Wes Simons

Setting up separate accounts on a shared PC will help to keep documents like pictures and assignments organized, and will make it much easier to keep track both of tomorrow's homework and next week's budget proposal.

Step By Step

1. Click the Windows Orb to open the Start Menu and click Control Panel.

System Restore allows you to roll back your computer settings in case you've installed software that causes PC instability or sluggishness. System Restore will not affect personal files such as e-mail, documents, or photos. By loading Windows from a restore point, you can undo the negative effects of bad drivers and updates.

Step by Step: How to Run System Restore

Step 1 Within the Start menu, click All Programs.

Nothing is more frustrating than booting up a new computer and finding that it's already littered with junk software. This junk is commonly referred to as "crapware," although it also goes by other names such as "craplets" and "shovelware." New computers make great targets for advertisers because the companies can pay to have trial versions of their software installed before the computer is sold. Removing crapware is like uninstalling any other program, but a few tricks can make it a much smoother process.

Step by Step: Removing Crapware Through Windows

Step 1 Click Start, and navigate to the Control Panel.

Despite its importance, Windows Update can also be an annoyance, as it regularly creates pop-ups to alert you to important updates that are available. You can configure Windows Update to provide you with less information, and you can even turn it off.

Step by Step

Step 1 Click Start, and then open the Control Panel.

Laptops get used everywhere from coffee shops to the bedroom, and no matter how hard you try to keep them clean, they still get dirty. Cleaning your laptop at least once a year--or more often if you travel with it frequently--will keep it running in top shape. Infrequent cleaning can lead to overheating and permanent damage to your computer.

Remove the battery before any cleaning procedure, even if you aren't planning to touch any of the electrical components. Unplugging the power cord and removing the battery will ensure that you can safely clean your laptop.

Imagine if you lost every file on your computer in 10 minutes. Would you be able to recover your data from a backup, or would you spend the next several days trying to track down all of the information that you had stored on your hard drive? Windows Vista and Windows 7 make it easy to schedule backup sessions that will create copies of your most important data and transfer it to a secure place.

Before You Start

1. Select which files are most important. Certain things, such as computer games and applications, don't usually need to be backed up. You can easily reinstall these files from the original source in the event of a system failure. The most important documents to back up are items that you have created, like documents and photos.