Computer Maintenance Tips For Home and Office

'Prevention is better than cure', they say and rightly so…whether it's your computer at home or your office, computer maintenance is a must. With proper computer maintenance you can, not only avoid regular calls for the technician but also keep your computer running smoothly.

Here are a few easy computer maintenance tips for optimal results

Use branded computer accessories

Always use computer accessories like monitor, mouse, keyboards, pen drives, speakers, printers, web cameras, etc. from known brands for better results from your computer.

Switch off your computer only after Windows has shut down

Never switch off your computer directly on the main switch. The one exception to this rule is when your computer locks up and your hard drive is not running. As cutting the power can also result in lost data or Windows files, you should only do this when you have to.

Always use an UPS to avoid interruptions due to power cuts

UPS is essential for a computer as it keeps your computer from crashing during power outages, and also protects your computer from low and high voltage occurrences. An UPS can save your computer from almost any type of power disaster.

Run Scandisk & Defragment 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. Use Disk Cleanup to clear the temporary and unwanted files and folders from your computer. This will without doubt increase the speed of your computer.

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 causing serious damage to your computer. Always switch your computer off before adding or removing and unplugging computer peripherals.

Do keep at least 300 MBs of your C: drive free

The C: drive should be kept free for Windows to use. 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. Delete unneeded programs from your drive.

Do not let many programs load up when you start your computer

They use valuable memory and Windows Resources (Windows internal workspace). Close them if you don't need them or run them and configure them not to load when you boot up. Remember that the cleaner your hard drive is, the better your machine will respond!

Scan your computer with anti-virus atleast once a week

Use anti-virus software like Norton Antivirus, AVG, Kaspersky, Avira, Panda and scan your computer atleast once in a week. You can also use free online virus scanners such as Housecall provided by Trend Micro.

Use firewall with high speed Internet connection

A firewall keeps those who want to hijack your computer from gaining access to your system. Try the latest firewall to avoid hackers for ultimate computer maintenance.

Clean your computer and its accessories frequently

When cleaning a computer monitor, you should make sure to disconnect it from a power source. You can clean dirt and fingerprints with ordinary household glass cleaner sprayed onto a lint free cloth, do NOT spray directly onto the computer screen. Make sure you keep air vents clear from debris and paper to prevent overheating.

Also keyboards and mouse has to be cleaned with vacuum cleaners atleast once a week so that they remain bacteria-free. Also avoid eating foods while working on your computer, so that you do not leave crumbs of food lying on your keyboard.

Use the above mentioned tips and you know you can never go wrong with your computer maintenance program.

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