How To Keep Your Computer Running Smoothly
By Sandy Berger
When you use your new computer for the first time, you were
probably amazed by its blazing speed. But now it seems to have
slowed down. Chances are it needs just a little routine
maintenance to get it back in tip-top shape.
Defrag
When you add a file or a new program to a brand new computer,
the hard disk is relatively empty so new data is written to the
hard disk in one contiguous block. When you need to use that
information, the computer can quickly access it because it is all
in one place.
As you use your computer adding files and programs, the hard
disk begins to fill up. Deleting files or removing programs
creates small empty areas among the other data that the computer
will reuse. After awhile, the computer is no longer saving
information in large blocks. Instead, it stores information in the
many little empty nooks and crannies of your hard disk. The result
is that one program or file is broken up, or fragmented, into
little pieces and stored in many different areas of the hard disk.
The computer ingeniously keeps track of the addresses of each
piece of data and puts it all together when it is needed. Yet,
obviously, the more broken up the information is, the longer it
takes to access the data and the slower the computer becomes.
The solution is a simple one. Your Windows computer comes with
a program that will defragment your hard disk. This process
reunites all the data into large blocks and gathers all the free
space on the hard disk into one block making data retrieval faster
and easier for the computer.
Most of you will be able to find the disk defrag program by
clicking on the Start button, then choosing Programs, Accessories,
System Tools, and finally clicking on the Disk Defragmenter. If
you have any trouble finding it, simply click on Start, then Help.
Click on the Search tab and type in the word "defragment." The
computer will give you a link to the defrag program.
Depending on your computer and your hard disk, defragmenting
the hard disk can take a bit of time. After you defrag, you will
see no difference in your computer, except for a little faster
speed if the disk was very fragmented. You should routinely defrag
your computer. Once a month is a good practice for most average
users.
Check for Free Space
One little known fact about computers is that they use the hard
disk as sort of a scratch pad when they perform many functions. If
your hard disk begins to fill up, it slows down these functions
and the computer will seem very sluggish. You should occasionally
check your hard disk to make sure that you have enough free space
for the computer to function properly. To check the status of the
hard disk, click on My Computer, then right-click on the C drive.
Choose Properties, and you will see a pie chart showing the amount
of available space. If you have only a sliver of free space
remaining, you will want to free up some space immediately.
Depending on the size of your disk, I recommend keeping a minimum
of 100 megabytes (MB) of free space.
Your hard disk may be partitioned into several sections. When
you click on My Computer, you may see disk drives for C, D, E,
etc. Even if you have other partitions, the C partition is the
area where the computer needs space.
Cleaning up Your Hard Disk
If you are lucky enough to have a newer computer with Windows
98, when you check the properties of your C drive, you will see a
button labeled "Disk Cleanup." Click on this button and a window
will pop up enabling you to empty the recycle bin, delete
unnecessary files like temporary files, and downloaded program
files.
If you are using an older version of Windows and do not have
this button, you will have to do this cleanup by hand. Emptying
the recycle bin by right-clicking on it and choosing "Empty
Recycle Bin" can often free up a lot of space.
If you are low on hard disk space, you will also want to clean
up your disk by removing any unnecessary files and programs. To
delete a file, highlight it and press the DEL key on your
keyboard, or drag it to the Recycle Bin. Remember although you
have deleted files by placing them in the Recycle Bin, they still
take up room on your hard disk until you actually empty the
Recycle Bin. To remove a program, click on the Start button, click
on Settings, Control Panel, and then choose Add/Remove Programs.
Cleaning up your computer should be a monthly ritual, whether
you think you need it or not. Removing unused programs and files
will keep both you and your computer more organized. If you are
ever unsure about whether you will need a file or not, better to
be safe than sorry. Make a copy of the file on a floppy disk, zip
disk, or other backup medium before you delete it completely.
Start and Stop Properly
Two other routines can go a long way towards keeping your
computer running smoothly. Be patient and always allow your
computer to complete its entire start-up routine before you start
to use it. Even more importantly, be sure to shut down correctly.
Turn the computer off by clicking on the Start button and choosing
Shut Down, Okay. Allow the computer to turn itself off or press
the off button when the screen says it is okay to do so. If you
turn the computer off without going through this necessary
process, it will invariably lead to problems.
Have you ever had your computer freeze forcing you to turn it
off improperly? If you have, don't worry; it's not unusual. In
fact, the computer has a routine to try to correct any problems
that this improper shut down may cause. It's called Scan Disk.
I'll explain what Scan Disk is and how it works in my next "How
To."
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