Computer Maintenance Tips
1. Never, never, turn your computer off with the power switch until Windows has shut down.
The one exception to this rule is when your computer locks up and your hard drive is not running (hard drive light is not blinking). In this situation, you can turn the power off without harmful effects to the hard drive. As cutting the power can also result in lost data or Windows files, you should only do this when you have to.
Following this rule will prevent permanent hard drive defects caused by the hard drive heads contacting the surface of the drive disc, and it will prevent a host of Windows problems.
Whenever possible, recover from crashes by pressing the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys at the same time. Press them again to reboot your computer.
2. When problems occur, first reboot your computer. This solves many problems. It is also wise to reboot once per day. This helps Windows manage computer memory. Turning off your computer once per day helps minimize internal dust accumulation and saves electricity. Also, turn off and then turn on your Internet modem and/or router if your Internet connection is disrupted.
3. Never unplug peripherals from the computer when it is powered up. Unplugging with the power on can short out the connector socket or the motherboard.
The only exception to this rule is if you know a peripheral is "hot pluggable". If you do not know what "hot pluggable" means then ignore this exception.
4. Do a full data backup at least once per month and any data you cannot afford to lose to at least two separate physical drives.
Keep the back up media in safe places, such as fireproof safes, safe deposit boxes, or at a bare minimum, off-site from the location of the computer.
The time to backup is when you create something you can't afford to lose. Don't wait until tomorrow.
5. Run Scandisk and Defragment at least once a month. This will keep your hard drive healthy and prevent crashes. Alternatively, purchase Norton Utilities and use it to keep your hard drive healthy.
6. Do keep nearby copies of all CD’s, serial numbers, and registration numbers for all software and hardware that came with the machine and that was purchased at the store or downloaded. Also keep all installation instructions and manuals for using these materials.
7. Do keep at least 100 MBs of your C: drive free for Windows to use. If you use Windows Me or Windows XP then you should have 200 MBs of free space on your C: drive.
If you do not have enough free space you will choke Windows and it will start dumping data to your hard drive, or it will just get really, really, slow.
Use the ADD/Delete tool in the Windows Control Panel to delete unneeded programs from your drive.
8. Do not delete files or folders from your computer that you did not create. It is safe to delete shortcuts to programs from your desktop that you do not use. These are indicated with a small curved arrow in the lower left corner of the icon.
9. Do keep a copy of your current Internet Service Provider (ISP) information. This includes telephone numbers for customer service, technical support, and dial-up access; user names, addresses, and passwords; and mail server names.
10. Do not let a lot of programs load up when you start your computer. They use valuable memory and Windows Resources (Windows internal workspace).
All programs in your Windows System Tray (in the lower left of your screen) are running on your computer. Close them if you don't need them or run them and configure them not to load when you boot up.
Other programs running in the background can be found by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete at the same time.
Hopefully these computer maintenance tips will keep you out of trouble. However, if you have problems with your computer,
Call me or sms at +65 82333558 for help.