PCs For Dummies, Windows 7 Edition

My PC’s Technical Information and Stuff

The following technical information is specific to your own computer — stuff that you’ll probably reference from time to time but won’t necessarily bother storing in your brain. Print this page and write down the information, and then save the page with the other material that came with your computer.

Make and model: ____________________

Serial number: ______________________

Microprocessor: _____________________

RAM (MB): _________________________

Hard drive capacity (GB): __________

Keys to press on start-up to enter PC Setup program:

______________ ___________________

Drive A is    ___ 3-1/2-inch floppy.    ___ non-existent.

Drive C is    ___ my PC's first hard drive.

Other drives

Drive ___ is a hard drive.

Drive ___ is a hard drive.

Drive ___ is an optical drive.    ___ CD    ____ DVD    ___ Recordable

Drive ___ is an optical drive.    ___ CD    ____ DVD    ___ Recordable

Drive ___ is a memory card drive. Type: _________________

Drive ___ is a memory card drive. Type: _________________

Drive ___ is a memory card drive. Type: _________________

Drive ___ is a memory card drive. Type: _________________

Drive ___ is _________________.

Drive ___ is _________________.

The Things That Plug into Your PC

Here’s a list of standard computer peripherals — items that attach to the PC console. Make a note of how each item is attached. This information can help you reconnect everything later, in case you ever need to move the computer or take it to the repair shop.

Important Contact and Support Information for Your PC

Use this space to fill in the phone numbers or e-mail addresses of the various people who can help you with your computer, in the event your PC acts up. You also have a spot to write down the Windows 7 HomeGroup password, which helps you keep that information in a handy place, along with other vital names and numbers.

Computer dealer or retail store: ___________________

Sales rep (name/ext.): ___________________________

Dealer tech support: ____________________________

Operating system support: _______________________

ISP: _________________________________________

ISP tech support: ______________________________

Computer guru: _______________________________

Windows 7 HomeGroup password: ________________

Helpful PC Hints

Here are some essential tips for working with your PC. Keeping your PC in good working order prolongs its life and prevents you from losing important data.

• The Help key in Windows and in most other programs is F1.

• Always save your stuff. Save when you first create something, save as you go along, save when you stand up to take a break, and save before you quit your programs.

• Delete only the files or folders that you created yourself.

• You can delete a shortcut file; doing so doesn’t delete the original.

• When you mess up, immediately press Ctrl+Z, the Undo keyboard command. That should rectify whatever transgression you just committed.

• Always unplug the computer console before you open it.

• You can connect and disconnect USB devices to and from the computer while the computer or the device is on.

• Get used to working with the mouse by playing computer games, especially card games.

• The best gift you can buy your PC is more memory.

• Remember to properly eject and safely remove any removable media in Windows; don’t just yank something out of your PC.

• The key to understanding software is to know what a file is.

• When e-mailing a graphical image, be sure to save or convert the image into either the JPG or PNG file format.

Logging Your Internet Information

Use this information to help keep track of your Internet account information and other, trivial tidbits that you should keep in one location (other than your brain, or your PC):

Internet login name: _________________________________

Internet password: (Write down elsewhere.)

My e-mail address: _________________________________

My e-mail password: (Write down elsewhere.)

My ISP's domain name: _________________________________

My Web e-mail address: _________________________________

My Web e-mail password: (Write down elsewhere.)

Other e-mail address: _________________________________

Other e-mail password: _________________________________

POP server name: _________________________________

SMTP server name: _________________________________