General PC Maintenance
Delete your Temporary Internet Files once per week, or at least once per month.
- Windows XP. Start >> Control Panel >> Internet Options >> Delete Temporary Internet Files button (wait for operation to complete)
- Windows Vista. Start >> Control Panel >> Internet Options >> Delete Browsing History button >> Delete Browsing History window will appear >> Delete Files button a Confirmation window will appear >> Click Yes (wait for operation to complete). Note: You will also have the ability to delete Cookies, History, Form Data and Passwords from this window. Depending upon the security of your machine, these are at user's discretion.
Always have a running/up to date anti-virus program running.
Windows Vista will constantly remind that your system is vulnerable. Windows XP is a little less courteous. It is rarely necessary to have all the additional features offered by anti-virus suppliers, most individuals simply need AV. AV programs (at least the good ones) should update themselves regularly. An attempt at a manual update will let you know if auto-updates are happening or not. (If it's already updated, then it's working.) Most will constantly scan your system, but, you should run a full system scan every 3 to 6 months at the minimum.
Run anti-spyware programs.
There are free versions available on the Web, but do your homework and choose a good one. You can do this by checking the user reviews available at many download sites. Once you have an anti-spyware application installed, it is important that you run it at least one time per week. It is amazing how much "junk" is brute-forced into your machine by even the most casual Web surfing.
Defrag your hard disk drive.
Unless you are running one of the new, fast and silent SSDs (Solid State Drives) on the market today, your computer will eventually suffer performance loss because the data on your drive becomes fragmented. There is no reason to be alarmed, because this problem is very simple to fix. Hard disk drives by nature are "random". By that, we mean that information is written to the first empty portion of the drive that the write-head can access. So, over the course of the drive's life, it can be become harder and harder for your drive to find all of the information or programs you are asking it to run in a timely manner. Knowing this, defragmenting your drive will keep it running efficiently and quickly rather than slow and begrudgingly.
Windows XP
Method 1: Use the Properties of your local disk
- Click Start.
- Open My Computer.
- Right-click the local disk volume that you want to defragment and then click Properties.
- On the Tools tab, click Defragment Now.
- Click Defragment.
Method 2: Use Computer Management MMC
- Click Start.
- Click Run.
- Type Compmgmt.msc in the open field.
- Click Disk Defragmenter.
- Click the volume that you want to defragment and then click Defragment.
Method 3: Use Disk Defragmenter MMC.
- Click on Start.
- Click Run.
- Type Dfrg.msc in the open field.
- Click the volume that you want to defragment and then click Defragment.
Windows Vista
Method 1: Manually run it.
- Open Disk Defragmenter by clicking the Start button
- Click All Programs
- Click Accessories
- Click System Tools
- Then click Disk Defragmenter (note: you may be prompted for an administrator password, or confirmation, type the password, or provide confirmation)
- Click Defragment Now (note: It may take several minutes or several hours to complete this task depending on the size of the drive, and the degree of fragmentation present)
Method 2: Windows Vista has a default auto defrag program. Just let it run.