The new school year is upon us and teachers, students, and parents are busy with shopping for all the needed items. Computers are a heavy consideration for many, particularly for students in middle school or higher, as
education software solutions continue to provide further integration of technology and education.
A computer is like many machines and even the human body, requiring regular maintenance to provide maximum performance. They are quite expensive, but with a regular routine your investment can be a reliable asset for a long time.
One of the easiest things you need to do according to TuneUp Utilities co-founder Tibor Schiemann is defragment your hard drive every two to three months. Windows includes a defragment utility and the process takes around an hour. The more fragmented a hard drive is, the slower the computer runs.
Another step that can be taken to make your computer run smoother is to remove unnecessary files and programs. Many new computers include new programs that may never even be used. Schiemann cautions however to not simply delete program files since registry problems may arise but to use the "Add/Remove Programs" utility in Windows.
For unnecessary files, a disk cleaner utility program is a simple and the best way to remove those without having to manually search for them. Windows includes a disk cleaner utility that can be easily accessed from the start menu.
These steps however can leave code, etc. on the registry, which is the central database for the Windows operating system. All installed programs are kept and run from the registry so it needs to be in good order. Manual registry maintenance is a bit technical so you should either have a professional do it, or use a Windows-certified program.
In addition, internet connection, visual, and sound settings can have impacts on a computers performance. Developing a maintenance routine can save you many headaches, and allow you to take full advantage of the many educational software solutions available.
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