PC maintenance

Just like a car, a computer needs a regular service to keep it in peak condition.

Microsoft provides some software applications to help
keep your computer running smoothly. The two main
ones are Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragmenter and
both can be found in Windows® XP and Windows Vista® by clicking on:
Start > All programs > Accessories > System Tools.

When Disk Cleanup starts, it asks which files you want to delete off of the C: drive. The types of files you can remove using Disk Cleanup are downloaded program files, temporary Internet files, offline web pages, files in the Recycle bin and more. You can choose which files to keep and which ones you want to delete. To clear more disk space, Disk Cleanup can also remove unwanted Windows components, rarely used programs and old system restore points. It’s important to do this every so often to keep your PC free from clutter.

When you save information to your hard drive, the computer saves to it in a fragmented fashion. This is good because it speeds up the time it takes to save files but slows down the time it takes to
retrieve them. To combat this, use Disk Defragmenter. It will take all the fragmented files and piece them back together, making retrieving them faster. This process can take several hours if you have a large
hard drive and we recommend that you do not use your computer while it is running. You can use Disk Defragmenter to defragment external hard drives as well.

How The TechGuys can help

Our PC HealthCheck is like an MOT for your computer. We'll make sure it's clean and in tip top condition before giving it back to you.