Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E425 - Chapter 8. Preventing Problems; General Tips for Preventing Problems

Chapter8.Preventingproblems
AnimportantpartofowningaThinkPadnotebookcomputerismaintenance.Withpropercare,youcan
avoidcommonproblems.Thechapterprovidesinformationthatcanhelpyoukeepyourcomputerrunning
smoothly.
•“Generaltipsforpreventingproblems”onpage107
•“Makingsuredevicedriversarecurrent”onpage108
•“Takingcareofyourcomputer”onpage108
Generaltipsforpreventingproblems
1.Checkthecapacityofyourharddiskdrivefromtimetotime.Iftheharddiskdrivegetstoofull,Windows
operatingsystemwillslowdownandmightproduceerrors.ClickStart➙Computer.
2.Emptyyourrecyclebinonaregularbasis.
3.Usediskdefragmenttoolregularlyonyourharddiskdrivetoimprovedataseekandreadtimes.
4.Tofreeupdiskspace,uninstallunusedapplicationprograms.
Note:Youmightalsowanttolookforapplicationprogramduplicationoroverlappingversions.
5.CleanoutyourInbox,Sent,andTrashfoldersfromyoure-mailclientprogram.
6.backupyourdataatleastonceaweek.Ifcriticaldataispresent,itisagoodideatoperformadaily
backup.Lenovohasmanybackupoptionsavailableforyourcomputer.Rewritableopticaldrivesare
availableformostmachinesandcanbeinstalledeasily.
7.UseorscheduleSystemRestoretotakeasystemsnapshotperiodically.Formoreinformationabout
SystemRestore,seeChapter5“Recoveryoverview”onpage63.
8.UpdatedevicedriversandUEFIBIOSwhenneeded.
9.Proleyourmachineathttp://www.lenovo.com/supporttokeepup-to-datewithcurrentdriversand
revisions.
10.Keepup-to-datefordevicedriversonothernon-Lenovohardware.Youmightwanttoreadthedevice
driverinformationreleasenotespriortoupdatingforcompatibilityorknownissues.
11.Keepalogbook.Entriesmightincludemajorhardwareorsoftwarechanges,driverupdates,minor
issuesyouhaveexperiencedandhowyouresolvedthem.
12.Ifyoueverneedtorunarecoveryonyourcomputertoreturnthepreloadontothemachine,the
followingtipsmighthelpalongtheway:
•Removeallexternaldevicessuchastheprinter,keyboard,andsoon.
•Makesurethatyourbatteryischargedandthatyouhavetheacpowerconnected.
•BootintotheUEFIandloadthedefaultsettings.
•Restartthemachineandstarttherecovery.
•Ifyourmachineusesdiscsastherecoverymedia,donotremovethediscfromthedriveuntil
promptedtodoso.
13.Forsuspectedharddiskdriveissues,referto“Diagnosingproblems”onpage113andruna
diagnostictestofthedrivebeforeyoucalltheCustomerSupportCenter.Ifyourcomputerdoes
notstartup,downloadthelestocreateabootableself-testmediumfromthefollowingWebsite:
http://www.lenovo.com/hddtest.Runthetestandrecordanymessagesorerrorcodes.Ifthetest
returnsanyfailingerrorcodesormessages,calltheCustomerSupportCenterwiththecodesor
messagesandthecomputerinfrontofyou.Atechnicianwillassistyoufurther.
14.Ifrequired,youcanndyourcountry'sCustomerSupportCenteratthefollowingWebaddress:
http://www.lenovo.com/support/phone.WhencallingtheCustomerSupportCenter,makesureyou
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