Life after Windows 7 installation (Part 2 of 2)
Continuing with that post, and hoping that you have enjoyed the previous part, today I’m writing about the last 3 mandatory points to step in after its installation (please note that all actions below require you to be logged as Administrator or with enough admin rights).
Get the most of your OS (Update Windows)
Although Windows 7 is a recent operating system, Microsoft has already distributed approximately 100 updates for it. Keeping your operating system updated guarantees optimal levels of performance and security to let you enjoy your Windows 7 to the maximum.
With Windows 98, Microsoft introduced what we known as Windows Update. A Microsoft official site that using an Active-X and Windows Automatic Updates components, gets system information and downloads the necessary updates.
How to do it?
- Open Windows Update by clicking the Start button. In the search box, type Update, and then, in the list of results, click Windows Update.
- In the left pane, click Check for updates, and then wait while Windows looks for the latest updates for your computer.
- If you see a message telling you that important updates are available, or telling you to review important updates, click the message to view and select the important updates to install.
- In the list, click the important updates for more information. Select the check boxes for any updates that you want to install, and then click OK.
- Click Install updates.
- Read and accept the license terms, and then click Finish if the update requires it_. If you’re prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation._
Cleanup and defragment your disks
Free up space on your hard disk improves the performance of your computer. Disk Cleanup tool identifies files that you can safely delete, and then enables you to choose whether you want to delete some or all of the identified files. Also, keeping the disk defragmented improves files access speed and let your computer boot faster.
How to do it?
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To use Disk Cleanup utility, click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools then click Disk Cleanup. If several drives are available, you might be prompted to specify which drive you want to clean.
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When Disk Cleanup has calculated how much space you can free, in the Disk Cleanup for dialog box, scroll through the content of the Files to delete list.
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Clear the check boxes for files that you don’t want to delete, and then click OK. For more options, such as cleaning up System Restore and Shadow copy files, under Description, click Clean up system files then click the More Options tab.
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When prompted to confirm that you want to delete the specified files, click Yes.
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To use Disk Defragmenter, click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools, and then click Disk Defragmenter.
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In the Disk Defragmenter dialog box, click the drives that you want to defragment, and then click the Analyze button. After the disk is analyzed, a dialog box appears, letting you know whether you should defragment the analyzed drives.
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To defragment the selected drive or drives, click the Defragment disk button.
Be prepared for disaster recovery (System Image)
A system image is an exact copy of a drive. By default, a system image includes the drives required for Windows to run. It also includes Windows and your system settings, programs, and files. You can use a system image to restore the contents of your computer if your hard disk or computer ever stops working.
When you restore your computer from a system image, it’s a complete restoration—you can’t choose individual items to restore, and all of your current programs, system settings, and files are replaced with the contents of the system image.
How to do it?
- Open Backup and Restore by clicking the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Backup and Restore.
- In the left pane, click Create a system image, and then follow the steps in the wizard. If you’re prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
Following these 6 steps, grant you to have your system tuned up for maximum performance, letting you to enjoy your Windows 7 experience at maximum and having an image to recover your system in case of a disaster.