, click Yes in Confirm Delete Box. Page 75

Empty Recycle Bin
Double-click the Recycle Bin on the desktop, click on File and roll to Empty Recycle Bin, click Yes on Confirm Delete Box.

Recycle Bin Properties settings.
Right-click Recycle Bin on the Desktop, menu appears, click Properties, Recycle Bin Properties box appears, drag the slider to 2%, click OK to close. Pages 76 and 77

Removing CHK and TMP and COOKIES files.
Click Tools and roll to "Find" than "Files or Files" and enter *.chk or *.tmp or cookies.* in Named file, click Find Now, mark file(s) to be removed and delete files.

Delete E-mail messages -- Review all email messages and delete the unwanted ones.

Delete Temporary Internet files (Microsoft Internet Explorer Only).
Click View or Tools, click Internet Options, box appears showing "Temporary Internet files", click Delete Files, box appears, click OK to close. T4

Delete Temporary Internet files.
Click Windows Explore, click Windows directory, click Temporary Internet Files, click Edit, and click Empty Files.

Use "Disk Clean-up" to remove unneeded files such as Temporary Internet files and Temporary files.
Click Start, roll to Programs than Accessories than System Tools than Disk Cleanup, Select Drive box appears, choose drive, click OK, Disk Cleanup for (drive:) box appears, box shows types of files you can remove, check box(es) of files to be removed and click OK to remove files. Page 310 and 311

Removing obsolete files. Review all files and delete unwanted ones.
Click Start, click Programs, click Windows Explorer, review files and folders and delete.

Remove unwanted fonts.
Click Start, click Settings, click Control Panel, click Fonts, choose fonts and delete. Pages 608 - 609

Do not use a Screen Saver - they sometimes cause big problems.
A Screen Saver is a moving picture or pattern on the monitor screen that protects the monitor tube (CRT).
To remove the Screen Saver: Right click on a blank area of your Desktop, click Screen Saver, choose "(None)" for Screen Saver and click "OK". Pages 218 and 219.

Removing obsolete programs - Uninstall and then check for leftover files
Click My Computer, click Control Panel, click Add/Remove Programs, review programs, click one program at a time to remove, click Add/Remove, search for files left over.

Running ScanDisc.
Close all possible open programs by holding down Ctrl + Alt and pressing the Delete key once, choose the program and click End Task. Repeat the operation to close all unnecessary programs.
Click My Computer, click desired drive, right-click Properties, Properties box appears, click Tools, click Check Now, Scan Disk box appears, click drive and type of test, click Start, Scan Disk Results box appears with results, click Close, click Close and click OK to close.

Defrag (defragment) your hard drive - do not do this if you have any problems
Close all possible open programs by holding down Ctrl + Alt and pressing the Delete key once, choose the program and click End Task. Repeat the operation to close all unnecessary programs.
Click Start, roll to Programs then Accessories then System Tools then Disk Cleanup, Select Drive box appears, choose drive, click OK, Disk Defragmenter, Select Drive box appears, choose drive, click OK, Disk Defragmenter Settings box appears, click OK, Select Drive box appears, Defragmenting Drive? box appears, click Show Details, dialog box appears, click Yes to exit. Pages 316 to 319

4. Safe Exiting

Wait for the drive light to go off before ejecting the CD or floppy disk.

Wait for the "It's now safe to turn off your computer" notice to appear on the screen and the hard drive light to go out before turning off the computer.

5. Copying and Backup

Copying, removing and storing rarely needed files

Burn a CD or use 3 ½" floppy disks, Zip drive or extra hard drive for backup.

Making back-ups and store copies of the following files
a. Data files
b. Document files
c. Graphics
d. Bookmarks/Favorites
e. Email addresses (Address Book)
f. Email Inbox and Sent
g. Programs and Drives that cannot be obtained elsewhere
Pages 364 to 369

6. Startup Disk

Click on Start button; select Settings and Control Panel. Double-click on the Add/Remove Programs icon choose the Start-up Disk, place a floppy disk in drive A and click the Create Disk option. Pages 662 and 663

7. Disk Compression

Do not compress your hard drive because it will increase your risk of data loss and other things.

8. Organization

File Manager
Reorganize directories and files
Rename directories and files

Bookmarks
Organizing of Web/Internet Bookmark/Favorites

My Bookmarks

Managing Your Bookmarks and Favorites
http://www.livinginternet.com/w/wu_surf_bkmk.htm

9. Computer Parts and Hardware

Keyboard
CPU (Central Processing Unit) 200 is enough
Hard drive size
Memory, ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory) 128 is min..
CD Drive - 8 to 24X
CD-R or CD-RW Drive (burner) 4X is fine
Mass storage
Modem - 56K
Mouse
Scanners - 600x1200 dpi, 36 bits/pixel - must have an excellent OCR (Optical Character Recognition) program

10. Free periodicals

Microtimes and Computer User T9-10

11. Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1stNetUSA is $9.50/mo, phone 818-247-3888, http://www.1stnetusa.com/

Free monthly publications - MicroTimes and Computer User has ISP ads T11

12. Printing

Money Saving Hints About Inkjet Printers And Refilling Cartridges
Money saving suggestions about refilling ink cartridges
Suggestions about printing using a printer tray
http://www.encinojon.com/inkjet/

13. Software

Check system requirements before buying.
Buy software from ads in the Recycler weekly newspaper, computer shows, computer periodicalson and on the Internet at eBay. Look at some eBay buying hints at: http://www.encinojon.com/ebay/

When installing new programs, try to make the programs not open at computer start-up or remove it from the START MENU and make a shortcut on the Desktop.

http://pcwin.com
http://www.download.com
http://www.helpwithwindows.com/
http://annoyances.org
http://pcmech.com/
http://www.hardwarecentral.com/hardwarecentral/
http://pcsupport.about.com/?once=true∓
http://www.askdrtech.com

http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/

16. Upgrade

Motherboard
CPU speed
Hard drive size
RAM size
Operating system
USB card
SCSI card
CD ROM
CD-R or CD-CW

17. Computer Troubles

Program locks up (stalls)
Soft reboot your computer by:
Holding down Ctrl +Alt and press Delete once, Close Program box appears, click program you want to close and click End Task, Dialog box appears and click End Task to close program.

The problem might be the resources are too low.
Restart your computer when your "resources" drop below 70%.
When turning off your computer, wait 5 minutes before turning it back on.

18. Internet Troubles

Web site stalls - click the "Reload".
Restart your computer when your "resources" drop below 70%.

19. Repairs

When you need to replace or remove the operating system or hard drive or fully reformat the hard drive:
Make an inventory of what is on your present hard drive such as:
a. Fonts
b. Programs installed
c. Peripheral equipment

Locate all your disks for the programs and drives and other peripheral equipment such as printers and scanners.
Replace lost drivers using the Web site at: http://www.driverworld.dk/
Driver problems and solutions are at: http://www.driverforum.com/

Save copies of:
Bios
Data files
Email Inbox and Sent
Document files
Fonts
Graphics
Email addresses (Address Book)
Bookmarks/Favorites
Browser setup entries
ISP settings
FTP setup entries
All setups/configurations for programs

Copy items to be saved to another mass storage device
Add an extra hard drive
Use a Zip drive
Use 3 ½ " floppy disks
Add and use a CD-R or CD-RW ("burner") drive