How too...maintain a healthy computer

Teaching Pre K-8, Oct 2003 by Lindroth, Linda

A few routine scans, deletes and upgrades is all it takes

It's Computer Learning Month and, therefore, a great time to check the health of your classroom computer center and school lab. Here are some points to get you started on what might become a monthly checklist for maintaining computer health.

Routine clean-up

Most school districts have their own procedures for computer maintenance, but here are some routine tasks that will help ensure that your computers are up and running when your lesson plans call for computer use. Be sure to check with your technology administrator before establishing a routine.

1 Virus scan software - Even state- and district-wide virus scan software requires regular updating. Most updates are automated, but it's good to run a manual virus scan periodically to make sure your virus scan installation is running as scheduled.

2 Cookies - It's a good idea to check your cookies file periodically, but deleting all cookies means you'll have to reestablish a cookie for sites you still visit. A better choice is to delete individual files for sites you're no longer using. Need to learn more about cookies? Try these sites.

* COOKIE CENTRAL: UNOFFICIAL COOKIE FAQ - Detailed answers for the most frequently asked questions about cookies. From cookie parameters (name, value, expiration date, path, domain, secure) to ways to turn cookies on or off, this link from David Whalen is a comprehensive look at cookies.

www.cookiecentral.com/faq/

* HOWSTUFFWORKS: HOW INTERNET COOKIES WORK - Learn how cookies work.

www.howstuffworks.com/cookie.htm

3 Avoid pop-ups - I've visited websites that had great educational content, but the annoying pop-up(s) made the site unusable in the classroom. A pop-up blocker can help. Customization allows you to see pop-up windows that provide important information for instructional sites you are using in a lesson.

* WEBATTACK.COM: POP-UP BLOCKERS - Download freeware, shareware and purchased software to block pop-ups. Type "pop-up blocker" in the search frame on the main page.

www.webattack.com

* PANICWARE: POP-UP STOPPER - Free download of the basic program.

www.panicware.com/popupstopper.html

4 Browser and window cleaning - It's smart to clear your browser history and temporary files regularly. Many districts use a proxy server to cache websites for security and speed purposes, but the local cache on your machine can cause a slowdown if it becomes too large. Directions for computer maintenance can be found at

www.eastside.fcps.net/advice/pc/default.html

Maintaining upgrades

Keeping track of new versions of viewers and plug-ins can seem like a full-time job. It's frustrating to start a project only to discover that every computer needs a new version of a viewer or plug-in to be able to use a certain website. You can check for updates and download the newest versions at sites such as:

* PEARSON EDUCATION BROWSER TUNEUP Lets you see at a glance what browser version you're using for Netscape or Internet Explorer, which viewers and plug-ins are installed and test them to see if they work. Downloads are just a click away.

http://browsertuneup.pearsoncmg.com

* NETSCAPE PLUG-INS - Check for new players, viewers and plug-ins.

www.netscape.com/plugins

One of the most time-consuming tasks in computer maintenance is software installation or upgrade. Here are three programs that will make this tedious task seem fun.

* NORTON GHOST 2003 - This time-saver makes an image and duplicates any network machine! By creating install packets, you can distribute software based on licensing and grade level requirements throughout a school network in a matter of minutes.

www.symantec.com

* NETSUPPORT SCHOOL - I use this in a 30-computer lab for installing updates. It's great for distributing files and collecting completed assignments.

www.netsupport-inc.com

* PALM SUPPORT - Grant Street Software has PDA management solutions for the Palm and the Dana. SD Deploy configures one PDA, then clones it to multiple devices. SD Express adds applications to a PDA already in use. SD Remove lets you delete files from a PDA in the time it takes to insert and remove the SD card.

www.grantstreetsoftware.com