Windows 8.1: Out of the Box, 2nd Edition

Chapter 12. Keeping Your Computer Running Smoothly

One of the biggest concerns facing home computer users is the thought that sooner or later something’s going to go wrong, and either the computer won’t start, or it will misbehave. This can result in being without your computer for a while and paying expensive repair costs.

As the author of Troubleshoot and Optimize Windows 8 Inside Out, I’d like to share with you some of the best ways that you can keep Windows 8.1 running smoothly and can rescue it easily in the event that something goes wrong.

Top Tips from This Chapter

1. Always keep a regular and up-to-date backup copy of your files!
2. You can Refresh Windows 8.1 easily to a working copy if it starts to malfunction.
3. You can create a Recovery Drive that can be used to rescue Windows 8.1 in the event that it won’t start.

How to Keep Your Files Backed Up

Files and documents on your computer may be important, so if something disastrous happens to your computer or if you have to reinstall Windows from scratch, you’ll be pretty upset if they are wiped. This is why the most important thing you can ever do with a computer is to keep regular backups of your files.

Tip

File History will back up everything in your user folders (Documents, Pictures, Music, and Video). It will not back up anything outside of these but you can add other folders to your Libraries to include them in the backup. I will show you how to use Libraries in Chapter 13.

Windows 8.1 includes an excellent backup program that ...