Quick Directions for saving/downloading/house cleaning

Notes:

1. Always do a "Save As", so you can tell the computer where to save the file (document) and you name the file what you want it to be called. (So you can remember what it pertains to when you see the name again.)
2. Always save the document in "My Documents" folder. Then you always know where to find it. If you want to save a file on "A:" drive (floppy disk), then under file go to "Save As" choose "A:" drive instead of "C:\My Documents".

Procedures for Downloading

1. Every program is slightly different. But the basics are the same. Let’s say you want to update your Windows System

• Click on the Start button and then on Windows Update.
• The computer will connect to the internet and go to the update page. Click on "Product Update" link.
• It will go to another page and then look at your computer to see what you need.
• Then put a check mark in the box of what you want (all critical items are important).
• Then click on Download, it will go to another page to verify what you want
• Then click on Start download. (It will download and install the updates.)

1. Let’s say you’re at a page on the web and they give you the option to download something you want. (Maybe a screensaver or GEDCOM file for genealogy research).

• Click on the download link and the "Save As" box opens.
• Now at the top of the box there is a down arrow that you can click on and choose where to save the file. Remember choose "My Documents" so you can find it.
• Then near the bottom there is a field called file, be sure to name the file so you can remember it. It will already have a name or numbers that the computer thinks it should be. CHANGE it to what you want!
• Then click on "Save". The download should begin. (You may have some disclaimers to agree to.)

Procedures for finding a file

1. Double-click on "My Documents" folder on the desktop. Find your file and double- click on it. Your file will open and you can proceed with your project.
2. If your file is not there, because you forgot to tell it to save it in "My Documents" then go to "Start" button, click on "Find" / "Files", type in the name of the type and make sure to "Look In" Local Hard Drives or My Computer. Then click on "Find Now". If you don’t remember the name of the file – type in the field "Containing Text" any word you remember that was in the document. The computer will find every file that contains that word, so don’t choose: it, the, is, was, page, etc. Choose pertinent words.

Notes: You must be very careful when doing this procedure or you may end up moving files where you don’t want them and didn’t know you did it.

How to move a file from C: drive to A: drive.

1. Right click on the "Start" button. Click on "Explore". This is the Explorer window. Here you can see all files that are not hidden that are on your computer.
2. The left window opened in the "Start Menu" folder, this is not where you want to be. Run the slider up to the top. When you do, you will see the folder "My documents" and you will see near the top the "3 ½ Floppy (A:)" drive.
3. In the left window click on "My Documents". All of the files in the "My Documents" folder are displayed in the right window pane. Find the file you want to move to A: drive, right click on it one time. Make sure the file you want to highlighted in blue and the cursor IS NOT flashing. IF IT IS -- CLICK SOMEPLACE ELSE. Because you will accidentally change the name if you hit a key on the keyboard.
4. Now that the file is highlighted in blue, the menu came up that gives you the choice of want to do with this file. Click on "Send To". Now you can send it to the A: drive, or send it to a email recipient. If you click on the 3 ½ Floppy (A:) drive the file will go there. Make sure you have a floppy in the drive. If you click on mail recipient it will become attached to an email and you can send it to anybody that you have an email address for.

How to move a file from A: drive to C: drive.

1. Right click on the "Start" button. Click on "Explore". This is the Explorer window. Here you can see all files that are not hidden that are on your computer.
2. The left window opened in the "Start Menu" folder, this is not where you want to be. Run the slider up to the top. When you do, you will see the folder "My documents" and you will see near the top the "3 ½ Floppy (A:)" drive.
3. Click on the "3 ½ Floppy (A:) in the left window pane. The files on the drive are listed in the right pane. Click and hold the left move button on the file you want to move, now drag the file to "My documents" and DO NOT let the mouse button up until the blue is sitting on top of "My Documents". Otherwise you have just lost that file because you don’t know where it went.

House cleaning of your hard drive

Note: This is a procedure that consists of three separate functions done in this order.

1. Disk Cleanup -- Start button/accessories/system tools/disk cleanup/ok

• Put a check mark in "Temporary Internet Files" and "Temporary Files" and "Recycle Bin"
• Click "ok" and then click "yes".

2. Scandisk -- Start button/accessories/system tools/scandisk

• Make sure "Automatically Fix Errors" is checked
• Click on "Advanced"
• Under Cross linked make sure "Delete File" is check
• Under Lost File Fragments make sure "Free" is checked
• Then click "ok" and then "start"
• After is has finished and gives you a summary, click close, unless you have a second hard drive then check it also.

3. Disk Defragmenter – Click ok after you answer which drive to defragment.

• It will start. This process takes a long time!

These House Cleaning Chores only need to be accomplished about once every six months.

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