We’ve all been there before. At work, at home, at school… Just when you need it the most, that “darn computer” slows down to a crawl. At work or school, you call the IT department and complain or just laugh because you know they aren’t going to do anything this time either. At home, you deal with tolerate the issues as long as you can, waiting for the day you can get a new computer. You might go so far as to buy more RAM or even call the local PC repair shop, but that rarely happens either. We have all been conditioned to buy a new computer every few years, but why?
The truth is, computers can last for many years. Like cars, the life of your computer is directly linked to the care and upkeep you put into it. Sure, some of the components might break down a little sooner than expected, but some basic maintenance can keep everything running smoothly and lessen the chance of major issues. Many of these maintenance items are simple and can be done by you for FREE. Let’s take a look:
- Defragmentation – We won’t get too technical here, but you should know that defragmentation of the hard drives on your computer is one of the easiest ways to increase system performance. There are built-in tools (Windows Disk Defragmenter) available to you or great, FREE programs like Auslogics Disk Defrag that even let you schedule regular defrags. See our article titled Defragmentation: A Simple Task for a Huge Result for more details.
- Delete Temporary Files – As you surf the web and use different programs, your computer builds up a lot of temporary files. These files continue to build until you direct your computer to delete them. Again, there are built in tools (Windows Disk Cleanup) or you can turn to other FREE programs like CCleaner.
- Restart Regularly – There are some positive benefits to leaving your computer on (availability, updates), but your computer needs a reset every so often. A daily or weekly restart helps to keep your computer running smoothly. It is also a good idea to restart any time you install or uninstall a program.
- Updates – Windows and programs are patched and updated regularly by their manufacturers. This can be done to prevent viruses from taking over your computer or add enhancements to the product. You don’t want to leave your computer vulnerable to attack, so update as prompted and make sure that you are running the automatic updates available for Windows.
There are many other maintenance items your computer will benefit from, but the list above is a simple, easy start. Research these topics yourself or visit JumpstartMyPC.com for more information. “Helping PC users get the most out of their computer” is our motto and we do this by providing you, the PC users, with all the tools you need to do so. We post a new article/blog each day and focus on topics that will educate you on your computer, the internet, social networking, gadgets and more. Follow JumpstartMyPC.com on Facebook or Twitter and have the information delivered right to you for FREE.
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JumpstartMyPC.com also offers local service in Houston, TX and the surrounding areas. If you don’t want to attempt it yourself or are just too busy, we can help with your PC maintenance and repairs.
Tags: Auslogics Disk Defrag, defrag, defragmentation, Windows updates
