According
to the Bureau of Economics, the total
annual sales of computers
for 2005 was $260.2 billion. As we
become more dependent on computers,
every minute of downtime can impact
our productivity. In a working world,
it is in every company’s interest
to keep their computer systems at
optimal performance. This article
will explain ways that you can keep
your PC running clean and well protected.
Certain procedures will require some
technical knowledge.
If
you participate in or are familiar
with competitive sports, you might
hear coaches use the phrase, “A
good offense is a good defense.” So
how does this translate in the world
of computers? It means having Anti-Virus
software, Anti-Spyware, and a routine
maintenance strategy.
Some shy away from purchasing software
such as Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware
due to costs. However, this is the
first and most important step in keeping
your system and private information
protected. Living without this software
is likely to be much more expensive.
Once you have them, it is equally important
to keep them up to date. Updates can
be incorporated into your routine maintenance
strategy.
One
of the first things to consider when
performing routine maintenance
is clearing the temporary files that
have been cached in the system. These
temp files are stored within the user’s
profile as you browse the internet
and install applications. After these
files have been cleared, your processing
speed is noticeably increased. Second;
update any hardware drivers, firmware,
bios, and chipsets that had been released
by your computer manufacturer. This
will ensure the stability of the hardware
and fix any bugs that are known to
cause problems. Third; update the operating
system through Windowstm Update to
keep your computers protected from
known security holes and to take advantage
of new features. Fourth; perform an
Anti-Virus scan and an Anti-Spyware
scan to remove any threats. The last
step is to run a defragmenter of the
hard disks. Running a “defrag” will
rearrange files within your hard disks
in a contiguous format to fix file
and free-space fragmentation that can
degrade your hard drive’s performance.
The
purpose of having a routine maintenance
strategy is to keep your systems in
top condition. It should be done at
least once every two weeks and you
should always backup important data
before applying any major updates.
If you have special applications running
on your desktop, it would be wise to
consult with the manufacturer before
applying updates. Certain drivers or
Windowstm patches might break your
application and even crash the system.
Do not apply any updates about which
you are not sure. Micro Visions has
a maintenance program called Checkpoint
Advantage that’s designed to
optimize and protect your computer
systems. Checkpoint will address the
basic maintenance procedures that I
have described and can be customized
to fit your business needs. It’s
an investment that will provide peace-of-mind
and let you focus on improving your
bottom line. Give us a call!
