Computer Maintenance Basics

Like many of the conveniences of modern life, a computer needs maintenance in order to run well. For many people, this may seem like a daunting task, after all, computers are complex machines. In truth, basic computer maintenance is something you can do without even thinking about it. Sound good? Then read on...

Quite possibly, one of the simplest ways to help maintain your computer is to have an anti-virus program installed. This is the number one cause of problems with computers. Having a good anti-virus program can also help block unwanted adware and spyware as well. If you are comfortable enough with computers, find the scheduler for your anti-virus program, and set it to scan your computer at least once a month, preferably at a time when you won't be using the computer much (say...4:00AM on Monday morning). Ideally, you should have your computer run a virus scan weekly. If you aren't comfortable installing and configuring the program yourself, have a service professional do it for you. One way or the other, an anti-virus program needs to be on your system.

 

Other Tools

Your computer does, in fact, come equipped with many of the tools you need to maintain it. For the purposes of basic maintenance, you hardly need to go out and spend more money on programs to maintain your computer. Already included are features such as cleanup and disk defragmenter, which you can utilize to perform basic maintenance functions to help keep your computer running smoothly. Typically, you can find these tools under Start->All Programs->Accessories->System Tools. The two we are most interested in are "Disk Cleanup" and "Disk Defragmenter". Running these programs at least monthly, though preferably weekly, can help keep your computer running better and faster.

These types of tasks can also be scheduled to run without you needing to do any more work than the initial setup. To schedule a task on your computer, we will utilize another feature present in the System Tools folder called "Scheduled Tasks". Clicking on this will bring up the scheduled tasks window, showing any scheduled tasks you currently have, along with the option to "Add Scheduled Task". Double-clicking on this will open the Scheduled Task Wizard, which will allow you to choose a program to run, and a time to run it automatically. For this example, we will use Disk Cleanup.

  1. Navigate to Start->All Programs->Accessories->System Tools->Scheduled Tasks
  2. Double Click "Add Scheduled Task"
  3. When the list of programs comes up, highlight the program you want to use (In this case, "Disk Cleanup")
  4. Click Next
  5. You may choose to rename this task if you like. The default is the name of the program.
  6. Choose how often you want the task to run (In this case, Weekly).
  7. Click Next
  8. Select a time and day to run this task. A good choice is a time when no one is likely to be using the computer (i.e. 4:00AM on a weekday)
  9. Click Next.
  10. If you have multiple user names, the wizard will prompt you to run this task as a particular user. Enter the password (if applicable) for that user.
  11. Click Next.
  12. Click Finish.

That's it! Your computer will automatically run Disk Cleanup (or whatever program you have chosen) at the specified time on the specified day. Do this for your "Disk Defragmenter" as well, and your computer will help to maintain itself.

Of course, if you feel uncomfortable setting up maintenance on your computer, or have questions, consult with your support professional.

 

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