Personal Computer Maintenance

This article is about how to do personal computer maintenance and keep your computer in tip top shape. In this article I will explain the steps you should take to keep your computer humming along. These simple computer maintenance steps are the major things you should be doing to keep your computer in great shape.

Windows Updates

Frequency: Weekly (if they are not set to automatic already)

One of the best personal computer maintenance procedures is to run Windows Updates at least once a week. You can set your computer to automatically update but if you don’t want to here is how you would do it manually.

The easiest way to do this is by clicking on the start menu,then go to all programs and click on Windows update.

Another way to get to Windows update is from internet explorer. To do this open internet explorer and then click on Tools (the cog icon in the far right) and go down to Windows Update.

Next it pulls up a screen like this:

I always click express. Also notice on the far right there is an icon for automatic updates. Click on that if you wish to schedule a time or get your computer to automatically update Windows. Anyways after you click express it pulls up the below screen, after it has scanned you computer of course:

It will then tell you the priority of the updates. I recommend installing all of them unless there is some reason why you should not. You can always back-out a bad update (read article on this topic).

Cleaning Cookies and Clearing Cache in Internet Explorer

Frequency: twice a month

The next step in good personal computer maintenance is to clear your internet cache and cookies at least twice a month. The internet cache is used to open commonly viewed pages quicker by storing copies on your hard drive. It is a great idea but if the cache becomes bloated it can slow your computer.

To remove these files click on tools and go down to internet options:

From this box click on the delete button under browsing history.

It will bring up the box below. You can then delete what you would like to. I generally delete everything but you may want to save passwords or some other items just delete what you like.

Next click settings and make certain that this is within Windows recommended range.

Disk Cleanup

Frequency: Twice a month

Note: This will affect computer performance so make certain all programs are closed and you will not be using your computer for awhile.

Another good practice for computer maintenance is using the disk cleanup utility. This is an awesome utility. Prior to this utility you had to do everything here manually. You get to the disk cleanup utility by right clicking on the start button and then going to explore.

From there right click on the drive letter of the disk you would like to cleanup

Click properties

Next put a check in the compress files. If you would like to compress older files that you haven’t accessed in awhile.

Then click the disk cleanup

It will scan your disk and bring up the box below that offers different ways to cleanup your disk.

Click ok and it will clean it out

Disk Defragmentmention

Frequency: monthly

Note: This will affect computer performance so make certain all programs are closed and you will not be using your computer for awhile.

Another step you can take in personal computer maintenance is to defragment your hard drive if it is needed. A defragmented hard drive can slow your computer pretty drastically. To defragment your hard drive go back to the properties of the disk you want to defragment and click tools

From here click on the defragment now button. It will pull up the box below.

Click analyze and it will analyze and tell you if you should defragment or not. If you choose to click yes. Note: This will affect computer performance so make certain all programs are closed and you will not be using your computer for awhile.

Spyware Cleaning

Frequency: varies based on internet usage twice a month if heavy internet usage and monthly if low internet usage

Note: Some of these programs will affect computer’s performance so make certain all programs are closed and you will not be using your computer for awhile.

The next step in successful computer maintenance is to make certain to clean your computer of all spyware. There are 3 great utilities you should download and use at least once every couple of weeks and perhaps more ifyou surf the internet a lot.

Virus Checking

Frequency: twice a week

You should check for viruses at least twice a week. I would recommend just scheduling it run a specific time. Schedule it when you will not be using the computer as most virus checkers affect computer performance because they are checking every file and folder on your computer.

Click here to go to article about free anti-virus software

Personal Computer Maintenance to FREE GOODIES
Personal Computer Maintenance to Free Computer Tech Support