Although the links on this page aren't directly connected to e-learning, I do tend to get asked a lot of questions from teachers & students on how they can keep their home (windows based) machines running smoothly. So on this page you'll find links to free software and services that staff & students can use to keep their Windows PCs running as trouble free as possible: General MaintenanceWindows based machines slow down as time goes by, mostly because the more you use a PC the more cluttered it gets and so the slower it runs.The link below will take you to a list of software that can de-clutter your machine and restore to it's 'just out of the box' speed..or something close to it:
Software UpdatersIf you've downloaded any software as a result of looking at this site then chances are it will be updated in a few months to a later version. Keeping track of the updates along with downloading and installing them can become a chore. However the links below will take you to free software that will automatically scan your machine and then let you know if there are any new versions for the applications you have installed, along with giving you the option of downloading and installing them - saving you lots of time & hassle!
Anti-Virus SoftwareWindows does not (yet) come with an anti-virus programme out of the box so it's up to you to ensure you have one installed on your computer. Thankfully there are lots of great, free anti-virus applications out there, the link below will take you to some of the best:
Malware Removal"Malware, short for malicious software, is software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without the owner's informed consent. The expression is a general term used by computer professionals to mean a variety of forms of hostile, intrusive, or annoying software or program code. The term "computer virus" is sometimes used as a catch-all phrase to include all types of malware, including true viruses."Data RecoveryIf you've accidentally deleted files and/or folders AND emptied the recycle bin then you'll need some data recovery software to get it back. The links below will take you to software that allows you to recover files that might otherwise be lost...System Restore ToolsSometimes you need to do more that recover the odd file or folder and do a complete system restore. The link below takes you to software that lets you so a complete backup and restore of your entire PC: Power ManagementIf you have a laptop then you might be familiar with the concept of "Power Plans", these dictate how much power your laptop consumes and you can changed them depending on whether or not your laptop is plugged into the mains or not. On my machines I use Aerofoil to automatically disable power hungry settings on my machines when they are just running off the battery, when the machines are plugged back into the mains then Aerofoil re-enables these settings so that my machines are always running at optimal settings. |
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