As the name routine implies, this type or maintenance is one that is performed regularly. Routine maintenance involves taking measures to make sure the computer is fast, secure and less cluttered. Doing routine computer maintenance can help the computer last longer by handling issues like slow processing speed, long booting time, error messages about low disk space and so on. Routine computer maintenance tasks either prevent future problems like viruses or data loss or free up space and even fix software bugs.
One of the major reasons why computers slow down and crash is neglect. A lot of people especially those with little or no knowledge about computer maintenance neglect their computer systems by failing to update antivirus software, overloading the system with junk files and trial data, not properly shutting down the computer. Whether you are a small business owner or just a guy who uses his PC for entertainment purposes, you can effectively maintain your computer system as you don’t need to be an IT expert to do this.
Essential Computer Maintenance Tasks
Here are a few basic PC maintenance tasks that everyone can and should do.
1. Clean your computer
Computers are literally a magnet of dust, dirt and debris due to static electricity. Because of the layout, design or structure of a computer, dust may accumulate in certain areas like the crevices of a keyboard for several weeks or months before becoming more visible to the user. These dust particles do not only make the computer dirty, but cause other problems as well. They clog up the cooling fan and keyboard of the device which may affect their proper functioning in the long run.
It is easy to clean dust off a computer using a microfiber or anti-static cloth. A common error most people make is cleaning the monitor and keyboard with paper towels. Unlike microfiber cloths which are long-lasting and lint free, these paper towels leave small scratches on screens as well as lint, which may also get into the keyboard. A microfiber cloth can equally be used to clean dirt from the keyboard and the mouse by damping it in a mixture of white vinegar and water in equal proportions. Wet the cloth, squeeze out the liquid, use it to cover the edge of a thin tool with a wide area like a knife or ruler, and finally use this to remove the dirt under the keys.
Another method of cleaning the computer is to use cans of compressed air. If you can’t have accessed to this, a hair dryer could be used too. You can use it to blow the dust out of a system unit. The first thing you need to do is shutdown the system and unplug it, remove the side walls of the case with a screwdriver, and blow the system unit only with cold air from the hand hair dryer to remove all dust and particles.
Cleaning with canned or compressed air
2. Scan and prevent computer malware
One of the easiest way to prevent malware and take care of your computer is to run conventional virus protection and spyware detection software such as Windows Defender or Malwarebytes which perform real-time scans once you turn on your computer, and on files you download and open. When an antivirus software detects a threat, it will alert you to delete the file or move it to a self-contained location where it can’t cause harm to your computer. Therefore by simply installing antivirus software, your PC is protected from malicious files that can slow your computer, destroy important system files or lead to theft of passwords and other personal information. To make sure that this software is working properly, it is important to make sure the software is updated to the latest version for it to be more effective in its defense against viruses. Also manually run a full virus scan regularly on your computer.
3. Defragment the hard drive
As the computer is continually being used, temporary internet files, downloaded files and cache files build up and leave you with less hard-drive space. Over time, files get fragmented or spread out all over your hard drive. So while a file may appear as a single file in Windows Explorer, small pieces of the file could literally be spread across the entire hard drive. Gathering all these distant pieces together or defragmenting the hard drive will make the computer noticeably faster. Defragmentation in Windows can also be done by the built-in defragmentation utility, which reorganizes the data on your drive so your computer can boot up and access files faster. In addition to defragmenting, also check your hard drive for unused programs and files you no longer use. Removing them can restore space. To uninstall programs go to Control Panel and select Programs and Features to show a list of all the programs installed on your computer.
Equally use tools that would check the hard disk volumes for problems and attempt to repair any that it finds. Windows has a built-in check-disk utility which can be accessed from Windows Explorer. Simply right-click on the drive you want to examine, select properties, and then click on the tools tab. To perform a check disk, go to the Error-checking section and click the Check now button.
4. Perform back-ups
A System Restore Point helps in restoring your computer’s system files to an earlier point in time when the system was working well. It’s important to always create a System Restore Point before installing a new program or software, considering the fact that some software can randomly cause problems to the system.
Creating a System Restore Point is an in-built functionality in Windows that can create a full system image, back up selected files and let you set a frequency and time for future backups. . It can significantly reduce downtime and is a safe way to undo system changes to your computer without affecting your personal files like documents or photos. To create a system restore point go to the Control Panel. Select System and Security, then Backup and Restore. Select the files you’ll like to backup or let the computer recommend that for you, and then create a scheduled time for the backup.
Creating regular file backups prevents data loss and can even provide a copy of your entire system in case of a hard-drive crash or destructive virus. You can use an external hard drive, flash drive or DVDs to save your backups and then use the utility to easily restore individual files or return your computer to a previous state. You can also store important files online using OneDrive, Dropbox or another cloud storage service to have more flexible access to your data on any device that can access the service’s website.
Some other common computer maintenance tasks include restarting your computer and deleting cookies. A simple computer restart clears your computer’s memory, lets any updates finish installing and even fixes issues that can cause your computer to lock up or make your internet connection unstable. Performing routine computer maintenance or tasks to help the system keep running well does not have anything to do with understanding computers or being a computer expert. It only requires carrying out basic maintenance tasks like the ones mentioned above, and being attentive to know when your computer is behaving abnormal.