106 Preventative Maintenance Tips
(see 5/24/03 SIG meeting presentation, also)
Personal Habits - General
1. Know what you’re doing before doing it 2. Don’t panic after a problem or crash – it’s usually not that important 3. Be prepared for a hard drive crash – it will come someday 4. Don’t do anything important when you’re tired 5. Check details of insurance coverage on computers in your home 6. Don’t share your computer with others 7. Don’t let others change your computer or computer settings 8. Exercise/discuss parental controls if children use your computer 9. Keep your computer out in the open (e.g., if sharing with others) 10. Shutdown computer when finished for the day
Hardware/Software - General
11. Know what you’re doing before doing it Operating System 12. Keep Windows updated (it also updates Internet Explorer, Outloook Express, Media Player, etc.) 13. Make sure sources of operating system patches are legitimate 14. Use passwords (e.g., BIOS startup, Windows startup, screensaver) 15. Reboot computer if it starts acting unusual (reinitializes programs, frees resources, stops memory leaks) 16. Learn how to use troubleshooters built into operating system 17. Check computer subsystems with diagdx.exe from Run… command line 18. Consider using a one-click utility-suite checkup program 19. Create Emergency Startup/Rescue operating system disk 20. Create Restore points (e.g., Windows ME, XP) 21. Turn off DCOM to help plug holes in operating system 22. Turn off Windows Messenger service to reduce annoying popups 23. Use Vendor/System Restore disc to repair Windows 24. Remove unneeded Windows applets (i.e., go to Windows setup) 25. Clean up the Registry occasionally (e.g., use third party programs like EasyCleaner, RegSeeker, or RegClean) 26. Run system files checker to check for corrupted, outdated, etc. files 27. Remove eye candy (e.g., screensavers, wallpaper, XP enhancements) 28. Remove unneeded Windows Services 29. Uninstall unneeded fonts 30. Use MS Knowledge Base (and KB index site) to solve problems (search on MS site) 31. Use Google to solve problems (e.g., enter problem directly in search field using quotes) 32. Use Web forums and/or discussion/message boards to solve problems
33. Empty Dr. Watson file (drwtsn32.exe) and start learning how it can help you Hardware 34. Add surge protector and/or UPS on power supply 35. Add RAM to the max (especially if your computer uses shared memory) 36. Add new video adapter card with own memory if graphics performance is poor 37. Keep hardware drivers updated 38. Check for hardware conflicts in Device Manager 39. Run Scandisk (or, Chkdsk in XP) regularly (Regular and Thorough, in Safe Mode or DOS, if necessary) 40. Set Scandisk Standard to Free Lost Files/Delete Cross-linked Fragments in Options Dialog box 41. Consider using online tools to check for hardware/software problems 42. Download and install free utilities to help test/fix hardware 43. Consider using a full hardware-diagnostic checkup program 44. Convert hard drive to file system best suited for your op. system – FAT16, FAT 32, NTFS, etc. 45. Calibrate monitor gamma (for WYSIWYG printing) 46. Print test page occasionally to keep print nozzles from clogging (especially Epson) 47. Turn printer power off with printer switch not power strip switch (your printer knows the difference) 48. Partition large hard drives 49. Make drive partition startup/rescue disk 50. Check for problems with audio (e.g., grounding, ground loops, interference) 51. Watch for buffer underrun on older CD burners 52. Buy a CD cleaning kit (e.g., rotary soapy chamois or scratch removing solvent system) 53. Buy a Velcro mouse cleaning kit 54. Buy a 3.5 in. floppy drive cleaning kit 55. Blow out dust balls inside computer case occasionally 56. Keep computer off the floor 57. Reseat adapter cards to motherboard occasionally 58. Reseat peripheral cords to motherboard occasionally 59. Unplug power cord before opening computer case 60. Ground yourself before touching components inside computer case Software Programs 61. Know your software so you can avoid adding spyware to your hard drive when installing it 62. Use Vendor/system Restore disc to reinstall op. system/drivers/applications (without reformatting drive) 63. Remove unneeded programs (e.g., startup menu, msconfig, add/remove programs, registry, restore system with Vendor/System restore disc) 64. Run Program Compatibility Wizard (in XP) if program starts acting up 65. Update software programs to insure best performance Files on Hard drive 66. Run Defrag regularly (in Safe Mode, if necessary) 67. Turn off Rearrange Program Files in Defrag Settings dialog box
68. Delete temporary files regularly (e.g., File Finder, Windows/temp folder, Disk Cleanup) 69. Recover text from any file with MS Word >File >Open>File Type…Recover Text From Any File 70. Backup/archive all data files 71. Backup files to free web space, if available 72. Store precious data in a safe deposit box 73. Backup Address Book 74. Backup Bookmarks/Favorites 75. Delete temp files, cookies, history list, and Net cache occasionally
Personal Habits and the Web
76. Know what you’re doing before doing it 77. Don’t ask for trouble on the Web (e.g., free stuff, games, file sharing, opinions) 78. Don’t store passwords internally/externally 79. Don’t give out personal information on the Web 80. Use one-time credit card purchase procedure on the Web 81. Call web site phone number and order items (better than using credit card in online order form) 82. Don’t email large attachments
Hardware/Software and the Web
83. Know what you’re doing before doing it 84. Install an error-correcting, external dialup modem if yours is too slow (e.g., less than 40 Kbps) 85. Install a surge protector on the modem line 86. Use parental control software if sharing with children 87. Any information you give out on the Web, in forms, chat rooms, etc. is public knowledge (perhaps forever since many web pages are cached on web archive servers) 88. Keep antivirus program updated – check to be sure 89. Make antivirus startup/rescue disk 90. Perform full hard drive virus scan occasionally 91. Install popup/adware blocking program 92. Keep popup/adware program updated 93. Install software/hardware firewall and check its performance regularly (use it to block ALL Net activity when away from computer for long periods) 94. Modify email address slightly to mess up email address robots (e.g., use “at” instead of @) 95. Delete suspicious email immediately (from Preview Pane and Deleted Items folder) 96. Don’t open attachments unless you know contents 97. Set email program to send/receive in .txt format only (not .html) 98. Be careful when answering email 99. Turn off Preview Pane in email program (go to View>Layout)
100. Use spam, etc. filters on incoming email (e.g., email reader, internal MailWasher, or external Postini) 101. Don’t answer requests for confirmation 102. Keep correct security levels on firewall 103. Test computer/browser security level (e.g., Qualcom site, Gibson Research, others) 104. Only install Active X controls, java scripts, etc. from trusted sources 105. Use NetBios inside/TCPIP outside home network 106. Reseat network cable to network adapter card occasionally