Managing my PC. A good place to start?

[VeroK]

Hello;
I've become very frustrated with my utter incapacity to take care of my own computer (removing addware, making image backups that I can actually test, troubleshoot simple issues like slow performance, not being able to connect to a network, etc).
My goal is to become able to do basic troubleshooting and also to be able to intelligently discuss what's going on with my system if I do need to take it out for service.

Where do I start? What resources would you recommend (books, manuals, sites) that would make a good starting point for someone wanting to become computer-literate?
In particular, I'm trying to understand (as a starting point) how Windows boots, what the MBR & track zero options are, how to setup a virtual machine, etc: I want to be able to run an image backup and test it by booting from an external HW, a virtual machine or anything that works.

Thank you for your advice!

 

[Ketchup]

Something like this should get your started:

http://www.amazon.com/CompTIA-Certif...owViewpoints=1

 

[denis280]

I always have a pc.i call it my test dummie.on this pc i try everything.and yes to learn you have to make mistake.

 

[Drummerdude]

I'm with Denis on this one. Your own computer is the ultimate platform for testing. I'm willing to be that a good portion of us spend quite some time trying out new programs, techniques, etc, on our own rigs. Play with yours. If you want, start with basic. Take your computer apart, then learn how to put it back together. Understand what each component does. What ram does. What it's for, etc. The more you " mess ", the more you'll learn.

 

[Virgorising]

I'm with Denis too.

And, reading every thread right here in this uber community will help hugely!!!!!

As in all things....it's a JOURNEY. But, a FUN JOURNEY.

And, congrats on yr newly ignited passion to start earning more autonomy and being in charge of yr own destiny in this! That ROCKS.

 

[VeroK]

Thank you for your guidance and for the encouraging words.
As for reading all the posts here in Anandtech, I'd have to learn a few languages first (programming languages, that is). And I just might.

Yesterday I was four hours on the phone (FOUR) with Netgear support, trying to make my laptop connect to the 5G line on their shiny new dual band router. No joy. They concluded my addapter must be busted. After the remote control assistance guy in the machine went away, I rebooted the router and guess what? Now I can connect to the 5G, but not to the 2.4GHz network.
Because of that, I can't see the two printers in the house, so I can't print. Hhhaaaa!
And my phone, which until yesterday linked to both networks a-okay, now simply can't catch either wi-fi. Sigh....

Why does everything have to be so complicated? Windows just tell you: do you want to try this fix or that fix? It doesn't give you any guidance whatsoever on how to troubleshoot yourself. And the day one of Windows auto fix-it procedures actually manages to fix a darn thing for me, I'll run out to buy MS stock. It NEVER EVER works.

 

[silicon]

What if you post your system specs, the OS you are using and the problems you have encountered. Glad that the netgear is partially working now and there is so much help available on this forum that you should never be stuck for an answer.

 

[Virgorising]

As for reading all the posts here in Anandtech, I'd have to learn a few languages first (programming languages, that is). And I just might.

No need to get ahead of yourself, that can overload you with no upside. Let this be an organic journey/learning curve (those are infinite), cause that's the way such things R engineered, and that's how we make them fun.

As for the rest, welcome to Murphy's Law Days: whatever can go wrong will go wrong. Again, do not let this overwhelm you!!!!

 

[VeroK]

Thank you, guys!
I didn't even remember posting this morning...Sleep-posting, that's a new one....

Just as an fyi, in case someone encounters this problem:
It turns out all my wi-fi problems were due to the 1 month-old Netgear router (R6300v2) freaking out. I had to restore it to it's factory settings, reboot the cable-modem and voila, all my devices connected fine to both wifi bands.

Then I changed names & pws for the wifi networks. When I tried to change the admin's pw from the default, the router genie got totally confused again and wouldn't let me do it. Long story short: another full reboot was needed. That genie software is more bug-ridden than the great reviews will have you believe. Now (finally!!) the network seems ok. Next steps:
1- Set up USB drive via Netgear's ready-share
2- Set-up trial backup. I'm testing Shadow-Protect from Storagecraft. It is expensive, but it seems to have a more robust image recovery engine.
3- Create a WinPE recovery disk
4- Create a VM w/virtualboot & an external drive & test the backup image for recoverability. I'm planing to follow the advice I got here re: playing with HW, but first I need a sound data backup strategy. That's also been rocky.

Which brings up the very basic question: How (and should I) add other programs/drivers to the WinPE recovery DVD? In other words, should that recovery disk include only the drivers that Windows needs to be able to boot; or could I load it with all the programs that I would like to install in a new drive (or new system)?

In my simple mind, there are roughly 3 types of data: System files (needed to run the OS), Other programs and data files. When backing up w/images; my understanding is that the system files are loaded from a recovery disk, and all other programs & all the data files are "imported" from the image. Is that correct? Since everything is done from the recovery environment, I guess is in the hands of the backup software to make sure the WinPE disk will have everything that the image will need to bring the full system back 100%. Is that accurate?

ShadowProtect backup is still quite a bit over my head (no clue what the heck the MBR & track zero options mean) but my feeling is that wizardy programs would simply make those choices for me, and not necessarily correctly, so I better figure it out. I tested Nova, EasusToDo, Macrium & Retrospect. So far, ShadowProtect looks more solid, w/more visibility....

Baby steps.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Then I changed names & pws for the wifi networks. When I tried to change the admin's pw from the default, the router genie got totally confused again and wouldn't let me do it. Long story short: another full reboot was needed. That genie software is more bug-ridden than the great reviews will have you believe. Now (finally!!) the network seems ok.

I never use the setup CD with routers. Always open a web browser, while connected to a LAN port on the router, to the router's IP, login with the default user / pass (can usually find on the internet or in the manual), and configure everything manually.

 

[Virgorising]

Then I changed names & pws for the wifi networks. When I tried to change the admin's pw from the default, the router genie got totally confused again and wouldn't let me do it. Long story short: another full reboot was needed. That genie software is more bug-ridden than the great reviews will have you believe

Wow. I rarely use my wi fi set up, but to too have a Netgear Router and the genie functions pretty well. Cept I bought my router on eBay for no money; it is an older one.

So sorry U R having these stupid gremlins!!!

 

[wjgollatz]

You need to buy some backup software and an external hard drive (USB) to back up to (do not backup to drives kept inside your computer tower - comp can be stolen, the power system that goes bad and fries your main drive, could fry the other ones....). All hard drives will fail.