Cleaning Your PC

As spring approaches, many of us begin dusting, sweeping and organizing our homes. Many of us, however, miss the one area most in need of a good scrub – the Family PC.

Between rarely used programs that hamper processing speed, and spyware or viruses inadvertently downloaded while surfing the Internet, the home computer needs to be maintained regularly. Just like your backyard garden.

The question is, how does the average family keep its PC running at top speed and protected at the same time? Consider these four easy steps to help keep your PC running smoothly:

1. Remove unused programs to boost startup speed.
   Just because you aren't using a program doesn't mean it isn't consuming resources and affecting your PC's performance. Identifying and removing rarely used applications from the startup menu is an easy way to maintain the system and maximize the resources available to the programs you do use.
2. Update antivirus software.
   Antivirus software detects and removes viruses, which attach themselves to a program or file in order to spread from computer to computer. By installing antivirus software and keeping it up to date, you help to keep your computer free from destructive viruses.
3. Clean up temporary files.
   Obsolete temporary files can accumulate on your hard disk over time and slow down your PC. Removing these periodically is a good way to keep the PC running efficiently.
4. Defragment your hard drive.
   Over time, your hard disk can become "fragmented," which means that your files are scattered in pieces across the hard disk. With a fragmented drive, your computer must search the entire hard disk to find all pieces related to a file every time the file is accessed, slowing down the computer's response time. It's a good idea to defragment your hard disk regularly.

More than half (57 percent) of American adult computer users who have a home computer think maintaining a secure computer requires a great deal of time, according to an online study by Harris Interactive and Microsoft. However, software is available that can take the hassle out of it and automatically protect and maintain your PC. Consider using an all-in-one solution such as Microsoft’s Windows Live OneCare, which automates the cleaning process and keeps your PC maintained and secure all year.

— Courtesy of ARAcontent

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