| OS Level Computer Maintenance |
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The following tips will help you keep your computer running smoothly and efficiently for years to come: • Keep you files and folders organized. By saving numerous files to one or only a handful of folders can result in a cluttered mess and make it hard to locate specific files when you need them. By properly organizing your files you will increase efficiency and speed up the time it takes your system to locate and open your files. • Delete files and folders you do not need. To maximize storage space on your PC,it's a good practice to delete files and folders that are no longer needed. If you use a recycle bin, it is also good practice to keep this empty as well, though a good rule of thumb is to empty it monthly so that you may still recover a file accidentally deleted if the need arises. • Remove programs you don't need anymore. This is a big one... Programs that are not used are a huge waste of space and can drastically slow down your system. A program that you or the manufacturer have installed but that you are not utilizing and have no intention to use should be removed to ensure peak operating conditions. • Defragment your hard disk drive. When a file is fragmented, it takes longer for the computer to read it because it has to skip to different sections of the hard disk drive to find all the sections of the file. This can drastically slow down a system, especially when you have a large hard drive with very large files. Defragmentation, though sometimes time consuming, can drastically speed up your system. Microsoft's Disk Defragmenter can be found at Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter. • Automatically keep your system up to date. If you run a version of windows, Microsoft regularly publishes updates Microsoft's Operating systems and other software programs to improve performance and more importantly, security. You can set Microsoft Updates to automatically install these updates and at the very least, inform you of their existence. • Free up other wasted space. Other areas of your computer may have files and fragments taking up space and hindering efficiency, such as temporary internet files and off line web pages. You can use Microsoft's Disk Clean-up Tool at Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Clean-Up. • Keep your registry clean. Utilizing registry maintenance software, you can easily keep your registry clean which will help ensure peak performance from your system. Programs such as Registry Mechanic and RegSupreme Pro will help ensure the task of maintaining your registry is a smooth one. • Keep your files backed-up. If your computer fails, data loss could be a very likely side effect. Keeping backup copies of your files, including documents, music, and photos, using an external hard drive will ensure you can recover them if necessary. By automating the back-up process you can be assured that you will never be without your valuable data. |