Computer Maintenance - Do it YOURSELF!

Did you know that like human beings, computers need preventative care to stay “healthy”?  That’s correct, computers    need to be maintained regularly, to ensure that they continue working in peak condition for years to come. No, I don’t mean wiping your computer clean with a cloth!

(Actually that IS a small part of it though).  There are many “tips” on keeping your computer fast and efficient, many methods should be performed by a skilled user only, but there are many that the average home user can handles with no problems.

Follow these tips below, and your wallet will be glad you did:

1.) Ensure that you are using anti-virus and anti spyware applications, and you computer is scanned at LEAST once weekly. Make sure that the definition files are set to “automatic update”.  A good free anti-virus choice is “AVG free”, and can be found at www.free.avg.com. “Spybot”, a good anti-spyware app, can be found at: www.safer-networking.com.  

2.) Make sure that you are using a firewall at all times when on the internet, and you are using WEP or WPA encryption, to thwart online intruders from invading your computer. Hardware firewalls are the best option in my opinion, but “Zone Alarm” is an excellent free software choice, I use it myself; go to www.zonelabs.com to download the free version.

3.) Defragment your hard drive regularly. Defragmenting is the process in which Windows optimizes your hard drive(s) by rearranging the files on your hard drive so they are back in order.  As clusters of files on your hard drive become fragmented, they grow further apart and it takes longer for your computer to find and assemble the pieces necessary to run your programs. Your version of Windows has a help file, that will show you how to defragment your drive.  Do this at LEAST once a month.

( To defragment in Windows XP: Open My Computer, and right click on your "C" drive.  Select Properties, then click on the Tools tab and select Defragment Now. )


4.) Ensure that all critical Windows updates are performed.
(In Windows XP: Go to My Computer, and double click on Control Panel. Next, click on Windows update, on the left panel.)

5.) Be weary of installing software that will not be used regularly. Many people install software daily, only to find that Windows “runs” slower, as more software is installed. Most software creates entries in the “Registry”, and when most software is un-installed, the registry entry stays – thus slowing down computer performance. Have you ever wondered why your computer seems so fast when it is brand new, or after Windows is freshly installed? More software installed usually equals slower speed.


6.) Do not allow too many programs to load up when Windows start. You know the little task bar at the bottom of your screen? The right side of that taskbar usually has a few icons. Many people ask “why is my computer loading so slow?”  Many times, it’s because too many programs are set to load at startup, and you will have to wait while each icon shows up in your task bar, and the respective program loads.

When you install software, if given the option, only choose “startup with Windows” if it is mandatory (such as antivirus, firewalls, etc).  The more programs that you load at startup, the more resources you are using, thus slowing down your computer significantly.


7.) Do not allow your hard drive to “fill up”.  Always have as a rule of thumb, make sure that you have 700MB of free space (700 megabytes) on your hard drive. Why…. you ask? There should be at least 300-500 megabytes of free space to allow for “disk file chores”. Simply put, if you don’t have enough free space on your drive, Windows will get slower, due to certain tasks that run in the background, and utilize a 300-500MB of your hard drive’s space.


8.) BACKUP!  Always backup your files. What is backup? It is the process of saving your important files to an external medium such as CD, DVD, external drive, tape, etc. Digital data doesn’t really “exist”, it consists of “1s” and “0s”, and when your storage medium dies due to power outage, hours of usage, damage; your data is gone.

Data recovery is expensive, and it isn’t guaranteed.  Always be on the safe side and save your important files, and store your backup in a place where fire, water etc, won’t damage it.

I hope you enjoyed these tips, and I am sure they will come in handy by those that took the time to read this article!

Happy Computing!

Jarvis Edwards - TekTime