Most computer technicians and repair centers will be happy to take your money and fix your computer, more often the fix is needed, the better for them!

Here are some basic things you can follow to keep your computer running at peak efficiency and to not eliminate but to reduce your repair costs. Because some things are just not up to the regular user to try to repair. You can end up damaging the system further, lose data, or in the worst case, hurt yourself

Every day "Basic" hardware maintenance:

1. Avoid environments that are conducive to dust and grime
   • Dust and dirt can clog the internal mechanisms of your computer
   • Dust and dirt that settles on part surfaces raise the temperature, prevent cooling and lead to premature failure
2. Avoid subjecting your PC to extreme temperature fluctuations. The case can become very brittle and easy to break in cold temperatures and can melt or warp in high temperatures. Damage due to either extreme is not covered by any warranty
   • Ideal environment to operate your computer would be at slightly below room temperature
   • Avoid exposing your PC to direct sunlight
3. Keep all liquids and spillable items away from your computer. Almost any liquid can result in extremely expensive repairs that are not covered under your warranty or your computer or laptop will end up in the dumpster!
4. Run the computer and monitor through a reliable surge protector or even better a UPS, Uninterrupted Power Supply (battery backup)
   • This protects the hardware from severe power surges and spikes which will kill your computer in a flash.
5. BACKUP your important documents and data!
   • Store copies on a thumb-drive and store safely away from the computer, or even better in a secure location outside of the building

Every day "Basic" software maintenance:

1. Use an Antivirus and Firewall software to protect your PC from Viruses, Trojans, Keyloggers and the like. - MANDATORY on Windows machines!
   • Some Antivirus softwares are known to hog up a lot of system resources and if your PC is not equipped well, it can bring your PC to a grinding halt! Norton's and McAffee which have evolved in time, have grown bigger and more complex, leading to eating up too many resources
     • We recommend, Avast & AVG. They offer "free" products but strongly recommend you pay for a year subscription, unlocking many more helpful tools
   • Also arm yourself with Spyware and Malware defender software to tackle this severe and fast executing disaster stealing your sensitive data from your PC and sending it off to a remote location
     • We recommend SpyBot, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and Lavasoft Ad Aware
2. Use disk clean up and defragment utilities at least once a month
   • This is a great way to clean up unwanted temporary files and re-arrange important ones in an easily/quickly accessible manner on the harddrive
   • Defrag even more often if you add & delete programs more frequently
     • For Disk Defrag we recommend Auslogics Disl Defrag
     • For Disk Cleanup we recommend C Cleaner also known as "Crap Cleaner'
3. Remove unwanted programs – Installed software like games, trial version software and other unused applications on your computer
   • Forgetting about them as time progresses simply slows down the computer because we either don’t want them or they have stopped working. - UNINSTALL THEM!

Every few months:

1. Clean the outside of the case
   • Use a soft cloth and some Windex
2. Clean the Keyboard
   • Turn upside down and shake gently to dislodge particles trapped inside
   • Clean the keys with a soft cloth and a little Windex applied to the cloth
3. Clean your monitor
   • Follow instructions. Some monitors need special procedures or some will allow Windex and a soft cloth with no sharp fibers to prevent scratches
4. Check all Wires and Connections
   • Check all connectors, make sure they are seated firmly in their sockets
   • Check all the cables to make sure they are not frayed, cut, damaged in any way or exposing any internal wires

Every 6 months:

1. Have your computer checked out by a professional
   • Cleaned "internally" for removal of dust
   • Run diagnostics to make sure there are no impending identifiable failures looming
   • Deep scan for Viruses, Spyware, Worms, Malware or other harmful software
   • Perform an overall tune up on the machine and provide you with recommendations

Other suggested actions:

1. Instruction manual
   • The more user friendly it is, the more you will learn
2. "Dummies" Books
   • PC's for Dummies
   • Mac's for Dummies
   • Windows 7 for Dummies
   • Internet for Dummies
     • These books are invaluable. Don't read them front to back, leaf through to the sections you want to learn or need help with
3. Apple Owners: Apple Stores
   • Apple proves free classes or 1 on 1 sessions by appointment
4. High Speed Internet as opposed to dial up or slower DSL speeds
   • Internet pages come up faster
   • No waiting or frustration
   • Anti Virus & Spyware/Malware programs update themselves every day and the files downloaded tend to be larger in size
   • Your computer will run faster overall