Install and Configure ICT Equipment and Operating Systems Unit 229 Utility Programs

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Gordon McLaughlin
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1 Install and Configure ICT Equipment and Operating Systems Unit 229 Utility Programs

2 What is a Utility Program?

Utility Program Definition Smaller than an application in size, a utility program is a computer program intended for a particular task; usually pertaining

3 Utility Program Definition Smaller than an application in size, a utility program is a computer program intended for a particular task; usually pertaining to system resource management. A good example is Microsoft's Disk Cleanup utility, which is used to delete unnecessary files and recover disk drive space.

4 Anti-Virus Alternatively referred to as an antivirus software, AVS, antivir, or just AV. An antivirus program is a software utility designed to protect your computer or network against computer viruses. If and when a virus is detected, the computer displays a warning asking what action should be done, often giving the options to remove, ignore, or move the file to the vault.

Anti-Malware Alternatively referred to as scumware, malware is a software designed to change your settings, delete software, cause errors, watch browsing habits, or open computer to attacks.

5 Anti-Malware Alternatively referred to as scumware, malware is a software designed to change your settings, delete software, cause errors, watch browsing habits, or open computer to attacks. A computer can be infected by malware by visiting an infected website, downloading infected software, or installing infected software. Most antivirus programs can clean malware but it's also a good idea to run an anti-malware or malware cleaner such as Malwarebytes.

6 Rootkit Analyser A collection of software tools that help enable someone to gain unauthorized access to a computer or other network device. Rootkits often hide the actions of the user so they can work at your machine in secret A rootkit analyser is a stand-alone utility used to detect and remove complex rootkits and associated malware.

7 Windows Built in Utilities

8 Steps Recorder

9 Steps Recorder (1) Steps Recorder lets you record each individual step of a particular Windows task. You can't record actions inside a game, but you can capture steps in standard Windows applications this way. In earlier versions of Windows, this utility was called Problem Steps Recorder. Apparently, Microsoft viewed this program mostly as a tool for packaging up user inputs for troubleshooting. The Windows 8 version, however, lets users view the steps and keep a record. To run Steps Recorder, type Steps in the search box, and select Steps Recorder. You ll get a very simple, small window.

10 Steps Recorder (2) Through Steps Recorder you can capture screenshots with every action you perform: each mouse click, key press, and so on. If you re typing in a text editor (such as Microsoft Word), only the complete text will be shown, not every keystroke. After you stop the recording, you can review what you ve captured and do simple edits. The tool saves the whole affair in a.zip file, but saves the actual content as an MHTML (Mime HTML) file, which combines different types of content into a single HTML file.

11 Steps Recorder (3)

12 Windows Reliability History

13 Windows Reliability History (1) In the Windows run box, type reliability, and then select View Reliability History. You ll go to the Windows desktop, and a window with a timeline will appear. You can also access the Reliability Monitor from the Windows Control Panel, by going to System and Security > Action Centre.

14 Windows Reliability History (2)

15 Windows Reliability History (3) The chart is interactive. If you click a column, you ll see detail text below. Reliability Monitor doesn t just report problems. It also keeps track of when you ve installed or updated applications and drivers, so you can pinpoint exact dates and use that knowledge for troubleshooting and system repair. For example, once you know the precise date of a troublesome driver installation, you can roll back your machine via Windows System Restore to a date before that driver started wreaking havoc.

16 Msconfig

17 Msconfig (1) The System Configuration window is another classic tool that many people know about. Prior to Windows 8, which features a startup-program manager built into its Task Manager this tool was the only included way of controlling startup programs on Windows. It also allows you to customize your boot loader, which is particularly useful if you have multiple versions of Windows installed. Launch it by typing msconfig into the Start menu or Start screen and pressing Enter.

18 Msconfig (2)

19 Windows Firewall

20 Windows Firewall (1) Windows Firewall is a software component of Microsoft Windows that provides firewalling and packet filtering functions. It was first included in Windows XP and Windows Server Prior to the release of Windows XP Service Pack 2 in 2004, it was known as Internet Connection Firewall.

21 Windows Firewall (2)

22 Windows Firewall (3)

23 Performance Monitor

24 Performance Monitor (1) The Performance Monitor application allows you to collect performance reports and view them. It can be used to log performance data over time, including determining how system changes affect performance, or to monitor the performance of a remote computer in real-time. To launch Windows Performance Monitor Click Start, click in the Start Search box, type perfmon, and press ENTER.

25 Performance Monitor (2)

26 Resource Monitor

27 Resource Monitor (1) The Resource Monitor application offers a detailed look at your computer s resource usage. You can view computer-wide CPU, disk, network, and memory graphics, or drill down and view per-process statistics for each type of resource. This means that you can see which processes are using your disk or network heavily, view which processes are communicating with which Internet addresses, and more. The Resource Monitor provides much more detailed resource statistics than the Task Manager does.

28 Resource Monitor (2) You can launch the Resource Monitor by opening the Task Manager, clicking the Performance tab, and selecting Resource Monitor. It can also be accessed by searching for Resource Monitor at the Start menu or Start screen.

29 Resource Monitor (3)

30 Windows Memory Diagnostic

31 Windows Memory Diagnostic (1) Windows includes a Memory Diagnostic tool that can restart your computer and test your memory for defects, like the popular MemTest86 application. If you want to check your computer s memory for errors, you don t need a third-party tool just open the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool.

32 Windows Memory Diagnostic (2)

33 Disk Cleanup

34 Disk Cleanup (1) Windows Disk Cleanup utility will scan your computer for files that can be deleted, from temporary files and memory dumps to old system restore points and leftover files from Windows upgrades. It does the same job a PC cleaning utility does, but it s free and doesn t try to extract any money from you. Advanced users may prefer CCleaner, but Disk Cleanup does a decent job.

35 Disk Cleanup (2)

36 System Information

37 System Information (1) The System Information utility allows you to view information about the current computer everything from the model number of its CD-ROM drive to its attached peripherals, configured environment variables, and startup programs. It doesn t provide the slickest interface, nor does it provide all the information a third-party system information tool like Speccy does, but it will display a lot of system information without forcing you to install another program.

38 System Information (2)

39 DirectX Diagnostics

40 DirectX Diagnostics (1) DirectX Diagnostic Tool, also known as DXDiag. In previous versions of Windows, DXDiag was installed whenever you installed DirectX, which usually occurred when you installed a game. But now that DirectX is part and parcel of the Windows operating system, DXDiag is included from first install.

41 DirectX Diagnostics (2) DXDiag pops up a wealth of useful information for evaluating DirectX problems. Under the Display tab, you ll see the installed GPU, the display interface (DVI, HDMI, or the like), your graphics memory allotment, and so on. The Sound tab gives you information related to the audio device and drivers. DXDiag offers a deeper level of detail than you might find in Device Manager, and it's all specific to DirectX-capable devices.

42 DirectX Diagnostics (3)

43 Task Manager

44 Task Manager (1) Task Manager shows you the programs, processes, and services that are currently running on your computer. You can use Task Manager to monitor your computer s performance or to close a program that is not responding. If you are connected to a network, you can also use Task Manager to view network status and see how your network is functioning. If more than one user is connected to your computer, you can see who is connected, what they are working on, and you can send them a message. Open Task Manager by right-clicking the taskbar and then clicking Task Manager. Or You can also open Task Manager by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC.

45 Task Manager (2)

46 Disk Defragmentation

47 Disk Defragmentation (1) Fragmentation makes your hard disk do extra work that can slow down your computer. Removable storage devices such as USB flash drives can also become fragmented. Disk Defragmenter rearranges fragmented data so your disks and drives can work more efficiently.

48 Disk Defragmentation (2)

49 System Restore

50 System Restore (1) System Restore helps you restore your computer's system files to an earlier point in time. It's a way to undo system changes to your computer without affecting your personal files, such as , documents, or photos.

51 System Restore (2)

52 System Restore (3) To restore system files and settings using a specific restore point Open System Restore by clicking the Start button.... Do one of the following:... Click the restore point that you want, and then click Next.... Review the restore point, and then click Finish.

ANNOYING COMPUTER PROBLEMS

ANNOYING COMPUTER PROBLEMS And their solution Before you do this to your computer read this information. Feel free to print it out. This will make it easier to reference. Table of Contents 1. Computer