Insurance Tips

Or what to do before the crash

Disk Insurance
Without a recovery disk, you won't be able to restart your computer if your system takes a fall. You probably made a boot disk when you first installed Windows--but do you know where it is? Exactly where it is? We thought so. Here's how to make another one.

Windows 95: Put a blank floppy disk into drive A:. Double-click on My Computer, right-click on Floppy Drive, and select Format. Under Other Options, check Copy System Files. Make sure you also copy the Real-Mode CD-ROM drivers onto the floppy disk.

Windows NT 4.0: The easiest way to make an NT recovery disk is to install or reinstall the latest Service Pack from Microsoft, available at www.microsoft.com/ntworkstation/info/ntupdates.htm. When you install the pack, the setup routine guides you through making a recovery disk. Don't forget: You'll need three floppy disks handy to do this.

Virus Recovery
In addition to a boot disk, you should have an antivirus utility on floppy disk. This way, if a virus attacks your system, you can still run the essential virus cleanup utility. Your antivirus software should walk you through making this disk and tell you which files you need to copy (or the software will copy them automatically). With Symantec Norton AntiVirus 4.0 for Windows 95, for example, click on Start, and select Norton AntiVirus, then Rescue Disk. Select a destination drive (typically A: for the floppy drive) and click on Start. Follow the prompts. If you also have Norton Utilities installed, Rescue Disk lets you create an emergency boot disk and antivirus disks in one sitting. Just remember that you need up to seven floppy disks to complete the job.

Also be sure you have the most recent virus file updates (Norton Rescue Disk makes this a snap). Schedule updates on a regular basis, and don't forget to update your rescue disks too. If a virus attacks your PC, turn the computer off. Wait 30 seconds, then restart from your write-protected boot disk. Insert the antivirus disk and let it clean your system.

 

Dead Mouse

If your mouse goes out, its very hard to maneuver around Windows 95. You can only get to a certain point when trying to select things without the mouse. You have always heard that if your mouse goes out, you can change the accessibility option from the control panel to use the arrow keys on the numeric keypad to move the mouse around. Well, you can only do this if you have thought about it beforehand. You need to go to control panel, click accessibility options, choose the mouse tab (this is where you lose control if you have no mouse, no way to choose the mouse tab without the mouse. Click on settings, then click the box that says "use shortcut". Now, if your mouse goes out, you can press the left ALT+Shift keys with the number lock key, and then you can use the arrow keys on the numeric keypad to move the mouse. (the 5 in the center of the pad is the same as a click)

 

Emergency Recovery Utility

The Microsoft Windows 95 Emergency Recovery Utility (ERU) is designed to provide a backup of your system configuration in case a problem should occur. Microsoft recommends that you use the utility to create a backup each time you make any significant system changes, such as adding new hardware or software. (Quoted from the readme file in the "Eru" folder on the Windows95 CDROM). On the Windows 95 CDROM open the folder labeled "Other", then open the "Misc" folder. Then Drag the folder "Eru" to your root DIR on your HDD, so you have a folder with the following path statement C:\eru. To run "Eru" and thus back up your system files: 1) Right click on your "Start Button". 2) Right Click on run (Or use "My Computer" etc.) 3) Type with out the quotes "C:\eru\eru. 4) Now just follow the directions as the dialogue boxes appear.

 

 System Info

It is a good idea to get your system information on paper incase you ever have a computer problem where you need to refer to this. Right click on the My Computer icon and select Properties from the context menu. Click on the Device Manager tab, then the Print button. Select the "All devices and system summary" button, then click on OK. This will give you a print out of information about your hardware, IRQ's, ports, memory usage, devices and drivers.