Ten Tips to Keep Your PC Happy

This is a list of ten things that you can do to keep your PC working for you with less hassles:

· Optimize your Internet browser settings.--Internet browsers store temporary files (graphics, etc.) so that they do not have to work as hard to load the pages that you access frequently. The benefit is a quicker loading web page. The drawback is that files that you really don't need just take up space. Solution: Try setting your Internet browser to "cache" (temporarily store) less files. A 10-15MB limit is usually sufficient.

· Rid yourself of "temp" files.--Most files that start with a tilde (~), or have the file extension (last three letters after the period in a file name that identify which program opens the file) of ".tmp" are temporary storage files for various programs. These can usually be erased without fear of messing anything up on your PC. Please make sure that you have no open applications when you delete these files. You may also want to consider leaving the files in your "Recycle Bin" for a day or two to make sure that they can be restored if needed.

· Find a systems utility program, and learn to use it. --Norton and many other manufacturers make programs that will help you to clean up unnecessary registry entries (base-level files that let the programs talk to the computer operating system directly). Most of these programs also offer a wide variety of diagnostic features to help you find problems on your PC, and many of them will correct the problems automatically. The money spent on a good program like Norton SystemWorks is well worth keeping your computer from crashing at an inopportune moment. Data loss is best prevented by regular backups. There is no substitute for a regular back up of important files.

· Keep your virus definitions updated and run your virus scan often. --I used to argue about how virus scanning software affected performance of many processor intensive applications, but virus scan software has finally evolved to a point where this no longer seems to be an issue. If you are going to invest the time and money buying and installing a virus scan program, make sure that you keep it updated. Most programs, now, can be set up to automatically update themselves in the background so that you don't even know they are doing so. I often run into people that have bad viruses on their PC, only to find that they have virus scanners that could have caught the offending virus had they updated their virus scan definitions. There are many destructive viruses that can erase your hard drive and/or render it useless!

· Avoid AOL as your online service of choice.--This statement will not sit well with most people considering that it is the most popular online service out there. If you talk to a "techie", they will thumb their nose in disgust at the suggestion that they use AOL. There is good reason for this. AOL often downloads items in the background that are unnecessary for operation, and sometimes affect the ability to run other applications properly. There are also many viruses written specifically for AOL users and some of them are pretty nasty. I have used SBC (Southwestern Bell Company) dial-up services, SBC's DSL service, and Comcast cable service. They are easy to use, and usually will offer free virus scanning software as well as software to protect your browsing experience by keeping spyware and adware to a minimum.

· Don't download from unfamiliar websites.--This sounds obvious, but I guess that it is not. I often hear, "The site asked me if I wanted to download something, and I figured that I needed it to see the site, so I clicked ‘OK'." IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOWNLOADING, DON'T DOWNLOAD IT!

· Don't use peer-to-peer file sharing programs.--Ares KaZaa, and Napster seem like a great idea. After all, free stuff can't be bad. WRONG! Not only are you depriving the people that made the software, music, etc. their money that is due to them; you are also possibly opening up your PC for others to climb around in. There are also viruses and worms written specifically for file sharing programs. Many times people will disguise a Trojan horse virus by giving it a name of a hit song or popular piece of software. The unsuspecting person downloads it onto their PC, and WHAM! The devious person now has access to their PC for whatever nefarious means they desire.

· Be aware of spy-ware programs.--In the most basic sense, spy-ware programs load themselves onto your PC with or without your permission (Gator is a notorious spy-ware program). Once downloaded and automatically installed, these programs can track your Internet usage and report it back to the spy-ware's home (newsgroup, company that made it, etc.). Once this is done, they often sell this information to spammers and others that are usually up to no good. I recommend a couple of programs that are freeware called ad-aware or SpyBot Search & Destroy. They will remove spy-ware from its hidden home on your PC. Like virus scanning software, it should be run on a regular basis to keep your PC clean and happy.

· Consider running a personal firewall.--Firewalls can be hardware or software. Firewall software programs can be found inexpensively, if not free. They allow you to put up a "blockade" between your PC and the Internet (or intranets that you may have running). By using a correctly configured firewall, nothing will get in or out of your PC or home network without your knowledge.

· Properly uninstall programs no longer needed.--Don't just delete folders with names corresponding to programs that you no longer want on your PC. Use the Add/Remove Programs applet from the control panel. Some systems utilities programs also offer "uninstall" features that do a good job of cleaning up unused programs. If you just delete a folder, most of the time you are leaving behind system files that can cause programs to "hang" or not run at all because your PC gets confused sorting through a mess of unnecessary system files that are no longer needed.

Eric Kilgore is the CEO of Mobile IT Solutions, LLC. He is a CompTIA A+ certified Computer Technician and a Microsoft Certified Professional in Windows 2000 Professional, Windows 2000 Server, and Windows 2003 Server.