Keeping Computers Clean: Optimizing PC Performance

Keeping Computers Clean (con’t.) Maintenance, optimization, or keeping the PC clean are all big factors with preventing ‘lag’, ‘hanging’ programs, and general unresponsiveness What goes on behind the curtain is technical, but the methods and practices are user friendly, intuitive and effective System Tools Outlook Microsoft updates Computer Security

System Tools Disk Cleanup Uninstall unused or infrequently used programs Disk Defragmenter CHKDSK/Error-checking Reboot (Restart) your computer

Disk Cleanup Disk Cleanup helps free up space on your hard drive by searching the local disk drive and then showing you options to cleanup items such as: Temporary files Internet cache files Unnecessary program files The Recycle Bin Disk Cleanup can be directed to delete some or all of those files

Uninstall unused (or infrequently used) programs Simply put, unused or infrequently used programs take up precious disk space Removal of unused or infrequently used programs can impact PC performance

Clearing Outlook of clutter Empty your Deleted Items Archive (or Delete) your Sent Items Archive the Inbox and any relevant folders or subfolders Removing items from the server keeps you under the 100MB quota Remember that Deleted Items, Sent Items, and Calendar Items (to name a few) all take up space on the server and count against the mail quota

Disk Defragmenter Consolidates fragmented files and folders on your computer’s hard disk so that each occupies a single, contiguous space on the volume As a result, your system can gain access to your files and folders (and save new ones) more efficiently Additionally, Defragmenter consolidates the volume’s free space, making it less likely that new files will be fragmented

CHKDSK Short for Checkdisk, and from Windows 2000 on, it is integrated in Disk Properties as Error-checking. CHKDSK is a command on computers running DOS, OS/2, and Microsoft Windows operating systems that displays the file system integrity status of hard disks and can fix logical file system errors.

Updates Microsoft Windows and Office updates (patches) are necessary for security and functionality Work PC’s are likely to have the latest patches and updates; but make sure the same is true for home PC’s Also, other software packages such as the Adobe suites, Firefox, etc. frequently have updates available that optimize performance

Security Tools Symantec Antivirus can be downloaded from (one copy per person) Spybot Search & Destroy is free antispyware software and can be obtained from networking.org/en/download/ networking.org/en/download/ Ad-Aware is free anti-adware software and be downloaded from

Summary Take care of the PC’s Newer equipment will last longer and older equipment can be improved Protect your computer and ultimately your professional and private data