PC Maintenance

If there is one thing that I have learned (and probably the hard way I might add), is that like everything in life, your computer needs regular maintenance. Don’t be like me and learn the hard way (after I had been infected with a virus). Good housekeeping is essential to maintaining a fully functional computer.

Tips

• Make sure your browser settings are set to delete browsing history, cookies and temporary files on exit.
• Check that your Anti Virus software updates regularly and has a scheduled scan setup.
• Scan your PC regularly for any unwanted spyware, adware and malware. You may think that your current security package may already do so, but contrary to popular belief, most security packages rarely include spyware functionality and if they do its limited.
• If you have programs on your computer that you don’t use, find out about removing them.
• Scan your registry regularly. Some programs leave behind quite a mess in your registry and uninstalling them doesn’t necessarily mean that they take everything they came with.
• If you have digital media saved on your hard drive, I recommend investing in a portable hard drive and saving all your photos on this. If your computer were to become infected with a virus there is a chance that your computer will need to be formatted and your operating system reinstalled. Meaning your precious memories, may not be recoverable. Alternatively, if you have a large hard drive on your computer, get it “partitioned”.
• There may be a disk cleanup option on your computer. Becoming familiar with your computers’ functionality may save you money.
• Don’t invest in the first product you see that seems like it has all the answers. Asking around is always my first recommendation. There are some amazing “free” tools out there to assist in your quest for a well maintained computer.
• Don’t download any software, especially “freeware”, unless you are confident you know what it is. Do some research on the internet; the forums are a great place to get great information.

If you’re not sure what to do or feel a little intimidated by the whole thing, then get someone to do it for you. If you’re one of my clients, talk to me about it. I do offer a PC Clean service with the advantage that I can take you through it step by step so you learn how to do it yourself.

You can always ask friends & family (like everyone used to ask me), but you are at their mercy. Fine when your computer is running well but problematic if you’re computer starts to become a little sluggish. Alternatively, ask around and find someone in your local area who offers this kind of service. Costs vary depending on your location but you could expect to pay anywhere from $50 plus, but it’s a good investment to ensure you have a well maintained computer.