Preparing Your Computer for Reformat
No matter how well you treat your computer, it eventually will need to be reformatted. While the most common reason for reformatting a computer is related to viruses and corrupted programs, reformatting can also help improve a computers performance. However, before you erase everything off your computer and reinstall the operating system there are a few things you should do first. By following the steps outlined below, you can not only benefit from reformatting, but also make sure you have all your important files and information saved.
What you will need - Before you begin wiping programs off your computer you will want to go out and buy some kind of portable drive or a batch of blank CD Rom discs. You will also want to take this time to make sure you have the latest updates for your operating system. Another good idea is to buy any hardware upgrades you are planning on making as one of the best time to change out hardware is while the computer is wiped clean.
Storing the Important Information - Even causal users tend to store important information on their computer. Take time to go through all your files and make sure to save anything that has important information on it. Such things would include any work documents, personal writing, and other similar information. Also you might want to take time to create a document that contains user names and passwords for internet sites you visit frequently.
Make a Back-Up of Your Hard Drive - Probably the most important step in reformatting your computer is making a back up disc of your hard drive. Sometimes reformatting discs can get scratched or corrupted. When this happens, having a back up of your hard drive means you can restore your computer without having to buy an entirely new OS. If by chance both the reformatting disc and your back up disc fails, contact the manufacturer of your computer as they often have formatting discs available for a nominal fee. Once you have done the above, double check to make sure that you have everything saved that you need. If everything looks good, begin the reformatting process. Once the reformat is complete, take the devices which carry your stored information and start transferring the information back to your computer. Also, you will probably need to do some downloads to update various software such as your web browser, Operating system updates and the like. It may seem that reformatting a computer is a simple process, and for the most part, it is. Just make sure to do it correctly.
Computer Maintenance
Today, most of our work is done on computers. We store documents for work, pictures of family and friends as well as a great deal of our media entertainment. However, most of us have only a vague idea of how we can protect our computers from crashes or what routine maintenance we can do to keep our computers running at their best. An obvious answer is anti-virus software. These have been around for decades to protect against viruses that harm person and professional computers. Although this is common knowledge, few people know how to choose a proper anti virus software.
The first, from my experience, do not buy Norton. It is the most popular anti-virus software on the market, and has the most loopholes and problems. Norton is the standard for hacking, so most viruses and worms are designed to get around it. Norton also bogs down a system pretty badly even for normal internet usage. So the first question to ask is, what do you need anti-virus for? There are various sites you can check out anti-virus programs, and see what the pros and cons of each are. For normal internet usage, checking email, social networking etc, you should need one that has minimal system usage that runs well in the back ground.
If on the other hand you are running a system that needs high security, check out what other high security systems people are using. Kaspersky is a very reputable company, while being expensive, it also offers the best of both worlds, very low system usage and very advanced protection, though it is a bit more expensive than other anti virus software.
If you are comfortable with your anti virus software, be sure to delete duplicate files. Duplicate files slow down a computer, because they need to process the files when the computer goes through the hard drive. Not to mention they take up needed space on the hard drive.
Unused programs can be another way a computer can be slowed down. At the bottom right hand corner of Windows is a list of processes which are running. If there are unneeded programs, go through and delete them. The computer has to run them from start up, taking up RAM which what accesses files. Sometimes these files can be spyware as well.
Defragmenting a hard drive is something that should be done regularly. When a file is deleted, there is still a space on the hard drive where the file was, but the computer still has to run through this space to find files still in use. Defragmenting re organizes the files, making better use of the hard drive space and allows for faster access of files.
These are just a few of many tips for keeping a computer running well. Basic maintenance can save time in the long run and helps a computer work its best. Physical computer maintenance is an important component of longevity for computer components. There are various things any computer owner can do to take better care of their computer. Some of them need a bit more experience than others. Physical components of a computer can be broken down into a few parts. First are moving parts, such as the hard drive and fans. Hard drives are not generally meant to be taken apart, and I do not suggest it. But fans tend to get clogged up with dust, especially if there is a great deal of moisture in the air. Canned air is an amazing invention. It sounds simple, just air in a can under pressure. This blows dust out of components, for easier computer operation. Remember to hold the fans with a tooth pick or safety pin, or the canned air could damage the fan.
Cooling fans are important for, well keeping the computer cool. There are generally a few fans to keep the air moving around your box, which can be changed out when they get too gummed up. It takes a bit of skill, but find out the sizes of the fans, and check online a few places, see if you can replace them, this is another relatively easy way to keep your computer cool and protect your components. Gummed ports can be cleaned with alcohol and a queue tip. Just fill a cap with rubbing alcohol and dip a queue tip in it. Gently pass it over your ports, such as USB or Firewire ports, and this can resolve several issues due to connectivity. Keeping a house or workplace a low dust area is a great plan. Dust forming around the house can end up in your computer. Many computer owners take this for granted, allow the house to become dusty. This is not to say the work area should be immaculate, just a good standard of clean. Take precautions against a lack of air flow. If a room is too hot, it will cause undue harm to computer components. Try keeping at least a box fan or a good ceiling fan running while working with a computer to keep cool air for the intake fan of your computer. When all is said and done, keeping a computer clean and cool can add longevity to computer life. While computers are not the investment they once were, they still carry a significant price tag, one worth saving if it can be helped.