Computer Maintenance and Computer Repairs Are Unavoidable

All Homes, offices, and businesses that use computers will need computer repairs now and then. While this is perhaps inevitable, repair requirements can surely be minimized with proper and timely computer maintenance. Given below are certain rules that you can follow to minimize the wear and tear of your computer.

It is strongly recommended that users should not overload the main C: drive. A computer needs a lot of free space to operate smoothly. So, fancy programs, or programs that have only limited use should have no place on the main drive. At least a minimum of 600 MB free space should be available for the operating system to function in a manner that will in the long run minimize the need for computer maintenance. In cases where a larger program becomes a must, disc space should be increased to accommodate it.

For proper computer maintenance, it is also necessary to reduce the number of programs in the startup menu. Remove the unnecessary programs from the system and their icons, if any, from the desktop. Do not store isolated files on the desktop for easy access. The recycle bin and temporary Internet files also should be erased periodically to help the computer perform faster.

Keep the firewall of the system enabled to minimize intrusion from undesirable sources. Anti-virus and anti-spyware programs are a must in any computer to reduce computer maintenance needs. It is not enough to have these programs installed once with a new computer. These have to be upgraded periodically for the software to be effective.

Computer has to be shut down via the closing mechanism that the operating system provides, and not by using the power switch. This is very important for computer maintenance. Persistent use of the power switch for closing the machine can easily lead to computer crash and hard disk failure or other hardware to work improperly, which may require computer repairs and replacement of parts. The only time the computer can be closed by shutting down power supply is when emergency situations like software problems or hard drive problems make it impossible to shut down the machine in a normal way.

Steady power supply is also necessary for proper computer maintenance. It is always better not to connect the power source directly to the computer. Power connection should be given via an Uninterrupted Power Supply system or UPS. This provision may not be very important in areas that have steady power supply. But in areas that are prone to power cuts and voltage fluctuations, the lack of a UPS will result in damage to the computer and will necessitate frequent computer repairs.

Ensuring that computer peripherals like a printer, or camcorder, or speakers, are not disconnected without switching off the power supply is also part of maintaining a computer the right way. Backing up the data regularly is also one of the computer maintenance rules. While this may have nothing to do with ensuring optimum computer performance, in the case of hard disk failure or computer crash, the user’s position will be safe when there is not data loss to worry about. It will minimize the need for computer repairs related to data recovery.