Understanding and Troubleshooting Your PC. Chapter 12: Maintenance and Troubleshooting Fundamentals2...

Understanding and Troubleshooting

Your PC

Chapter 12: Maintenance and Troubleshooting Fundamentals 2

Chapter Objectives

In this chapter, you will learn:– About maintaining your PC, including how to make

backups– How to protect against viruses, Trojan horses, and

worms– About approaches for troubleshooting a PC


Maintaining Your PC


Performing Routine Maintenance Tasks

Organize the hard drive root directory– Organizing the files and folders on your hard drive makes it

easier to find files and can help you back up and recover files more easily

– Keep all of your documents and other files in your My Documents folder

– Do not store files on the desktop– Keep application software files and their data in separate

directories– The root directory of the hard drive should contain only

folders and system startup files or initialization files for software


Performing Routine Maintenance Tasks

Create rescue disks Document all setup changes, problems, and solutions Record setup data Take practical precautions to protect software and

data– Backup the system state and create a restore point before

installing a new software package– Do not store data files in the same directory as the software– Enable settings to hide protected files from the user– Back up original software– Back up data on the hard drive


Backup Approaches

A full backup backs up all data from the hard drive or a directory or folder of the hard drive

An incremental backup backs up only files that have changed or been created since the last backup

Differential backups backs up files that have changed or been created since the last full backup


Creating a Backup Plan and Schedule


Disk Cloning Software

Disk cloning is the creation of a complete image or copy of a computer’s hard drive, usually used to deploy a new operating system with application software on multiple computers in a corporate network or educational computer lab– Norton Ghost– Drive Image– ImageCast


Creating a Preventative Maintenance Plan


Protecting against Viruses, Trojan Horses, and Worms

A malicious logic program is any program that acts without a user’s knowledge, deliberately changes the computer’s operations, and does varying degrees of damage to data and software

Antivirus software protects a computer against infection by identifying and removing any malicious logic programs in memory, in storage, or on files coming in as e-mail attachments


Computer Viruses

A computer virus is a program designed to infect a computer and replicate itself by attaching itself to other programs

The payload is the destructive event or prank the virus was created to deliver

All viruses have three characteristics:– Has an incubation period– Performs an unwanted function– Replicates itself


Types of Viruses

A file virus inserts virus code into program files or executable files

A macro virus uses the macro language of an application to hide virus code

A boot sector virus replaces the boot program used to start the computer system with a modified, infected version of the boot program

Master Boot Record (MBR) viruses attack disks in the same manner as boot sector viruses– MBR viruses typically save a legitimate copy of the master

boot record in a different location on the hard disk


Types of Viruses

A multipartite virus has characteristics of a boot sector virus and a file virus

A logic bomb is a program that is activated when a certain condition is detected

A time bomb is a type of logic bomb that is activated on a particular date


How Viruses Hide

Antivirus software detects a known virus by looking for distinguishing characteristics called a virus signature, which is a known pattern of virus code

A polymorphic virus changes its distinguishing characteristics as it replicates

An encrypting virus can transform itself into a nonreplicating program to avoid destruction by antivirus program

A stealth virus actively conceals itself


How a Virus Replicates


Trojan Horses

A Trojan horse is a destructive program disguised as a real application, such as a screen saver

Trojan horses can delete files, capture information from your system, or open up a back door that allows a hacker to control your computer remotely– AOL4FREE


Worms

A worm is a malicious logic program that replicates by creating copies of itself, either on one computer or any number of computers on a network

Eventually, no memory or disk space remains because the worm is using up all system resources

Worms on the Internet routinely perform port scanning


Worms


Hoaxes

A virus hoax is an e-mail message that spreads a false virus warning, usually in chain letter fashion, from person to person

Before ignoring a virus warning, you should check with reputable references to determine if a virus warning is legitimate or a hoax


Hoaxes


Protecting against Computer Viruses


Using Antivirus Software

Install an antivirus program on your computer and update it frequently

Perform routine system scans on your computer

Most antivirus programs contain an auto-update feature that regularly prompts users to download the new virus signature or definition files


Handling an Infection

Run a virus scan using your antivirus software to detect and delete the malicious logic program

If the antivirus program cannot remove the infection, it often quarantines the infected file

Using a recovery disk, the antivirus program can attempt to repair damaged files

In extreme cases, you may need to reformat the hard disk to remove a virus


Troubleshooting Tools:Building a PC Toolkit


Troubleshooting Tools:Building a PC Toolkit

Other tools that are helpful to have in a PC toolkit include:– Antistatic bags– Needle-nose pliers– Flashlight– AC outlet ground tester and multimeter– Small cups, bags, or plastic containers– Pen and paper– Utility software


Utility and Diagnostic Software

Utility software is a program that performs a specific task, usually related to managing system resources or identifying a problem with a PC

Diagnostic software generally is used to identify hardware problems


Approaches for Troubleshooting a PC: Fundamental Rules

Make backups before making changesFollow the important safety precautionsApproach the problem systematicallyIsolate the problem



Do not assume the worstCheck simple things firstBecome a researcherKnow your starting point



Establish your prioritiesDo not rushWrite things downTake a break


Gathering Information:Investigating the Problem

What operating system is installed?What physical components are installed?What is the nature of the problem?Can you duplicate the problem?


Gathering Information:Isolating the Problem

Consider the possibilitiesEliminate simple things firstEliminate the unnecessaryTrade good for suspected badTrade suspected bad for good


Gathering Information:Intermittent Problems

The trick in diagnosing problems that come and go is to look for patterns or clues as to when the problems occur

If you cannot reproduce the problem, keep a log of when the problems occur and exactly what messages appear– Take a screen capture


Chapter Summary

In this chapter, you learned:– About maintaining your PC, including how to make

backups– How to protect against viruses, Trojan horses, and

worms– About approaches for troubleshooting a PC

Understanding and Troubleshooting

Your PCChapter 12 Complete

Understanding and Troubleshooting Your PC. Chapter 12: Maintenance and Troubleshooting Fundamentals2...

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