Many of the problems experienced by our customers are simply down to general maintenance and could be avoided by good housekeeping. Therefore we have prepared this basic and simple guide for you, which if you take the time and follow at least once a month, should help keep your computer running in tip top condition.
Go to the control panel and choose Add & Remove Programmes. This will populate a list of all the programmes on your PC. Simply remove those you no longer require, but be careful not to remove something important. The rule here - if you are unsure DON'T remove it.
All computers should have a good Anti-Virus package on them, without exception, and if you don't have one or yours is out of date, please make it a priority to get this software installed and up to date. Visit our Shop for our latest offers on Anti-Virus software including delivery, installation and set up.
However just having Anti-Virus software installed is not the end of the matter, you need to run regular scans too. How to do this depends on the Anti-Virus software you have installed; however most packages are simple to use and once it is opened it will guide you through the steps on how to carry put a Full System Scan.
Spyware is not the same as a virus and usually a separate programme is needed to delete these nasties. Spubot is a fantasic programme and it is Free too. Just make sure that you always run updates BEFORE scanning.
Windows has all the tools you need to carry out a simple but effective Disk Cleanup. In XP you can open these tools by clicking on Start, then point to All Programmes, then Accessories, choose System Tools and then Disc Clean Up.
From here you can delete all manner of temporary and unwanted files, thus clearing out space on your hard drive and providing a bit more speed in the process. However, again, if you are unsure about what you are about to delete, DON'T.
Again head to the System Tools menu, as above, and this time choose Disk Defragmenter.
Every time you add a new piece of information to your computer, it does not always put it on the hard drive in an orderly fashion. The whole purpose of a Defrag is to sort this out and in turn this will enable your computer to find items quicker and speed up.
First simply Analyse the drive and the Defragment - just watch and see what a difference it makes!
Think about it. You keep your house tidy and put things away so you know where to find them. Well the same should be true of your computer. The more unwanted files are scattered around, the longer it will take for your computer to sort through them and find what you want. Therefore keeping your PC clean is an absolure must.
Note: RHCC cannot be held responsible for the loss or curruption of any files during an unsupervised clean up. If you at all unsure, please seek professional assistance BEFORE attempting the removal of any programmes or files.
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