Want A Faster More Secure Computer ! A Little Pc Maintenance Can Go A Long Way

Why is pc maintenance so important ? Computers have become an everyday tool in todays world for all kinds of entertainment and business purposes and they hold a lot of personal data and information.

Without a little upkeep , computers become bogged down with clutter and left over pieces from deleted programs and their immune system weakens and they become easy targets for viruses, spyware and all kinds of malicious codes.

Pc maintenance isn't hard technical stuff or real time consuming. Most good programs can be set up auto run at a time of your choice,such as at night or any time you know your pc will be idle.

Make yourself a schedule so you can do your pc maintenance on a regular basis and you'll be surprised how little time it really takes .

* WHERE TO START :

Lets start with the operating system . It is extremely important to keep your windows os and browser up to date and patched using Microsoft Updates . Even if you use a browser other than Internet Explorer , because IE intergrates into windows in so many ways its VERY important to keep it patched even if you don't use it .

If you also use other media players such as Adobe Flash Player,RealOne, QuickTime or any other media player ,Keep them up-to-date and patched. They are a BIG security risk.

Get to know your pc's performance level , It'll make it easier to spot slow downs and performance loss sooner.

Clean Up All The Clutter :

Always empty out your temporary internet files and cookies.They take up space and cookies from malicious programs can be tracking your moves .

Clutter builds up very quickly on a pc, keeping your pc cleaned up greatly adds to its performance . You can set your browser to empty temp. internet files every time you close your browser and you can run the disk clean up utility from system tools menu .

Disk Defrag :

Files become scattered on your hard drive from normal use and it takes the system longer and longer to find the files it needs to open or run programs.This a normal occurrence on all pc's and you'll see your performance slow down .

While Win XP and Vista hold up a lot better than earlier versions you should still periodically open the defrag utility from systems tools menu and click analyze. It'll tell you if you should defrag. The built in defrag utility in Windows is pretty basic, but for most home users it'll do the job .

If you run a business , your pc's are in constant use and they hold a lot information. There are better defrag programs that are made to handle those types of applications .

The Windows Registry :

The registry is the main control room for your operating system. When it becomes bogged down with unnecessary clutter and left over pieces of deleted programs everything in your pc can slow to a crawl . Use a good registry cleaner / optimizer , It will safely clean and optimize your registry for peak performance . This is a very important part of pc maintenance. The registry controls everything your pc does .

The Start Menu :

Every time you download or add a program it usually sets a registry key and puts itself in the start up folder, and every time you start windows these programs load and run in the back ground. They suck up a lot of memory and CPU usage and this can really slow down a pc.

You can use the "msconfig" utility in windows or a third party program to manage the startup folder. Go to start then run and type in msconfig.

When the box comes up , click on startup and see how many programs are checked. The only things you really need to start when windows boots up are your protection programs such as virus , spyware etc. All your other programs can be started and stopped manually.

* Run A Top Notch Anti-Virus Program :

A top notch anti virus program is a must have. The internet is full of a lot of bad stuff that can really cause problems for you and your pc. There are a lot of free virus programs available but you will never get maximum protection from them. (They all offer upgrades to their pay for versions for better protection) That tells you something about the free ones !

Don't skimp on virus protection , a top notch program along withsome normal routine pc maintenance and you'll have one happy ,efficient , fast computer !

* Firewalls :

To really give your pc's security a boost, add a good firewall , especially if you have an always on Broadband or DSL connection.

There are a couple of different ways to add a firewall. Learn more about firewalls

* Adware/Spyware Removal Software

Adware / Spyware is a huge problem . A real good spyware removal - protection program is a very important tool to have. Spyware is out of control and is everywhere .Your important and personal data is at a very high risk. You should use a least two top rated free spyware removal programs along with a good commercial spyware protection program with real time protection . No one program is 100% so take advantage of the free ones to work with your main program. Run your scans frequently ! Pc maintenance has never been more important , there is a lot of real bad stuff out there that would love to infect your pc.

This may seem like a lot , but it really isn't . With good commercial programs you can schedule them to run at any time, such as at night or when you know your pc will be idle and they'll do all the work for you . A little pc maintenance doesn't take long , and you can enjoy a happier,safer computing experience. Here are some safe surfing tips to help you learn to detect spyware and stop before it gets into your pc .

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