- Joined
- Mar 5, 2002
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- 25,762
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What is it?
In the past you may have had to control the nuts & bolts of your computer through a series of typed controls and start-up files. But in this brave new world of restore points and plug-n-play instillations, it’s quite often the case that you can use Windows XP quite happily without having to worry about what’s going on in the background.
If you’re curious, or you’ve got some problems that need sorting out, then it’s easy to take a look behind the scenes by using the System Properties box. It’s an easy to understand interface that lists the devices which are attached to your computer, and what your PC is using to control them. It also contains the settings for the main background tasks on your machine, along with some more advanced settings that enable you to optimise the performance of your computer, depending on what you use it for.
Why is it important?
There are a lot of things that you can do with System Properties, so it’s worth getting to know the basics of what it contains. Something that’s particularly handy if you’re upgrading your system is the Hardware tab, which enables you to inspect and modify the properties and drivers of devices attached to your computer, making it invaluable if you’re having problems getting things working. Even if everything’s purring along smoothly, there are several handy options for adjusting your system performance. You can modify the way your PC uses its memory and processor, configure the built-in system tools like System Restore and Automatic Update, and set-up your computer for remote access.
How can I make the most of it?
It’s easily accessed by selecting System from the Control Panel, which you’ll find under Performance and Maintenance if you’re using Category view. It’s also brought up by right-clicking on My Computer icon and selecting Properties. Alternatively, if you’re really in a hurry you can leave the mouse alone entirely and hold down the [Windows] key and press [Pause/Break]. There are a lot of options available inside, but don’t be intimidated.
:brow:
In the past you may have had to control the nuts & bolts of your computer through a series of typed controls and start-up files. But in this brave new world of restore points and plug-n-play instillations, it’s quite often the case that you can use Windows XP quite happily without having to worry about what’s going on in the background.
If you’re curious, or you’ve got some problems that need sorting out, then it’s easy to take a look behind the scenes by using the System Properties box. It’s an easy to understand interface that lists the devices which are attached to your computer, and what your PC is using to control them. It also contains the settings for the main background tasks on your machine, along with some more advanced settings that enable you to optimise the performance of your computer, depending on what you use it for.
Why is it important?
There are a lot of things that you can do with System Properties, so it’s worth getting to know the basics of what it contains. Something that’s particularly handy if you’re upgrading your system is the Hardware tab, which enables you to inspect and modify the properties and drivers of devices attached to your computer, making it invaluable if you’re having problems getting things working. Even if everything’s purring along smoothly, there are several handy options for adjusting your system performance. You can modify the way your PC uses its memory and processor, configure the built-in system tools like System Restore and Automatic Update, and set-up your computer for remote access.
How can I make the most of it?
It’s easily accessed by selecting System from the Control Panel, which you’ll find under Performance and Maintenance if you’re using Category view. It’s also brought up by right-clicking on My Computer icon and selecting Properties. Alternatively, if you’re really in a hurry you can leave the mouse alone entirely and hold down the [Windows] key and press [Pause/Break]. There are a lot of options available inside, but don’t be intimidated.
:brow:
