®® Microsoft Windows 7 Windows Tutorial 10 Improving Your Computer’s Performance

XP Objectives Optimize computer performance Monitor system tasks Examine system information Increase memory capacity with ReadyBoost Troubleshoot typical computer problems Respond to software and operating system errors Use the Problem Steps Recorder Manage remote assistance New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 72

XP Tracking System Performance New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 73

XP Improving System Performance After you use your computer for a while, and especially after installing software or saving and deleting files, you might notice changes in your system performance New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 74

XP Improving System Performance New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 75

XP Viewing and Calculating Your Base Score Click the Start button, click Control Panel, click System and Security, and then click Check the Windows Experience Index in the System category In the Performance Information and Tools window, view the Windows Experience Index base score and subscores for your computer. If these scores are not displayed click Rate this computer To find out if your score has changed, click Re-run the assessment New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 76

XP Using a Troubleshooter Click the Action Center icon in the notification area of the taskbar Click Open Action Center, and then click Troubleshooting In the list of troubleshooters, select a troubleshooter, or click a category and then select a troubleshooter Follow the instructions in the troubleshooter dialog boxes New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 77

XP Optimizing Visual Effects and Other Options Click Control Panel in the Address bar, click System and Security, and then click Check the Windows Experience Index in the System category to open the Performance Information and Tools window again In the left pane, click Adjust visual effects New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 78

XP Using Advanced Performance Tools New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 79

XP Viewing Details About System Events When you are troubleshooting problems with Windows and other programs, it is often helpful to view details about system events – Program events – Security events – System events New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 710

XP Monitoring System Performance Click the Start button, click Control Panel, click the System and Security category, and then click Check the Windows Experience Index in the System category Click Advanced tools in the left pane Click Open Performance Monitor In the left pane, expand the Monitoring Tools folder, if necessary Click Performance Monitor to graph system performance New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 711

XP Monitoring System Performance New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 712

XP Tracking Processor Time In the Advanced Tools window, click Open Performance Monitor In the left pane of the Performance Monitor window, expand the Monitoring Tools folder, if necessary, and then click Performance Monitor Click the Add button on the Performance Monitor toolbar Click % Usage, and then click the Add button Click the OK button New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 713

XP Tracking Processor Time New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 714

XP Using Task Manager to Examine System Information Besides using the Performance Monitor to track system information, you can also use Task Manager to view information about the programs and processes running on your computer New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 715

XP Examining System Information In the Advanced Tools window, click View advanced system details in System Information New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 716

XP Generating a System Health Report In the Advanced Tools window, click Generate a system health report New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 717

XP Using ReadyBoost to Increase Memory Capacity Windows ReadyBoost can use storage space on some removable media devices, including USB flash drives, to speed up your computer Plug a USB flash drive into an available USB port on your computer New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 718

XP Solving System Problems New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 719

XP Finding Troubleshooting Information Click the Action Center icon in the notification area of the taskbar, and then click Open Action Center Click Troubleshooting New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 720

XP Troubleshooting Printer Errors Print quality Running out of paper Clearing a print jam Print errors can cause problems with the print queue New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 721

XP Troubleshooting Printer Errors New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 722

XP Checking for Solutions to Software Problems Open the Action Center window. (Click the Action Center icon in the notification area of the taskbar, and then click Open Action Center.) Expand the Maintenance section, if necessary, and then click Check for solutions Follow any steps Windows provides New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 723

XP Recovering the Operating System System Restore Last Known Good Configuration Safe mode Startup Repair Reinstall Windows New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 724

XP Using the Problem Steps Recorder If you are having trouble performing a task in Windows, you can use the Problem Steps Recorder to record the steps you take on a computer In the Action Center window, click in the Search Control Panel box, type problem steps, and then click Record steps to reproduce a problem in the search results New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 725

XP Using the Problem Steps Recorder New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 726

XP Requesting and Managing Remote Assistance In the Address bar of the Control Panel window, click the arrow button after Control Panel, and then click System and Security In the System and Security window, click System Click Remote settings in the left pane If necessary, click the Allow Remote Assistance connections to this computer to insert a check mark New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 727

XP Requesting and Managing Remote Assistance New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 728

XP Requesting Remote Assistance Click the Start button on the taskbar, and then click Help and Support Click the Ask button on the toolbar In the Ask a person for help section of the window, click Windows Remote Assistance New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 729

XP Requesting Remote Assistance New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows 730