Everybody’s aware of the importance of car upkeep — if you maintain your car, it will perform well. But even if the same principle applies to PCs, we don’t give PC maintenance that much thought. In fact, many people don’t think about it at all until they’re faced with a blue screen or an unbearably slow machine.
Keeping your computer in excellent working condition is unarguably important. You want your home computer to be reliable for your children’s homework, for example. And if you have hundreds of PCs for your office, maintenance becomes exponentially more critical, as one of the fastest ways to build a bad reputation for your business is to have unreliable equipment.
At a glance — the computer maintenance checklist
Here are some of the most important things you should do to keep your PC in good shape.
- Invest in a surge protector and UPS
- Update your operating system promptly
- Remove dust buildup once a month
- Clean up your hard disk every week
- Uninstall unnecessary software
- Ensure drivers are updated
- Keep viruses and malware at bay
- Keep an eye out for temperatures
- Practise good cable management
- Hire a pro for routine maintenance of computers
10 incredibly simple PC maintenance tips for your home or business
Thankfully, PC maintenance isn’t as tedious and complex as one might think. You don’t need to be very tech-savvy to do this, either. Here are 10 excellent places to start with your computer maintenance:
- Invest in a surge protector and UPS
A power surge is a major or minor spike in the electrical current that, although it occurs momentarily, might have a lasting impact on your equipment. It can be caused by factors such as glitches in the grid, lightning strikes or turning on a high-voltage appliance at home. Surges can impact your PC’s power supply unit (PSU), which is connected to everything inside. If your electrical system at home doesn’t have a built-in surge protector, you might want to consider a surge protector power strip, which is inexpensive and easy to find.
On the other hand, a UPS device comes in handy in sudden power outages. These blackouts will turn your device off improperly, which might result in faulty hardware and corrupted files. Not to mention possibly leaving your project unsaved. A good UPS gives you backup power to save your progress and shut down your PC properly. - Update your operating system promptly
This one is simple to do, but it’s crucial for PC maintenance. Update your operating system as soon as updates are released. Generally, updates come in the form of patches, designed to fix bugs and vulnerabilities, as well as add new features and functionalities. Updates are released regularly by Microsoft, Apple and other major software companies. Most people choose not to install updates because they think it will take too much time or stress their computer too much. However, this can lead to security issues as your PC becomes more vulnerable to cyber attacks from hackers.
Microsoft releases security updates on the second Tuesday of each month and feature updates on the fourth Tuesday of each quarter. Non-security updates to Microsoft Office are typically released on the first Tuesday of each month, while firmware upgrades for Microsoft’s Surface devices are usually released on the third Tuesday of each month. Mac OS updates come pretty regularly, too. If you can’t update your OS at any given moment, you could also schedule it at night before you go to bed. - Remove dust buildup once a month
The more bits of dust there are in your system unit, the harder it is for air to flow freely through your PC, which can lead to overheating, performance issues and eventually damaged hardware. You should also clean off any dust buildup on the outside of your PC every few months.
To remove dust inside your system unit, never use a brush or a damp cloth since you might damage the sensitive electronics of your motherboard and other components. Instead, use a compressed air can or handheld dust blower. - Clean up your hard disk every week
Over time, your hard drive can become filled with unnecessary files and folders that take up valuable space and slow down your system performance. Delete temporary files every day or two.
Temporary internet files are created when you visit websites to help speed up the loading process when you return to those sites later — but they’re not necessary after all this time has passed since your last visit.
The best way to do this is through dedicated software that crawls your hard disk to locate temporary internet files, cookies, history and other junk. Windows also has a built-in tool, Disk Cleanup, that will allow you to do this. - Uninstall unnecessary software
Uninstalling unnecessary software is one of the most straightforward steps you can take to free up space and improve performance on your PC. Whether your new PC came pre-installed with an OS or you installed one yourself, you’ll find plenty of applications you might not need. These are referred to in the tech world as “bloatware” — software the manufacturer wants you to use.
In other cases, you might have faced certain moments that compelled you to download and install some programs which were only useful for those tasks. You might never need them again, but you forgot they’re there, taking up space in your hard drive — or worse, running in the background.
If you’re a gamer, you may also check your drive for games you’ve finished or haven’t opened in months. It’s best to be honest with yourself that you’re never going to touch them again and delete them. After all, if you bought them online, most game retailers will allow you to re-download them at later stages.
All these stated above constitute unnecessary software for your PC, and uninstalling them might prove beneficial. For Windows users, you can simply go to “Add or Remove Programs” in the settings and uninstall apps you don’t need. As with junk files, third-party programs will find unused apps on your PC and prompt you to remove them. - Ensure drivers are up-to-date
Drivers are the software that communicates between your PC and hardware devices like printers or external storage drives, ensuring that everything works as intended. Drivers are often updated by manufacturers when new versions are released. Still, you must check for updates regularly to keep your computer running smoothly.
There are drivers for most of your hardware, but some are more critical than others. If you’re a gamer or a video editor, you should check that your graphics card driver is constantly updated. If you’re running multiple PCs in the office, the printer drivers need to update regularly. - Keep viruses and malware at bay
Malware is short for “malicious software,” which includes viruses, adware, spyware and other malicious programs designed to steal your personal information or damage your computer. To protect yourself from malware, use antivirus software and keep it updated.
You should also use a firewall to block unauthorised access to your system, update all of your software regularly, scan for malware periodically, back up important files on an external hard drive or online storage service.
As with anything, prevention is always better than cure — so it’s best to avoid malware by steering clear of suspicious websites and taking caution when plugging in external hard drives and flash drives. You should also be careful when downloading files and programs off the internet. - Keep an eye out for temperatures
The CPU (central processing unit) and GPU (graphics processing unit) are the two most essential components in a PC, but they’re also the hottest. The CPU has a thermal sensor that can shut down your PC if it gets too hot, but you should never let it get there in the first place. You can install a free program like MSI Afterburner or HWMonitor that will track your computer’s temperature so you can make sure they’re at optimal levels.
If you have a desktop tower, ensure plenty of room around these parts so they can breathe. The fan that your CPU came in might not be the best in cooling it if you’re using demanding apps on your PC like Photoshop and rendering tools. Your computer might benefit from replacing your stock CPU fan with a better aftermarket option. If you have a laptop, keep the vent at the bottom or side of the laptop unobstructed. Your laptop could also benefit from a cooling pad that will dramatically improve airflow. - Practise good cable management
Faulty cable management can cause unnecessary stress on the cables and computer ports. Use ties to bundle cables together, and try to route them along the back of your desk so they don’t hang over the edge where they’ll get snagged by passersby. If you have a lot of extensions, use Y-shaped splits or cable bridges that connect multiple cables at one end, so you only have one plug going into your PC. Buy an extension cord organiser if you need more power strips or surge protector outlets than your available wall sockets provide. - Hire a pro for routine maintenance of computers
This tip is particularly useful for business people who need to maintain dozens of computers in an office. Since scanning and tuning up all your PCs can be tedious and time-consuming, hiring a pro might be more practical.
Professional checkups include but are not limited to the following services:
- Checking for malware and viruses.
- Optimising performance and settings.
- Cleaning out files and registry entries.
- Updating drivers and applications to ensure optimal performance.
- Eliminating extraneous software installations.
- Testing for compatibility issues with new hardware or software.
- Routine maintenance for computers.
- Cyber security services.
- Laptop maintenance.
- Cloud backup and data recovery.
Final thoughts on PC maintenance
Computer maintenance doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s easy to fall into bad habits like leaving your computer on all the time, falling behind on your Windows updates and so forth. But simply following these basic rules to help keep your PC maintained and running smoothly will significantly extend the life of your machine.
Trust Jim’s I.T. for all your computer maintenance needs
Let’s face it — you’re busy, and it’s easy to put off computer maintenance. But if you don’t take care of your machine, it can start to act up and slow down or even crash altogether. Don’t let that happen! Trust Jim’s I.T. for all your computer maintenance needs. With our same-day service, fixed pricing and stellar customer support, you’ll find everything you need in terms of PC maintenance and repair. Book a service today or contact us for more information.