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eMachines ET1161 8513152 - eMachines Desktop Hardware Reference Guide - Page 70

Defragmenting the hard drive

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Chapter 5: Maintaining Your Computer To check the hard drive for errors: 1 Click (Start) then click Computer. The Computer window opens. 2 Right-click the drive that you want to check for errors, click Properties, then click the Tools tab. 3 Click Check Now, then click Start. Your drive is checked for errors. This process may take several minutes. Important Error checking cannot scan a drive while the drive is being used. If you try to check your hard drive for errors, you see a prompt asking you if you want to scan the hard drive later (the next time you restart your computer). If you see this prompt, click Schedule disc check. After Windows has finished checking the drive for errors, it provides a summary of the problems that it found. 4 Correct any problems that are found by following the on-screen instructions. 5 Click OK. Help For more information about checking the hard drive for errors, click Start, then click Help and Support. Type checking for disk errors in the Search Help box, then press ENTER. Defragmenting the hard drive When working with files, sometimes Windows divides the file information into pieces and stores them in different places on the hard drive. This is called fragmentation, and it is normal. In order for your computer to use a file, Windows must search for the pieces of the file and put them back together. This process slows the hard drive performance. 64

Section	Page
Contents	3
About This Reference	7
About this guide	8
For more information	8
Accessing the online User Guide	8
To access your User Guide:	8
eMachines contact information	9
Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity	9
Checking Out Your Computer	11
Front	12
Back	14
Setting Up and Getting Started	17
Working safely and comfortably	18
Reducing eye strain	19
Setting up your computer desk and chair	19
Sitting at your computer	20
Avoiding discomfort and injury from repetitive strain	20
Preparing power connections	20
Protecting from power source problems	20
Checking the voltage selection	21
To set the voltage selection switch:	21
Connecting to a broadband modem or network	21
To connect to a broadband modem or to an Ethernet network:	21
Connecting a dial-up modem	22
To connect the modem:	22
Starting your computer	22
To start your computer:	22
Waking up your computer	23
Turning off your computer	23
To put your computer to sleep:	24
To turn off your computer:	24
Restarting (rebooting) your computer	25
To restart your computer:	25
Using the keyboard	26
Using the mouse	27
Using optical drives	29
Features	29
Loading an optical disc	29
To insert an optical disc:	29
Identifying optical drive types	29
Playing discs	31
Playing a CD	31
Playing a DVD	31
Playing a Blu-ray Disc	31
Creating discs	32
Recording to optical discs	32
Creating audio and video files	32
Copying optical discs	32
Using the memory card reader	32
Memory card types	33
Using a memory card	33
To insert a memory card:	33
To remove a memory card:	33
Adjusting the volume	33
To adjust the overall volume using hardware controls:	34
To adjust the volume from Windows:	34
Configuring the audio jacks	35
To configure the audio jacks:	35
Installing a printer, scanner, or other device	36
Upgrading Your Computer	37
Preventing static electricity discharge	38
Opening the case	38
Removing the side panel	39
To remove the side panel:	39
Removing the front bezel	39
To remove the front bezel:	39
Closing the case	41
Replacing the front bezel	41
To replace the front bezel:	41
Replacing the side panel	42
To replace the side panel:	42
Replacing the color panel	42
To replace the color panel on the front bezel:	42
Installing memory	44
To install or replace DIMM memory:	44
Adding or replacing an optical disc drive	46
To add replace an optical drive:	46
Replacing the media panel	48
To replace the media panel:	48
Adding or replacing a hard drive	51
To add or replace a hard drive:	51
Replacing the heat sink and processor	53
To replace the heat sink and processor:	53
Adding or replacing an expansion card	56
To add or replace an expansion card:	56
Replacing the system battery	57
To replace the battery:	57
Replacing the system board	58
To replace the system board:	58
Maintaining Your Computer	61
Setting up a maintenance schedule	62
Caring for your computer	63
Cleaning your computer	64
Cleaning the exterior	64
Cleaning the keyboard	65
To clean the keyboard:	65
Cleaning the monitor	65
To clean the monitor:	65
Cleaning the mouse	65
To clean the mouse:	65
Cleaning optical discs	66
To clean an optical disc:	66
Updating Windows	66
Using BigFix	67
To start BigFix:	67
Managing hard drive space	67
Checking hard drive space	68
To check hard drive space:	68
Deleting unnecessary files	69
To delete unnecessary files:	69
Checking the hard drive for errors	69
To check the hard drive for errors:	70
Defragmenting the hard drive	70
To defragment the hard drive:	71
Backing up files	71
To back up files:	72
Scheduling maintenance tasks	72
To start the Task Scheduler:	73
Moving from your old computer	73
Transferring files and settings automatically	73
To move files and settings from your old computer:	74
Transferring files and settings manually	74
Finding your documents	74
To find files in the documents folder:	74
Finding other files	75
To find files using Find or Search:	75
Troubleshooting	77
Safety guidelines	78
Try these steps first	78
Error messages	79
Internet and networking	80
Internet	80
You cannot connect to the Internet	80
You see an “Unable to locate host” message and are unable to browse the Internet	80
People are sending you e-mails, but you have not received them	81
E-mails you send are returned as undeliverable	81
Modem (cable or DSL)	81
My computer cannot connect to the Internet.	81
Modem (dial-up)	82
Your modem does not dial or does not connect	82
To check the dialing properties:	82
You cannot connect to the Internet	83
Your 56K modem does not connect at 56K	83
The modem is not recognized by your computer	83
To run modem diagnostics:	83
The modem is noisy when it dials and connects	83
To turn down the modem volume:	83
Networking	84
You cannot see the other computers on your network	84
Your wired network is running slower than you expect	84
Power	85
Your computer will not turn on	85
Display	85
The screen resolution is not correct	85
The computer is on, but there is no picture	85
The color is not uniform	86
The text on the display is dim or difficult to read	86
Printing	86
The printer will not turn on	86
The printer is on but will not print	86
To set a default printer:	86
Optical discs	87
The computer does not recognize a disc or the disc drive	87
An audio disc does not produce sound	87
A movie disc will not play	87
Memory card reader	88
Drive letters for the memory card slots do not appear in the Computer window	88
Mouse	88
The mouse does not work	88
The mouse works erratically	88
Keyboard	89
The keyboard does not work	89
Liquid spilled in the keyboard	89
Files	89
You get an “Insufficient disk space” error message	89
A file was accidentally deleted	90
To restore deleted files:	90
You get a “Data error” message	90
The hard drive cannot be accessed, or you see a “General failure reading drive C” error message	90
You get an “Operating system not found” error message	90
You need to restore your computer to a working condition	90
Checking the hard drive for errors	91
To check the hard drive for errors:	91
Memory	91
You see a “Memory error” message	91
You see a “Not enough memory” error message	92
Audio	92
You are not getting sound from the speakers	92
Passwords	92
Your computer does not accept your password	92
Expansion cards	93
The computer does not recognize an expansion card	93
Media Center	93
The Media Center video display looks bad on your TV	93
You want to change monitor settings to get better TV or DVD image quality	94
You need to burn programs that were recorded with your computer to a DVD using Media Center	94
You want to play recorded programs on other computers	94
You get a “Download Error” message when Media Center tries to update the Program Guide	94
Checking for device problems	95
To check for device problems:	95
Recovering your system	96
To recover your system:	96
Creating recovery discs	97
To create recovery discs:	97
Recovering pre-installed software and drivers	99
To recover your pre-installed software and drivers:	99
Returning to a previous system condition	100
To return to a restore point:	100
Returning your system to its factory condition	101
Recovering from within Windows Vista	102
To reinstall Windows Vista and all pre-installed software and drivers:	102
Recovering from the hard drive during startup	103
To reinstall Windows Vista and all pre-installed software and drivers:	103
Recovering from your recovery discs	103
To reinstall Windows Vista and all pre-installed software and drivers:	103
Technical support	104
Before calling Customer Care	104
Calling Customer Care	104
Legal Notices	105
If your computer has a DVD-compatible drive and an analog TV Out port, the following paragraph applies:	113
A	115
B	115
C	115
D	116
E	117
F	117
H	117
I	118
J	118
K	118
L	118
M	118
N	119
O	119
P	120
R	120
S	121
T	121
U	122
V	122
W	122
X	122
Z	122