These computer maintenance tips are worth a look as a general guide for a Windows PC.
Keep all of your working files in one folder. The My Documents folder is offered by Windows expressly for this purpose. The benefits of keeping all your files in one place are multiple. You know where all your files are, it’s easy to back them all up at once, and your machine will run faster.
Don’t put personal files in the root of the C: drive. If you store a large number of files in the root folder, you could corrupt your disk file table which could lead to a “NTLDR is missing” error message when you boot the computer. Very bad. If you have personal files on the C: drive now, move them to the My Documents folder.
Uninstall programs that you’re not using. But don’t just delete them. Remove them correctly to avoid Windows errors. Go to Start > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs. Find the program you want to remove in the list, and click the Remove button.
If you download a zip file and expand it, tidy up afterwards by deleting the original zip file.
Store hardware drivers and purchased software installer files off your hard drive. A flash drive works great for this purpose.
If you aren’t already using one, get a good surge protector and plug your computer and peripherals into it. If you live in an area with bad lightning storms, unplug your computer and peripherals during any storms.
Practice safe computing. Don’t accept software or downloads for which you didn’t ask. Delete any suspicious email without opening them. And even if emails come from your best friends, don’t open any email attachments with the following extensions: * .exe, .com, .vbs, .bat, .mdb, .reg or .js.
Daily Computer Maintenance Tips
Update your anti-virus scan and anti-spyware definitions, if they aren’t being done automatically.
Back up any critical files that you have changed today to your flash drive.
Weekly Computer Maintenance Tips:
Make sure your anti-virus and anti-spyware programs have been updated with the latest definitions, and run a full scan from both programs.
Reboot your computer. (If you shut down your computer each night, disregard this tip). If you leave your computer on all the time, definitely do this. It will reset the RAM, and your computer will run much better and faster.
Monthly Computer Maintenance Tips:
Clean up your temp files, your temporary internet files, and other junk files about once a month.
Windows updates make sure you have the latest versions installed. Go to Internet Explorer, Tools, Windows Update. Click on the Custom button. Windows update may ask you to download and install the latest version of itself. Go ahead and do that, then click Close when it’s finished, and then Continue. It will then check again for real updates and offer those. Choose which updates you want to install. Uncheck the ones you don’t want to install.
Clean out your email, paying special attention to your Inbox and Sent box. The easiest way is to sort your email box by size of the message, and delete the largest unneeded emails first.
Need more help?
Call Grant on 04 905 6960 or 021 845 853.
