Windows® 7 All-in-One for Dummies®

Chapter II.3. Maintaining Your System

In This Chapter

• Using the Windows 7 automatic recovery options

• Coping with Start-Up Problems

• Using backups, previous versions, and more

• Working with drives

• Using System Restore and Restore Points

• Scheduling boring tasks so that your computer does them automatically

• Storing more and spending less with Zip files

• Monitoring your computer resources

• Controlling the Control Panel

Onto every glass window a little rain must fall.

Or something like that.

Windows 7 is a computer program, not a Cracker Jack toy, and it will have problems. The trick lies in making sure that you don't have problems, too.

This chapter walks you through all the important tools you have at hand to make Windows 7 do what you need to do, to head off problems and to solve problems as they (inevitably!) occur.

Note

I start this chapter with a discussion of Windows 7's little-known system repair disc to cajole you into creating one. Right now. Read on.

Coping with Start-Up Problems

Can't get Windows to start? Welcome to the club.

Windows is notorious for crashing and freezing, making it impossible to start the computer, or garbling things so badly that you'd think the screen went through a garbage disposal. Microsoft has poured a lot of time, effort, and money into teaching Windows how to heal itself. You can take advantage of all that work — if you know where to find it.

Tip

If you read nothing else in this chapter, follow my advice in this section and get Windows 7 to make you a system repair disc. ...