Benefits of Computer Maintenance

Plugging your computer into an electrical surge protector is something everyone do to protect against changes in the electricity supply. But, you also must test your surge protector regularly. The manufacturer of the surge protector provides instructions on how to perform this test. If your surge protector is not adequately working, your computer's motherboard or hard drive could be destroyed from even the most minor electrical surge. This simple test can prolong your computer's life by months or years, and it only needs to be done about every six months or so.

Backing up your computer files is a task that many people put off because it can be time intensive or it may seem unnecessary. Unfortunately, if your computer crashes, you won't usually get a second chance to recover your files and photos. Make back-ups a regular part of your routine. In addition to making your own backups with CDs or an external hard drive, there are online services that you can use to automatically back-up your files for a small fee such as Carbonite or Mozy. They work in the background anytime you are on your computer without intervention, making file back-ups easy and safe.

Defragmenting your hard drive, running spyware and virus removal programs as well as installing the latest drivers and software updates are all computer maintenance tasks that help keep your computer running at top speed. Don't forget the Windows updates if you are running that system. Not only do these updates help your computer run more efficiently, but they help close any recent security holes.

Keeping your spyware and anti-virus programs updated and running on a regular basis is essential to keeping threats at bay. You may never realize you have any spyware or viruses on your computer, but they could be there wrecking havoc in the background by stealing your personal information and transmitting it to third parties, destroying your files or even making your computer unusable. Most spyware and anti-virus programs can be set up on a schedule so that they run automatically on your chosen day and time.