Guide to Basic PC Maintenance with Schedule and Free Tools

We depend on computers, so it is important to be able to maintain them and keep our information as secure as possible. Basic PC maintenance is not difficult, but must be done regularly to be effective. Organize yourself to keep up with a regular maintenance schedule. Make a list and post it to help you remember. Some things can be set to run automatically. This is great if the computer is always on. Otherwise, if it is shut down at the scheduled time the task will not be done. There is no need to buy expensive programs to protect your computer. All the computer maintenance tools are available with your Windows operating system and some free downloads.

Weekly Computer Maintenance Tasks

Disk Cleanup. Keeping your computer clutter free saves space and prevents problems. This Windows system tool maintains your disk by clearing unused files, the recycle bin, temporary files, and cookies. You can find it in the start menu under All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup. There are things that this tool will miss, so it is also necessary to go to your web browser and clear your cookies, cache, browsing history, etc. In Firefox go to Tools > Clear Private Data. A window will appear where you can select what you want to delete. In Internet Explorer go to Tools > Internet Options. In the "General" tab the middle section is "Browsing history". Click on the "delete" button and select what you want deleted from the window that will pop up.

Virus and Spyware Scans. How to maintain security is a top concern of all PC users. Many Internet providers now offer free virus protection subscriptions with a major company, like McAfee or Norton. Make sure you take advantage of that. Buy one if you have to and keep up your subscription for updates.

It is also important to protect your PC from spyware and adware. There are good free anti-spyware programs that will keep your information safe. Don't rely on one alone. There is no truly comprehensive spyware protection available, even among the ones you have to buy. I use three, AVG Anti-Spyware by Ewido, Ad-Aware by Lavasoft, and Spybot - Search and Destroy to maintain privacy. Each offers free service for personal use. The free versions will not set up automatic scans, so you have to run them manually.

It is crucial to keep your virus and spyware protection up-to-date. They each have an update tool or feature that is easy to find. There are always new viruses and threats discovered, so make sure you have the newest definition files before you run any scan.

If you try to install or open anti-virus or anti-spyware software and there is an infection on your disk that stops it from working, you can go to Housecall or Symantec and do a free online scan. Hopefully that will remove it. You can do free online spyware scans at Ewido and F-secure.

Firewall. A firewall keeps hackers from hijacking your computer and stealing information or causing damage. At least you need Windows Firewall turned on all the time. There is more protection available to maintain a barrier from Internet intruders. Most virus protection software also includes a firewall. Make sure that is turned on as well. Zone Alarm has a free firewall available if you don't have one. This really is a one-time task except for making sure you keep your security current with updates.

Monthly Computer Maintenance Tasks

Defragment. Maintain your disk by cleaning up bits of document files or software that you have updated or changed. The defragmenter keeps your files compact and organized on the hard drive so it can work smoothly. You can find the Windows tool in the start menu under All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter. It will take a long time, perhaps several hours, the first time. If you do it regularly it will run much faster.

Update. You need to keep your software up-to-date. To maintain Windows and your other Microsoft programs, there is Microsoft Update. It will check for and install updates for Windows, MS Office and Internet Explorer. You can run it manually anytime. If you forget long enough it will automatically check and alert you when there is something ready to install. I recommend checking manually so you know for sure. All the programs you use regularly can be updated. Many of them automatically check and will alert you. If you want to be sure, look under the tools or help menu for "update" to manually check.

Deep Clean. Your anti-virus program may offer some computer maintenance features. The one I use has a cleaning feature that goes much deeper than the Disk Cleanup tool. If you have this available, run it to free up space.

Quarterly (every three months) Computer Maintenance Task

Check for Errors. Scandisk is a Windows tool to maintain your hard drive. It checks your disk for errors and damage. It can repair many of the errors that it finds automatically. It takes up to 2 hours and may require the computer to be restarted. The instructions I will give are for Windows XP. If you are running another version of Windows, the process will be different. You may find Scandisk under System Tools.

For XP, go to "My Computer". Right click on your hard drive, usually designated as "C". A menu will appear. Move your mouse down, highlight "properties", and click. A small window will appear with several tabs. Click on the tab for "tools". The first tool is "error-checking". Click on "check now". Check the boxes to select the options to automatically fix errors and to scan for bad sectors. Next, click on "start". A message will pop up saying that the program requires Windows to be shut down. It asks if you would like to schedule the disk check to run the next time Windows starts up. Click on "yes". In order to run it, restart your PC. It will take at least an hour to run the scan. After it is done, then Windows will start up.

With a plan and a little time, you can take care of your PC. It will run better and your personal information will be safer. The tools you need can be downloaded free or are provided with Windows. The key to good computer maintenance is to update and run checks and scans on a regular schedule.