Keeping your computer working

Did you remember to tune up your computer to make sure you are starting off the New Year on the right foot? Have your replace old and outdated protectors so you are running the right type for the new devices purchased? I hope you are not using the same surge protector you used in 2000 despite the fact that you have purchased a larger office printer, a new computer, and added a few new toys to the collection.

1. Vacuuming out the dust. Dust can damage a computer because it prevents cooling and can cause static electricity problems. The large chips often generate a lot of heat. They may have heat sinks on them and often with a fan on top of the heat sink. Dust is often the culprit at the root of the loud noise. Purchase a small hand-held computer vacuum to keep your CPU and Keyboard clean of dust, dirt, etc. Canned air should only be used to separate the dust from the parts.
2. Replace drives. There are only a few moving parts on your computer, the CD, DVD, HD, and fan(s). Whenever you hear a computer making a lot of noise you should take it apart and either replace the fan or the disk drive (floppy, hard or CD/DVD etc). These are only things that have moving parts on most computers. Usually, it is the fan. It can be the fan in the power supply (some heavy duty power supplies have two fans) or one of the fans on top of a heat sink. You just have to locate the source of the noise or spin the fans and see which one does not spin easily. If you do not want to do this yourself take it somewhere where they will service your machine.
3. Ventilation. Your computer should have proper ventilation. This will allow the fan to circulate clean air at all times. As your computer chips process information, they generate heat, and the only way to dissipate this heat is to allow cooling fans to blow outside air across these chips lowering their internal temperature and forcing hotter air out of the computer casing. If your computer is on the floor, elevate your computer (CPU) to a minimum height of 15 inches off the floor and allow a minimum of 3 inches of space on the sides and at least 12 inches or more of space on the back. If your floor is carpeted, vacuum the area monthly. You will notice that your computer fan will stop running loudly and is less likely to overheat.
4. Surge Protector. Are you using the right surge protector? Never use a generic low end surge protector to supply power to your office equipments. Invest in a heavy duty protector that allows the correct voltage, and phone line in/out adapters. Need to know more about surge protectors? Go to How Stuff Works.
5. Antivirus Software. It is required that you run some type of up-to-date antivirus program on your computer(s).  New viruses are constantly being released and your antivirus must be continually updated.  If your subscription is expired, either renew the subscription or uninstall it and install the free AVG antivirus, AVast, or purchase a reliable antivirus program. It is recommended to only run one antivirus program at a time.  Multiple antivirus programs tend to conflict.  The only exception to that is running AVG and AVast together.  The two seem to work well together.  However, do not run PC-Cilin McAfee, or Norton and any other antivirus. Also, just because you see an icon on your desktop does not mean that you are running the latest version of the antivirus program.
6. Spyware removal tools.  Spyware has become one of the worst problems on the internet.  I recommend Spybot.  If you run these scans weekly, you'll have a lot less problems with your computer.  If you do a web search on spyware removal, you'll find that nearly all the technology related websites recommend Spybot.  They're free and will remove most of the spyware that is out there. Go to a trusted site such as www.download.com. Never go through an online link to download.com. Chances are, it will take you elsewhere and you will download more that the intended program.
7. Incoming Emails. Never open emails from sources you do not know. I suggest reviewing the email option feature to make sure the email is coming from a credible and reliable source. Scammers and Spammers are now altering one letter within the email address to get through. If you don’t pay attention, you can easily release a virus or Trojan on your computer. If you see incoming emails without a sender or subject header, immediately delete the email from your folder and computer. Then run a virus scan and Spybot. Clean and archive your folders frequently.
8. Email Backups. Backup your Outlook POP3 once a month or more frequently, depending on your business setup.
   1. Exit all programs
   2. Copy everything in: Documents and Settingsusernamelocal settingsapplication dataMicrosoftoutlook
   3. Paste into your backup area. You can also create a shortcut on your desktop to this directory. It will make it easier to get to where they folder is located when it time for a backup.
9. Windows Updates.  Yes, updates often cause more problems than solutions. However, these updates patch security holes in the Windows operating system.  It is critical that they are run on a regular basis.  You can get to Windows Update in your Internet Explorer by clicking on "Tools" and then "Windows Update". 
10. Disk Maintenance.  There are three tools that need to be run on a regular basis.  They can be found by clicking on Start, Programs, Accessories, and System Tools.  These should be run monthly.
    1. Disk Cleanup - This will clean the temporary files off of your computer and allow Windows to function in a less cluttered environment.
    2. Disk Defragmenter - This will reorganize the files and put the pieces of a file in one location to allow Windows to find it and work with it faster.
    3. Scan Disk - This will look for common file allocation errors (how Windows knows where to look for what information) and hard drive issues.
11. Be careful what you download from the internet.  Read the disclosure notices that go with the programs you download.  Too many of the programs out there don't just install themselves, but install other "tag along" programs as well.  If you don't use the Yahoo or Google toolbar, then why install it?  These toolbars just pull resources from your computer and take up space on the screen.  If you use it, great.  Install the one you use.  But does anyone really need four toolbars?  Also remember to read each screen carefully. Don’t just click yes because you are in a hurry. That mistake may cost you a lot of money in repairs. Sometimes it is best to type in the domain instead of clicking on a link embedded on a website or within an email.
12. Program Installations. Don’t set all installed programs to run when Windows Start. This is especially important when you install a program that you are not going to use on a daily basis. When you install these programs to run automatically, it takes away from your system resources and will slow down your computer.
13. Removing old Software. If you have old software programs on your computer that you have not used in months, remove it. If you have eye-candy related software on your computer that is not business related, remove it. Such programs include weather checker, games, instant messengers, screen savers, additional web browsers, etc.
14. File location. Keep your files in one location. Storing files on your desktop and in multiple locations does not make your backup process easy and you will miss several files during the backup process. Create all folders in one area such as your “My Documents” folder.
15. Browser Cleaning. Clean your browser frequently. Remove all temporary files, Cookies, history, and form fillers. I use www.ccleaner.com However, most of the newer antivirus software programs provide this feature but I still run these programs several times a day since I am on the internet for long periods of time.

Carolyn Nelson | carolyn@onlinerepa.com | www.onlinerepa.com |