Following is a guest post by Neel Kamal from search-value.com.If you want to write guest posts for us do read our write for us page

The following tips on maintaining your computer are very much worth the time that it takes to complete them. These simple steps will keep your computer running smoothly and prolong its lifespan. If you run a company with multiple computers then you may wish to consider seeking external computer support to carry out some of these processes. Occasional computer repairs will still be necessary when following these steps but they will reduce the frequency with which they have to take place.

 Some computer maintenance practices should be carried out continuously and some only need doing once every 3 months. This article will consider 13 steps to maintaining your computer throughout the year.

General Tips:

 Keep working files in one folder.

Storing all of your files in one place will make your computer run more quickly, enable easier backup and make everything easier to find.

 Do not store files on the C: Drive.

Storing files in the root drive can lead to errors and corruption. It is far better to store documents in the My Documents folder because this will avoid corruption.

 If you download something, delete it afterwards.

If you download a Zip file, delete it afterwards. If you down load a setup .exe, delete it once you have installed the program.

 Don’t accept suspicious files.

If you practice safe computing and reject any suspicious files then you are far less likely to infect your computer. Avoid opening email attachments with any of these endings: .exe, .com, .vbs, .bat, .mdb, .reg, or .js.

 Scheduled Tips:

 Daily:

 Update anti-virus software.

Viruses change every day. It is sensible to make it your practice to update anti-virus software first thing each morning so that you are always protected.

Backup files.

At the end of each day you should backup the changes made to any important work or files.

 Weekly:

 Run a full scan.

Run a full anti-virus and anti-spyware scan on your computer. When a virus is new it is easier to deal with than when it has become more established. The longer it remains on your computer the harder it will become to get rid of it.

 Reboot your computer.

If your computer is on all of the time (which it shouldn’t be because you are killing the environment), then reboot your computer at least once a week to reset the RAM.

 Monthly:

 Update Operating System.

You should check your Operating System is fully updated at least once a month to ensure that you have protection from any bugs or failures that they have recognised.

 Delete your old emails.

If your emails are stored on your computer then it is important to delete your old and unwanted emails. These files are merely using up space unnecessarily on your computer and will slow down its processing ability.

 Quarterly:

Change your passwords.

No one likes to do it but it really is important to change your passwords on a quarterly basis. Be particularly certain to change your email password regularly because access to this can often gain someone access to a wide range of your passworded websites.

 Remove dust from your computer.

Turn your computer off and unplug it before trying to remove dust. Use compressed air to remove the dust so that your computer does not overheat.

 Defragment your hardrive.

Run a defragmentation process on your hardrive if they do not happen automatically. Having a defragmented hardrive will prevent your computer from requiring unnecessary amounts of processing power to locate files.

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Tagged in: computer repairs • computer support • system security

Written by Neel Kamal

Neel is a freelance writer. He is writing on various topics.

Neel has written a total of 8 articles.