How to perform PC Tuneup

Step 1: Create Restore point

Warning: Before we begin lets create system restore point so that we can revert the changes.

System Restore takes a 'snapshot' of critical system files and some program files and stores this information as restore points. You can use these restore points to return Windows XP to a previous state.

1. Click Start then All Programs, Accessories, System Tools and then Click System Restore.
2. Select Create a restore point from the options provided.
3. Type the description for the restore point and then click Create.
4. Close the System Restore Window once restore point is created.

Step 2: Backing up Document and Settings (Using Backup Utility)

Note You must have permissions as an administrator or as a backup operator on your computer to back up files and folders. Backup operators and administrators can back up and restore encrypted files and folders without decrypting the files or folders.

How to back up files and folders

Step 1: Start the Backup utility

a.	Click Start, click Run, type ntbackup.exe , and then click OK.
b.	If the Backup or Restore Wizard starts, go to Step 3. If you receive the following error message, the Backup utility is not installed: Windows cannot find 'ntbackup.exe'. In this case, click Exit, and then go to Step 2.

Step 2: Install the Backup utility

a.	Insert the Windows XP disc in the CD drive or in the DVD drive of the computer.
b.	Click Exit.
c.	Click Start, click Run, type the following, and then click OK: CDDrive :\valueadd\msft\ntbackup\ntbackup.msi Note CDDrive is the drive letter for the CD drive or the DVD drive. If you do not know the drive letter, try "D" or "E."
d.	When the Backup or Restore Wizard prompts you, click Finish.
e.	Remove the Windows XP disc.
f.	To start the Backup utility, click Start, click Run, type ntbackup.exe , and then click OK.

Step 3: Select folders or drives to back up

a.	On the "Welcome to the Backup and Restore Wizard" page, click Advanced Mode.
b.	Click the Backup tab.
c.	On the Job menu, click New.
d.	Click to select the check boxes for the drives that you want to back up. If you want to be more specific in your selections, expand the drive that you want, and then click to select the check boxes for the files or for the folders that you want.
e.	Click to select the System State check box. Note If you want to back up system settings and data files, back up all the data on your computer plus the System State data. The System State data includes such things as the registry, the COM+ class registration database, files that are under Windows File Protection, and boot files.

Step 4: Select a location for the backup files

a.	In the Backup destination list, click the backup destination that you want to use.
b.	If you clicked File in the previous step, click Browse, and then select the location. You can specify a network share as a destination for the backup file.

Step 5: Back up the files

a.	On the Backup tab, click Start Backup. The Backup Job Information dialog box appears.
b.	Under If the media already contains backups, use one of the following steps: • If you want to append this backup to previous backups, click Append this backup to the media. • If you want to overwrite previous backups with this backup, click Replace the data on the media with this backup.
c.	Click Advanced.
d.	Click to select the Verify data after backup check box.
e.	In the Backup Type box, click the type of backup that you want. When you click a backup type, a description of that backup type appears under "Description."
f.	Click OK, and then click Start Backup. A Backup Progress dialog box appears, and the backup starts.

Step 6: Exit the Backup utility

a.	When the backup is complete, click Close.
b.	On the Job menu, click Exit.

Note: Schedule the backup Utility on monthly basis once intial backup process is complete.

Step 3: Disk Defrag Analysis

1. Click Start, Run and Type Cmd.
2. Type defrag <drive letter :> and press Enter.
   
   Note: If the fragmented files shows higher percentage recommend the customer to run defrag at later point of time or you can help running the same for the customer.
   

Step 4: Adjust Virtual Memory

1. Click Start, click Run, and then type sysdm.cpl in the Open box.
2. Click the Advanced tab, and then click Settings under Performance.
3. Click the Advanced tab, and then click Change under Virtual memory.
4. Under Drive [Volume Label], click the drive that contains the paging file that you want to change.
5. Under Paging file size for selected drive, click Custom size, type a new paging file size in megabytes (MB) in the Initial size (MB) or Maximum size (MB) box, and then click Set.

Note: To have Windows select the best paging file size, click System managed size. The recommended minimum size is equivalent to 1.5 times the RAM on your computer, and 3 times that figure for the maximum size. For example, if you have 256 MB of RAM, the minimum size is 384 MB, and the maximum size is 1152 MB.

Step 5: Disk Cleanup

Run Disk Cleanup to remove unwanted files.

• Clear all unwanted files.
• Delete old restore points.
  

Step 6: Update Antivirus and Anti Spyware Software

Help the customer to update and schedule the scan. Iyogi recommend to schedule weekly anti spyware scan and monthy antivirus scan for the customer.

Step 7: Configure Windows Firewall and Windows Updates

Turn on Windows Updates

• Click Start and then click Control Panel.
• Click Security Center and Select Windows Update.
• Turn on Windows Update. (Recommended)

How to configure Windows Firewall settings

To examine and configure your firewall settings, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start, click Run, type wscui.cpl and then click OK.
2.	In Windows Security Center, click Windows Firewall.

Windows Firewall includes the following tabs:

•	General
•	Exceptions
•	Advanced

The General tab includes the following settings:

•	On (recommended)
•	Don't allow exceptions
•	Off (not recommended)

When you click to select Don't allow exceptions, Windows Firewall blocks all requests to connect to your computer, including requests from programs or services that are listed on the Exceptions tab. The firewall also blocks discovery of network devices, file sharing, and printer sharing.

The Don't allow exceptions option is useful when you connect to a public network, such as one that is associated with an airport or with a hotel. This setting helps protect your computer by blocking all attempts to connect to your computer.

When you use Windows Firewall with no exceptions, you can still view Web pages, send and receive e-mail, or use an instant messaging program.

The Exceptions tab lets you add program and port exceptions to permit certain types of inbound traffic. You can set a scope for each exception.

For home and small office networks, we recommend that you set the scope to the local network only, if it is possible. This configuration enables computers on the same subnet to connect to the program on the computer, but drops traffic that originates from a remote network.

The Advanced tab lets you configure the following:

•	Connection-specific rules that apply for each network interface.
•	The Security Logging configuration.
•	Global Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) rules that apply to ICMP traffic. (This traffic is used for error and status information transmission.)
•	Default settings.

Step 8: Browser Optimization

Delete the contents of the Temporary Internet Files folder

1. On the Tools menu in Internet Explorer, click Internet Options, and then click the General tab.
2. Click Delete Cookies, and then click OK.
3. Click Delete Files, and then click OK.
4. Click Clear History, and then click Yes.
5. Click OK.

Third-party browser extensions

1. Click Start, right-click Internet Explorer, and then click Internet Properties.
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. Click to clear the Enable third-party browser extensions (requires restart) check box.
4. Click Apply.
5. Click Ok.
6. Start Internet Explorer, and then try to reproduce the issue.

Step 9: Disable Startup Items

1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig , and then click OK.
2. In the System Configuration Utility dialog box, click the Startup tab
3. Click to clear the Load Startup Items (ask customer before unchecking) check box.
4. Click Ok.
5. When you are prompted, click Restart to restart the computer.

Note: Make a note of all the items unchecked and document it.

Step 10: Schedule Task

• Schedule Weekly Disk Cleanup
• Schedule Monthly Disk Defrag
• Schedule Monthly Auto Backup for Documents

Follow the steps to run schedule Task

1. Click Start, All Programs , Accessories, System Tools and then Click Scheduled Task.
2. Click Next on the Scheduled Task Wizard.
3. Select the program from the list and then click Next.
4. Type the name for the Task Selected and select when you want to perform the task.
5. Click Next.
6. Select the time and day to start the task and then click Next.
7. Once prompted for user name and password. Please specify user name and password.
8. Click Finish.

Step 10: Using the MSCONFIG Cleanup Utility, Cleared the unchecked items

Step 11: Create a final restore point

1. 
   
Click Start then All Programs, Accessories, System Tools and then Click System Restore.
2. Select Create a restore point from the options provided.
3. Type the description for the restore point (Optimized PC Restore) and then click Create.
4. Close the System Restore Window once restore point is created.

Step 12: Perform chkdsk

To locate bad sectors and recovers readable information perform check disk from recovery console (Windows Xp) /Windows Recovery Environment (Windows Vista) .

Windows XP

1. Start your computer by using the Windows startup disks, or with the Windows installation disk if your computer can start from the CD drive.
   
   Note: CD/DVD drive should be first bootable device
2. When the Welcome to Setup screen appears, press R to select the repair option.
3. If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the Windows installation that you want to access from the Recovery Console.
4. Type the administrator password when you are prompted to do this.
   
   Note If no administrator password exists, press ENTER
5. At the command prompt, on the drive where Windows is installed, type chkdsk /r , and then press ENTER.
6. At the command prompt, type exit , and then press ENTER to restart the computer.

Windows Vista

1. Put the Windows Vista installation disc in the disc drive, and then start the computer.
2. Press a key when you are prompted.
3. Select a language, a time, a currency, a keyboard or an input method, and then click Next.
4. Click Repair your computer.
5. Click the operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next.
6. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click Command Prompt.
7. Type chkdsk /r, and then press ENTER.
8. Type exit, and then press ENTER to restart the computer.