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Basic System Maintenance

Welcome to the basic computer maintenance guide. This section covers the basics of disk defragmention, temporary Internet files, spyware, adware, viruses, and firewalls.

There are a number of things you need to do to keep your system running at its optimum level. Some of the tasks you need to perform can be run automatically using the task scheduler, saving you time. The interval between these tasks varies depending on the task and how much you use your computer. For example, you should update your virus program when ever an update becomes available, but you can defrag your hard drive depending on the level of use. Backup is a part of your system maintenance also, please view the backup and recovery guide.

Update Your Operating System

Regularly update your operation system (OS). Fixes for security flaws and bugs become available constantly. Most newer Windows OSs can update automatically, or manually through Microsoft's web-site. Windows update is available from the start menu on most versions of Windows.

Disk Defragmentation

Fragmentation of your data occurs because a single file may be in different areas of your disk. When you save a file to your disk the file is saved to the first available area on the hard drive. If the file requires more space than is available in that area, it saves the next part of the file to the next available area. This means that the one file may be spread out over multiple areas some distance form each other. This slows data reads and can greatly impact on performance. Defragmentation works by bringing fragmented files closer together, thus speeding up disk reads. It's recommended you defragment (defrag) your drive once a week, but if you don't give your computer so much use maybe once every 2 weeks is sufficient. The Disk Defragmenter can be found from the Start menu, Programs, Accessories, System Tools. You will find it there in most Windows operating systems. In Windows 2000 you can also find the Disk Defragmenter through the Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Computer Management. Once in the Computer Management Console you will find it under Storage. Below is a screen shot of the defrag utility as seen in the Computer Management Console in Windows 2000. After selecting the drive you can either choose to Analyse the selected drive or Defragment. This utility slows performance while it's working so it's best to defrag your drive(s) while the PC is not in use.

Temporary Internet Files

Its a good idea to regularly empty your temporary Internet files. This is normally done via the web browser. In Internet Explorer, left click Tools from the drop down menu and select Internet Options. On the General tab, you can Delete Cookies, Delete Files, or select the Settings buttons and set the amount of space your Internet files can use on the hard disk. You can also click Clear History to clear your Internet history. When you delete any file on a Windows PC, even once you empty the Recycle Bin, the file actually still exists. Basically what happens is the area on the drive that file uses is marked as free to be written to again. Until that area of the drive is written to again anyone with the right tools and knowledge can retrieve the files. If security is important to you, consider purchasing a program that will securely delete the file. Often called a data shredder, these programs can make it almost impossible to retrieve your deleted files.

Spyware and Adware

If you spend time on the Internet, it's highly likely you have spyware in your PC. Apart from the fact that your privacy is at risk, spyware can also slow down your computer over the Internet connection as it sends data from your PC. Spyware tracks your Internet usage and can also send reports about your PC such as installed software etc. You should have a program that can detect and delete Spyware. You should set your spyware detection software to run in the background, or regularly scan your PC. You should also update the spyware detection software as often as an update becomes available.

Adware is normally software that is provided free of charge that includes advertisements that run while you use the software. Some adware software also contains Spyware. There is software available to detect and delete adware advertisements and spyware if present, but normally this also disables the software. Its important to note that real shareware/freeware does not contain spyware and is not adware. Personally I avoid adware software.

Virus Protection and Firewall

Having virus protection and a firewall is a must. Viruses can destroy your data. Your anti-virus program must be kept up to date, there are new viruses everyday. Most anti-virus program vendors update the programs at least each week. You should scan all external data reaching your machine, Internet, removable disks (CD-ROM), everything. Sure it slows down the performance of your PC, but the result of a virus reaching your PC will slow you down even more. Also you should scan your hard drives for viruses about once a week. A firewall will stop unwanted intrusions into your computer when your online. In addition it can stop a program from sending out information from your PC without your knowledge. A firewall will grant or deny permission to/from the Internet or local network based on settings you choose. Modern firewalls made for home users are now very easy to setup and maintain. Over the last few years there has been a proliferation of security suites that provide a range of security products in one easy to use interface. Most of the reputable brands include at least a firewall, virus protection, spyware detection, and anti-spam software (read the tutorial on managing spam).

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