Definition
Task Manager is mainly used to monitor and manage currently running programs and processes — letting a user see what's consuming CPU/memory resources, and close (end task) any unresponsive or unwanted program.
Resource Monitor gives a more detailed breakdown of system resource usage than Task Manager; one key function is showing exactly which programs are using the CPU, memory, disk, or network at any moment. Its Network tab specifically shows which programs are sending or receiving data over the internet.
Event Viewer's purpose is to record and display a detailed log of system events — including errors, warnings, and important system activities — helping diagnose the root cause of a problem by showing exactly what happened and when, before a fault occurred.
Example 1 — Task Manager and Event Viewer in practice
Explain the roles of Task Manager and Event Viewer in system maintenance, with one example each.
- Task Manager example: if a program has frozen and stopped responding, Task Manager lets you identify it (marked 'Not Responding') and force-close it, without needing to restart the whole computer.
- Event Viewer example: if the computer crashed unexpectedly, Event Viewer's logs can be checked afterwards to find the specific error recorded at the time of the crash, helping identify which driver or program caused it.
Answer: Task Manager fixes/ends misbehaving running programs directly; Event Viewer helps diagnose the cause of past problems by reviewing logged events
Definition
BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) and UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) are both firmware that initializes hardware and starts the boot process before the OS loads; UEFI is the more modern replacement, generally offering faster boot times, support for larger hard drives, and a more graphical, mouse-usable setup interface, compared to BIOS's older, text-only, more limited interface.
The Power-On Self-Test (POST) is performed immediately when a computer is powered on, before the OS starts loading — it checks that essential hardware components (like RAM, keyboard, and storage devices) are present and functioning correctly, alerting the user (often via beep codes or an error message) if a critical fault is found.
Definition
Bootable USB drives are used for installing or reinstalling an operating system, or running recovery/diagnostic tools, without needing to boot from the computer's main internal drive — useful when the main OS installation is damaged or needs replacing.
In UEFI systems, a bootable USB must be created using the GPT (GUID Partition Table) partitioning style, rather than the older MBR (Master Boot Record) style that BIOS systems typically use.
Compared to MBR, the GPT partitioning style supports much larger drive sizes and a far greater number of partitions, and stores multiple copies of its partitioning data for better reliability/recoverability if part of it becomes corrupted.
Definition
Steps to create a bootable USB using Rufus: (1) insert a USB drive with enough free space, (2) open Rufus and select the correct USB drive, (3) select the OS image file (ISO) to use, (4) choose the correct partition scheme (GPT for UEFI or MBR for BIOS) matching the target system, (5) start the process and wait for Rufus to write the bootable image to the USB drive.
Remember
The boot order setting is important when using recovery tools from a USB drive because the computer's firmware checks devices for a bootable OS in a specific configured order — if the internal hard drive is checked before the USB drive, the computer will simply boot its (possibly faulty) installed OS as usual and never even attempt to start from the recovery USB, regardless of how correctly that USB was prepared.
Definition
Safe Mode starts Windows with only the minimal, essential drivers and services needed to run — this isolates problems caused by third-party software/drivers, since if an issue disappears in Safe Mode, it's very likely caused by something outside that minimal essential set. Safe Mode is used in system recovery to troubleshoot and fix problems that prevent the computer from starting or running normally in its full configuration.
If you need to download updates or drivers while troubleshooting, you should use 'Safe Mode with Networking', which additionally loads the network drivers/services that plain Safe Mode leaves out.
Definition
A restore point is a saved snapshot of the computer's system files and settings at a particular moment in time, which System Restore can use to roll the system back to that earlier working state without affecting personal files (documents, photos, etc.) — only system settings and files are affected. Restore points are created automatically before significant system changes, such as installing new software, driver updates, or Windows updates.
File History helps by automatically saving copies of files in specific folders over time, so an earlier version of a file (or a deleted file) can be restored later if needed.
The 'Previous Versions' feature is used to view and restore earlier saved versions of a specific file or folder, letting a user recover an older copy without needing a full system restore.
Example 2 — fixing a startup problem without losing files
A computer isn't starting properly due to a system issue. Describe how System Restore or a bootable recovery USB can fix this without deleting personal files.
- System Restore rolls back only system files and settings to an earlier restore point saved before the problem began, leaving personal documents, photos, and similar files untouched.
- If the OS won't start at all, boot from a bootable recovery USB instead, which can run System Restore (or other repair tools) from outside the damaged installation, since the broken OS doesn't need to actually start for this to work.
Answer: Use System Restore (from within Windows or via boot menu/recovery USB) to revert only system settings/files to a working restore point, leaving personal files untouched
Definition
When files are deleted in Windows, they usually go to the Recycle Bin first, before being permanently removed — giving a chance to recover them if the deletion was a mistake, as long as the Recycle Bin hasn't since been emptied.
Third-party recovery software can recover deleted files because, even after a file is 'deleted' (including being removed from the Recycle Bin), its actual data often remains on the storage device until that specific space is overwritten by new data — such software scans the drive for this recoverable data. Recovery may not always be successful because if that space has already been overwritten by new files, the original data is genuinely gone and cannot be reconstructed.
Two limitations of data recovery tools: they cannot guarantee success if the deleted data has already been overwritten, and recovery quality/completeness can be unpredictable, sometimes returning only partial or corrupted files.
Definition
Three problems that can occur due to poor computer maintenance: slower system performance (from clutter and fragmentation), increased risk of malware infection (from outdated security software), and higher chance of hardware failure or data loss (from ignored warning signs or lack of backups).
Two benefits of running regular disk cleanup: it frees up storage space by removing unnecessary temporary files, and it can improve system performance by reducing clutter the OS has to manage.
A classmate cleaning up disk space after a large Windows update can use Disk Cleanup, which includes an option to safely remove old system files (like previous Windows installation backup files left after an update) that are no longer needed but can otherwise take up significant space.
Patch management mainly involves keeping two types of software updated: the operating system itself, and installed application software — both need regular updates (patches) to fix security vulnerabilities and bugs.
Definition
Windows Defender provides built-in antivirus/anti-malware protection, scanning for and removing malicious software, along with real-time protection against new threats.
The difference between a Quick Scan and a Full Scan in Windows Defender: a Quick Scan checks only the most common locations where malware is typically found (faster, for routine checks), while a Full Scan checks every file and folder on the entire system (slower, but far more thorough).
Remember
Two preventive maintenance techniques that help keep a computer running smoothly: keeping software (OS and applications) regularly updated/patched, and regularly running disk cleanup and antivirus scans to catch and clear out clutter or threats before they cause bigger problems.
Definition
Tenorshare is a tool commonly used for data recovery and related device repair/maintenance tasks.
Quick Recap
- ●Task Manager (manage running processes), Resource Monitor (detailed resource use, incl. network), Event Viewer (logs for diagnosing past problems)
- ●BIOS vs UEFI: UEFI is modern, faster, graphical; POST checks hardware at power-on, before OS loads
- ●Bootable USB (Rufus): install/recover OS; UEFI needs GPT partitioning (supports larger drives/more partitions than older MBR); boot order must prioritize the USB
- ●Safe Mode: minimal drivers, isolates third-party software issues; Safe Mode with Networking adds network drivers for downloading fixes
- ●Restore point (auto-created before major changes) System Restore: rolls back system files only, not personal files; File History/Previous Versions restore file versions
- ●Deleted files Recycle Bin first; recovery tools can restore data not yet overwritten, but can't guarantee success once it is
- ●Maintenance: disk cleanup (frees space, improves performance), patch management (OS apps), Windows Defender (Quick vs Full scan)
