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
2

3. Maintaining Your PC
3

4. 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
4

5. 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
5

6. 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
6

7. Creating a Backup Plan and Schedule
7

8. Creating a Backup Plan and Schedule
8

9. 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
9

10. Creating a Preventative Maintenance Plan
10

11. 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
11

12. 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
12

13. 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
13

14. 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
14

15. 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
15

16. How a Virus Replicates
16

17. 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
17

18. 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
18

19. Worms
19

20. 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
20

21. Hoaxes
21

22. Protecting against Computer Viruses
22

23. 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
23

24. 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
24

25. Troubleshooting Tools:
Building a PC Toolkit
25

26. 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
26

27. 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
27

28. Utility and Diagnostic Software
28

29. Utility and Diagnostic Software
29

30. Approaches for Troubleshooting
a PC: Fundamental Rules
Make backups before making changes
Follow the important safety precautions
Approach the problem systematically
Isolate the problem
30

31. Approaches for Troubleshooting
a PC: Fundamental Rules
Do not assume the worst
Check simple things first
Become a researcher
Know your starting point
31

32. Approaches for Troubleshooting
a PC: Fundamental Rules
Establish your priorities
Do not rush
Write things down
Take a break
32

33. 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?
33

34. Gathering Information:
Isolating the Problem
Consider the possibilities
Eliminate simple things first
Eliminate the unnecessary
Trade good for suspected bad
Trade suspected bad for good
34

35. 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
35

36. 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
36