Regular maintenance of your computer helps ensure it runs efficiently and smoothly. Like a car, it needs regular servicing and looking after so it performs properly. Running the following system maintenance programs on a regular basis will help ensure your system runs to its maximum level of efficiency.
How often you run these programs is dependant on how much use your computer gets. As a general rule, we suggest home users run the listed programs at least once a month and business users once a fortnight. Whether your a home user or a business, if your system is used extensively, weekly running of these programs may be a better option.
While performing these tests you may find that you get an error message on your screen advising the program has been unable to perform the necessary task and has restarted ten times. It will ask if you wish to continue. If this happens, we suggest you turn your screen saver OFF and then retry the test.
Please note we take no responsibility for the maintenance and upkeep of your computer and the routine shown here is a suggestion only. If for some reason your system does not perform to the same standard after running these tests, we will not be held responsible or liable in any way, shape or form for problems associated with the performance of your computer either prior to or after running these tests. E&OE
SUGGESTED BASIC MAINTENANCE ROUTINE
SCANDISK.
Scandisk checks for cross-linked files, lost clusters and bad sectors on your hard disk. It gives you the option of running either a standard or thorough test. If your system is having problems, we suggest you run a thorough test. If, however, you are just running general maintenance tests, then we suggest you run a standard test. AT ALL TIMES, MAKE SURE THERE IS A TICK IN THE BOX WHERE 'AUTOMATICALLY FIX ERRORS' IS DISPLAYED.
- Click on the START button.
- Go up to Programs.
- Across to Accessories.
- Down to System Tools.
- Then to Scandisk.
- Select the drive/s you want to check for errors - C, D etc.
- Select whether you want a standard or thorough test.
- Make sure there is a tick in the box where 'automatically fix errors' appears.
- You can click on the ADVANCED button if you wish and select certain criteria. We suggest:
Display summary We suggest you either select ALWAYS or ONLY IF ERRORS FOUND. Log file We suggest you select REPLACE LOG. Cross-linked files We suggest you select DELETE. Lost file fragments We suggest you select FREE. Check files for We suggest you place a tick in the boxes where INVALID FILE NAMES & INVALID DATES & TIMES appears. We also suggest you CHECK THE HOST DRIVE FIRST. Click OK. - Then click START.
DISK CLEANUP.
Sometimes your system gets clogged up with temporary files that take up room on your hard disk unnecessarily or don't delete themselves when exiting programs. Running DISK CLEANUP should automatically get rid of these unwanted files at the click of a few buttons instead of you having to go through Windows Explorer to delete them from individual folders or emptying your recycle bin.
Please remember that once you have run this program, you will no longer be able to get files back out of your recycle bin that were in there prior to running DISK CLEANUP.
- Click on the START button.
- Go up to Programs.
- Across to Accessories.
- Down to System Tools.
- Then to disk CLEANUP.
- Select the drive you want to clean up - C, D etc.
- We suggest you place a tick in the boxes for TEMPORARY INTERNET FILES, RECYCLE BIN & TEMPORARY FILES if not already selected.
- Click OK.
DISK DEFRAGMENTER.
When your system write files to your hard disk it places them in the first available space. As you and your computer save/write files, install and uninstall programs your hard disk ends up with a bit of a file here and a bit of a file there. It's a bit like a book where the pages have fallen out and bits and pieces of chapters end up all over the place instead of being in order. This can result in your computer taking a little longer to access programs and files as you open them. DISK DEFRAGMENTER puts your files back together again in correct order.
It is extremely important that you do NOT run this program in an effort to fix a program that is not working properly to begin with. DISK DEFRAGMENTER puts your folders and files together where they belong. It will NOT fix problems associated with a program that is not working properly to begin with.
DISK DEFRAGMENTER should not be run without first running SCANDISK in an attempt to fix lost clusters, cross-linked files or mark bad sectors on your hard disk.
- Click on the START button.
- Go up to Programs.
- Across to Accessories.
- Down to System Tools.
- Then to disk DEFRAGMENTER.
- Select the drive you want to defragment - C, D etc.
- You can click on the SETTINGS button to select options if you wish. Click OK once you have selected the options you require.
- Then click OK.