How to Perform Routine Computer Maintenance

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Computer with Windows OS
internet connection

Step 1

The Difference Computer Maintenance Makes

Develop a computer maintenance routine that includes a schedule and an order of tasks. How often you need to perform the maintenance depends on your computer use. If you do a lot of surfing, use P2P programs, download many files - in general expose your computer frequently to outside forces, you will want to perform these steps weekly. If you infrequently use your computer for internet activities, every month or less may be sufficient. If you notice a sudden slow down or other computer problems, you will want to go through these steps immediately.
Step 2

Your computer maintenance routine should include cleaning up temporary files and cookies that accumulate on your computer and running malware scanning programs. Malware includes spyware, viruses, adware, trojans, worms, backdoors, and hijackers. All of the steps and programs presented here are 'industry standard' and proper cautions are given; however you should only perform those steps you are comfortable with. Doing some is still better than doing none.
Step 3

Computer Maintenance Prevents the Frustration

Prior to downloading new programs or running scans on your computer, back up your computer. In the event that anything goes wrong, you want to be able to restore it to a time when it was working well. To do this, follow this path: click on start > all programs > accessories >system tools > system restore. On the System Restore box, click Create a Restore Point and click next. It will now ask you to name the restore point. You can call it 'pre-maintenance' or anything you like. The program automatically assigns the date.
Step 4

To prepare for all of these computer maintenance steps, you will need to download the scanning programs that will uncover and eradicate any malware that may be slowing down your computer. All of these programs are safe and effective, and certified virus free. They are freeware or free versions of fee-based products. The links to all of them are under resources. The spyware and malware scanning programs are Ad-Aware SE Personal (the free version), Spybot-Search & Destroy and Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware. Skip down to resources, download and install these programs now.
Step 5

A WORD OF WARNING: Sometimes you will see products pop up on your screen telling you that you have a computer virus or your registry needs to be reconfigured or you can speed up your computer with their product. Or they have detected some other computer problem. NEVER click on these! Sometimes even clicking close or the red X will install a malware program. There are 2 'safe' ways to get rid of them without installing the programs (although with some tenacious programs these may not work either). [A] Hold down your ctrl and alt keys and then tap the delete key. This brings up a box called Windows Task Manager. Listed in the box will be all applications (programs) you have running (note: be sure you are in the default applications tab, and do not play with any of the others). [B] In this list, click on the program's name to highlight it and then click on End Task at the bottom of the box. [C] If the program is not listed here, the next safest way (though not fool proof) to get rid of it is to shut down your computer fully and then start it again. Any reputable product will have a website and other sites that verify the program is valid. If you are curious to know if you really do need that pop up product, follow the above steps, then Google the product name.
Step 6

Back to our routine computer maintenance...Start by cleaning out the 'temporary' stuff that accumulates from internet use. [A] Click on the green Start button and then on Control Panel. If you see a message asking if you want to see all the files, click it for yes. Now you see several icons. [B] Double click on the Internet Options icon. On the General Tab you will see a section called Browsing History. [C] Click on the Delete button. Now you have choices on what to delete. You may not want to delete Form Data or Passwords, but you should delete the others. [D] Click the delete button for Temporary Internet Files, Cookies and History. If you have never done this before, you may be surprised at how much was there - and each one slows does your computer. Wait to click the next one until each is done. [E] When these three are finished, click Close. On the Internet Properties box, click OK.
Step 7

Ad-Aware by Lavasoft

Now you are ready to run the malware scans. Each finds and gets rid of different types of malware and the following order is recommended. Start with Ad-Aware SE Personnel (free version) which scans for adware. It will ask if you want to update your definitions; click yes and then connect. Update the definitions each time, there are new ones daily. When it is updated, click start. You can then select a full system or a smart scan. I do a smart scan and will do a full scan every few months or if this normal routine does not help. The scans will take awhile, just let it run while you have a snack or finish some laundry. Using the computer while it is scanning will slow down he scan. When it is finished, it will give you a report of Critical Objects (adware it has found). Follow the instructions to delete or quarantine it.
Step 8

Spybot - Search & Destroy

Next in the computer maintenance is the scan for spyware. Double click on the Spybot icon now on your desktop. Again, tell it to update each time you use it. Then click Check for Problems and it will begin the scan. When complete, it will give you a list of spyware it has found. Spybot will give you a disclaimer warning before it fixes any problems. If you backed up your computer (step 3), it is safe to proceed. As an added safety feature, Spybot also sets its own restore point before it removes the spyware programs.
Step 9

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware

The final scan will check for all other types of malware (viruses, trojans, worms, backdoors, and hijackers). There are many choices of programs here, and some that come with your computer or antivirus program. I highly recommend Malwarebytes'Anti-Malware. Using it on a flash drive, I have saved friends' computers that would not even get to a start page (because they were curious about the pop up 'virus detection' programs). It is a free open source program that works well and provides all the help you need to get rid of anything it finds. Whichever you decide to use, use it routinely and especially if your computer suddenly slows down or 'acts strange.' Malwarebytes' will also give you the choice between a full system or quick scan. You can download the free 'trial' version and use it indefinitely.
Step 10

As the final step in routine maintenance, run the defragmenter (defrag) on your computer. To defrag, follow this path: click on start > all programs > accessories >system tools > disk defragmenter. Click the defragment button and let it run.
Step 11

Restart your computer and you are finished with your maintenance routine.

Comments

mommyhen42 said

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on 3/10/2009 Great info, I try to get to my routine maintainence at lease every month or so for the deep stuff, but weekly for the little stuff. I learned a thing or two from your article so I added it to my favorites!