Windows 7 Tips and Tools

Below is a step-by-step guide to different tips or tools that can be useful to know for your Windows 7 PC. Some may be new you to and others may be old news. Each tip and tool will help keep your computer clean and safe.

Table of Contents

1. How to Uninstall a Program
2. How to run Checkdisk (chkdsk)
3. Windows Memory Diagnostic
4. Change your User Account Icon
5. How to Defrag your Hard Drive
6. How to Post a Screenshot
7. How to Force close a Program
8. How to Update your Java
9. How to Setup a Backup
10. How to Restore Files from a Backup
11. How to create a System Repair Disk
12. Keyboard Shortcuts
13. How to pin something to the taskbar
14. How to run Disk Cleanup
15. How to Fix Windows Files (sfc /scannow)

1. How to Uninstall a Program

1. Go to the Start Menu then click on Control Panel, found on the right hand menu.
2. A popup window should appear, click on Uninstall a Program. – Be sure that your View By: is set to Category.
3. Wait about 5 to 10 seconds for the list to load all of the programs installed on the computer.
4. Next scroll down the list until you find the program you wish to uninstall.
5. Click on the program and select the Uninstall/Change button at the top.
6. A new window should appear guiding you to uninstall the program.
7. After the uninstaller window has completed be sure to restart your computer.

2. How to run Checkdisk (chkdsk)

1. First go to Computer, most likely found in the upper left hand corner. If you do not see Computer then right click on the desktop and select Personalize. Then click Change Desktop Icons and be sure that Computer has a ticked box next to it. Press OK and return to step 1.
2. Right click on which hard drive you would like Windows to check. Normally the (C:) Drive.
3. Select Properties.
4. Go to the Tools Tab and click the Check Now… button under Error-checking.
5. A popup window will appear make sure that both check boxes are ticked. Press Start.
6. Windows will tell you that it cannot perform the Check disk now. Press the Schedule disk check button.
7. Restart the computer. Once the computer is restarting Windows will perform the chkdsk.

3. Windows Memory Diagnostic

1. Go to the Start Menu and type Windows Memory Diagnostic into the Search bar.
2. Select the first Program at the top of the list.
3. A popup window will appear and ask to check now or later.
4. Select Restart now and check for problems.
5. The computer will automatically restart and check your RAM (Memory).
6. Once Windows has booted up again, Windows will present you a report.

4. Change your User Account Icon

1. Go to the Start Menu then click Control Panel on the right hand side menu.
a. Make sure that your View By: is set to Category.
2. Select the User Accounts and Family Safety.
3. Under User Accounts press the Change your Account Picture text.
4. Select any of the following pictures or press the Browse for more pictures… text to add your own.

5. How to Defrag your Hard Drive

1. First go to Computer, most likely found in the upper left hand corner.
a. If you do not see Computer then right click on the desktop and select Personalize. Then click Change Desktop Icons and be sure that Computer has a ticked box next to it. Press Ok and return to step 1.
2. Right click on the hard drive you wish to defrag.
3. Select Properties.
4. Go to the Tools tab and select Defragment Now… under the Defragment section.
5. A popup window will appear, and then click Analyze Disk.
6. After Windows has analyzed the disk hit the Defragment disk button.

6. How to Post a Screenshot

1. Open up the item you wish to take a picture of.
2. Press the PrntScr button. Normally found next to the Delete button.
3. Go to the Start Menu and type in Paint.
4. Select the first program on the top of the list.
5. Once Paint has opened press Ctrl + V or use the Paste button.
6. Select the Crop tool in the menus and crop out the selected area.
7. Go to File then Save As… and save the image to your desktop.

7. How to Force close a Program

1. Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete buttons at the same time.
2. Windows will show you a list of items.
3. Select the Start Task Manager.
4. Go to the Applications Tab.
5. Click on the Task you wish to End and press the End Task button.
6. A popup window will appear asking you to End Now.

8. How to Update your Java

1. Follow all of the steps found in section 1.
2. After uninstalling your old Java platform go to java.com: Java + You
3. Click the Download now button found on the homepage.
4. Be sure to select the correct type of Java (32bit or 64bit) depending on your system.
5. Follow the on screen guide on installing Java.

9. How to Setup a Backup

1. First go to Computer, most likely found in the upper left hand corner. If you do not see Computer then right click on the desktop and select Personalize. Then click Change Desktop Icons and be sure that Computer has a ticked box next to it. Press Ok and return to Step 1.
2. Right click on the drive you wish to backup. On most computers this will be the (C:) drive.
3. Under the tools tab press the Back up now… button under the Backup section.
4. A popup window will appear, press the Set up backup text.
5. Look for the new hard drive that you wish to save your backup too.
6. Select the files you wish to backup then hit Next. After reviewing you’re backed up files press Save settings and run backup button.

10. How to Restore Files from a Backup

1. Go to section 8 in this article and follow down to the second step.
2. Under the Restore section click the Select another backup to restore files from text.
3. Then press the Browse for folders button.
4. Select your old backup and Windows will restore all your old files.

11. How to create a System Repair Disk

1. Go to the Start Menu then click Control Panel on the right hand menu.
2. In the search bar of the Control Panel type in Backup and select Backup and Restore.
3. On the blue menu on the left select the Create a system repair disc.
4. Pick which drive your OS is on.
5. Enter a DVD into your DVD drive and press Create disc.
6. After the disk is created it will only work on the same type of OS.

12. Keyboard Shortcuts

Below is a List of some useful keyboard short cuts to help you do things faster and easier.
1. Ctrl + C = Copy
2. Ctrl + X = Cut
3. Ctrl + V = Paste
4. Ctrl + Z = Undo
5. Ctrl + A = Select All
6. Highlighted text + Ctrl + B = Bold
7. Windows Key + D = Show desktop
8. Double Tab the Windows key to exit Full Screen modes.
9. Holding Ctrl and clicking a link will open a new tab.
10. Windows Key + Home Key = Minimize all but selected window.

13. How to pin something to the taskbar.

1. Open the program you wish to pin to the task bar.
2. Right click on the icon and select the Pin this program to taskbar option.
3. Afterwards the program will stay on the taskbar until it is removed.
4. Hold and drag to move the icon around.
5. To unpin the program right click on the program and select Unpin this program from the taskbar.

14. How to run Disk Cleanup

1. First go to Computer, most likely found in the upper left hand corner. If you do not see Computer then right click on the desktop and select Personalize. Then click Change Desktop Icons and be sure that Computer has a ticked box next to it. Press Ok and return to Step 1.
1. Right click on the hard drive you wish to clean up.
2. Select Properties
3. Under the General Tab, click the Disk Cleanup button.
4. Let Windows scan the hard drive to see which files need to be cleaned. This may take a few minutes to complete.
5. Select the files by ticking the box. Windows will delete all files with a ticked box.
6. Press Ok.
7. Then hit Delete Files.

15. How to Fix Windows Files (sfc /scannow)

1. Go to the Start Menu and type CMD into the search bar.
2. Hit enter.
3. A black box should appear on your screen. Type in: sfc /scannow (Note: There is a space be-tween sfc and /scannow)
4. Windows will scan your computer for any broken or corrupt files.
5. If Windows did find any corrupt files restart your computer.

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