Tech Team: In the Trenches
Table of Contents
A lean, mean, computing machine
If you ignore your car, you"ll eventually end up sitting alongside the road. Maybe it overheated; maybe a hose cracked; maybe a tire blew.
A computer is no different. It may not have water, hoses or tires, but the daily grind causes problems -- problems that can be easily prevented with regular maintenance. The Tech Helpline staff has compiled the following checklist of maintenance activities. Follow them and your computer should do its job -- and yours -- without breaking down along the Internet highway.
Keep it clean
We're not talking dust mops and buckets here. You should run a "Disk Clean Up" once a week. To do this on a PC, click on "Start," "Programs," "Accessories" and "System Tools." Then click on "Disk Clean Up." The program scans the computer for unnecessary files, such as temporary files that should have been deleted but somehow stayed in the system. Agree with the selections? Simply check all the boxes on the left and click "OK" to delete all files in the categories found by "Disk Clean Up."
Look over your shoulder
Spyware -- a method of tracking your computer use -- has become an Internet by-product. Web sites silently download software programs that follow your computer use, enabling them to target ads to your personal preferences, or worse, keep tabs on your keystrokes. Spyware has become so common that your system can quickly develop an infestation. If it gets bad enough, spyware can slow your computer's operation and bring it to a halt. To combat this abuse, run a spyware utility once a week. The following Web sites offer free downloads and information on spyware removal:
A place for everything and everything in its place
Defrag and error checking utility software keeps a computer running smoothly by organizing the drive to access and store data quickly and effectively. Running the programs once per month should keep everything operating to maximum potential. On a PC, double click on the "My Computer" icon on the Desktop and then Right Click on the C: Drive; then click on "Properties." Click on the "Tools" tab and select "Error Checking" and "Check Now." Defrag is also located in this window. (Tech Helpline recommendation: Run defrag only in "Safe Mode.")
We all need a good night's sleep
Turn your computer off at night. When running programs, there is a constant demand for use of the computer's random access memory. Over time, those software demands can cause problems, sometimes referred to as memory leaks. But when you turn off your computer, it clears the memory. The next time you turn on the computer, all memory is available. There's one other reason to turn it off: Even if you're not using e-mail or the Internet, some viruses can still attack your computer if it's turned on. And hackers can access your computer only when it's turned on. By shutting down at the end of the day, you can both get a good night's sleep.
Protect yourself
Always remember to install available Windows updates and keep the definition files current for the antivirus program installed on your computer. It's a thankless job that feels unrewarding, but try dealing with a virus or losing all your data. If that happens, keeping your software current will seem like a small price to pay.
Copyright 2005 FAR