Maintaining Your PC

Print these Tips and Resources

We have compiled a wonderful resource of information on this page. Scroll through its entirety, or feel free to jump to a section:

Please Select a Menu Item Minimize Temporary Files Disk Cleanup Defragmenter Disk Error Checking Reboot Your PC Protect Your PC Windows Update Antivirus Protection Anti-Spyware Programs Power Sources Know Your PC Memories Protect Your Monitor from Burn In A Word about Cleaning Listen…

•  Open Internet Explorer •  Click on Tools •  Internet Options •  Temporary Internet Files •  Settings •  Amount of disk space to use: 25MB •  Ok •  In History area of same menu •  Days to keep history 30 •  Ok

Disk Cleanup
Enables you to clear your disk of unnecessary files.

•  Click on Start •  Programs •  Accessories •  System Tools •  Disk cleanup •  Check all boxes •  Click OK
If there are a lot of files to clean up, it may take several minutes.

Defragmenter
Defragments your hard drive volumes so that your computer runs faster and more efficiently.

•  Click on Start •  Programs •  Accessories •  System Tools •  Disk Defragmenter •  Click on (C:) •  Click on Defragment

Depending on the size of the hard drive, this could take an hour or more. This is a good task to do when not using the PC. You can leave it running and turn off the monitor. Once the "Defragment" is selected, the screen will fill with a variety of colors denoting Fragmented files, Contiguous files, Unmovable files (system files), and Free space. (See example.) As the defragment process begins, you should see the Fragmented (red) files decrease and the Contiguous files (blue) increase. If the hard drive has a lot of Fragmented files, it may be necessary to defragment more than once.

Disk Error Checking

Check your hard drive for errors once a week:

•  Open My Computer •  Right click on your hard drive •  Select Properties •  Click the Tools tab •  Click the Check Now button

Your hard drive will be checked the next time your PC is restarted.

And, speaking of restarting...

Reboot Your PC

There are pros and cons about leaving your PC on versus shutting it down. Whether or not you leave your PC running every night, it should be rebooted once a week to clear the memory. This means using the "shut down" feature and powering it off. If you leave it running every night, be sure that your screen saver is enabled or the monitor turned off to prevent monitor burn in.

Protect Your PC

Windows Update
provides the latest critical and security updates, device drivers and other updates for your computer.

Access Windows Update in one of the following ways:

•  Start, Settings, Control Panel, Automatic Updates •  Start menu, Windows Update •  Start, All Programs, Windows Update

•  Choose either " Download updates automatically and notify me when they are ready to be installed " or " Automatically download the updates, and install them on the schedule that I specify ." With the first choice, when there are updates, the Automatic Update icon will appear at the bottom right of your task bar when there are updates. You can then choose to install them at your convenience. With the second choice, the updates will be installed automatically but may also reboot. Choose a day and time that your PC is on and when you aren't likely to have files open.

Antivirus Protection

•  Ensure that Antivirus definitions are up to date and that your system has been scanned for viruses recently (within the last week) and that it is scanned weekly thereafter. A free Antivirus application, AVG Free, can be downloaded from http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1 There is also a free online "house call" available at TrendMicro.com. Norton Antivirus is a widely-used Antivirus application and can be downloaded from Symantec.com for $49.99 with a $20 mail in rebate. The annual renewal fee thereafter is $24.95. There are special cost breaks for multiple PC's.

Anti-Spyware Programs
programs that monitor your actions and may gather personal data

A free spy ware detection application, Ad-Aware, can be downloaded from www.lavasoft.com for home users. Similar to the Anti-Virus applications, it will need to have updates downloaded to ensure that the latest spy ware database is available. A popular application, Spysweeper, can be downloaded and purchased for $29.95 from www.webroot.com There is an option to run a free online spy audit from Webroot's site as well.

Power Sources

Your PC should be plugged into protected outlets, power strips or an uninterruptible power supply.

Know Your PC

It is helpful to have an inventory of your PC on hand to have available when technical support is needed or should you have to update or download new drivers. A free tool, Belarc, is available to serve this need and can be downloaded from belarc.com. Print the inventory out and save in a safe place. Rerun it whenever updates or changes are made to your PC.

Memories

Similar to the hard drive that you save data on, your PC has memory or RAM that is used when you load applications. The more RAM you have the more applications you will be able to open concurrently and/or the faster they will open. The physical memory can be augmented by space on your hard drive to make more memory available. This is called "virtual memory" or a "page file." The recommended amount for virtual memory is 1 1/5 times the amount of physical memory. For instance, if you have 128 MB of RAM, the virtual memory amount would be 192 MB.

To change the virtual memory,

•  Right Click on My Computer •  Click on Properties •  In the System Properties Screen, Click on the Advanced Tab •  Under Performance, click on settings •  Under "Virtual Memory," click on "change" •  Click on "Custom Size" •  Place the appropriate number (i.e. 192) in the initial size and maximum size boxes, and then click on "set" then "ok." Click "ok" until all open windows are closed.

Protect Your Monitor from Burn In

•  Right click at any blank space on your desktop •  Click on Properties •  Click on Screen Saver •  Arrow down for desired choice (will see a preview) •  Apply

A Word about Cleaning

Your local office supply store will have canned air which can be used to blow the dust out from your keyboard and mouse. (Your vacuum cleaner is also an option.) (Please turn off all equipment prior to cleaning.) The keyboard can be turned upside down to shake out dust, and then the canned air used for what can't be shaken out. If your monitor has a glass screen, a windows cleaning product can be used to clean the screen. Laptop screens require a special product available in the office supply catalog. The catalog will also carry a CD and floppy drive kits. A multi-purpose household cleaner can be used to clean other than the screens (outside monitor, keyboard, mouse, CPU). Your PC support person should clean the dust from the inside of your PC at least once a year to make sure that the airflow isn't impeded.

Listen.

You can head off major problems or inconveniences by listening for odd noises from your PC. High pitched or scratchy sounds could mean fan or hard drive issues. The sooner these noises are reported, the quicker they can be resolved (and save you from losing data).