January 17, 2008
Download updated antivirus definitions.
Why: Malicious people release hundreds of viruses a month. If you use email or access the internet or communicate with files outside your PC in any way your PC is at risk of infection. Once infected you may lose your documents, emails, favorites, and tools. Rebuilding and reloading your PC may take a week or more. A store or computer professional will charge $100 to rebuild your PC. Ontrack recovery service will charge $600 - $2400 to recover your files or documents.
Scan the computer for viruses (viri?).
Schedule your antivirus program to scan the entire computer when the PC is not being used but is turned on.
Backup your data.
Why: Consider the effort creating your documents and how important they are to you. Think about your emails, address book, word processing documents, financial data, spread sheets, databases, etc. If it is important to you then you should have a copy of it off your computer. If it is critical information that you would want to retain in a disaster (fire, flood, etc.) then keep a copy off your premises. Only you can decide how often to make backups. Consider how often the data changes and how difficult it would be to recreate changes made between backups. Save early and save often.
How: Backing up is as easy as copying the file to a diskette, CD, or DVD. Most email programs have export functions. Look under the File pull-down menu. If you and none of the other users of a PC can be trusted to reliably make backups (you don’t always have the time, etc.) then consider purchasing backup software and a DVD RW or tape drive. Or purchase an internet-based backup subscription like Mosy, Carbonite, etc. Select the folders you wish to copy and schedule the times. A common method is to do incremental backups (only the files that have changed since the last backup) nightly and full image backups (all the files in a folder) weekly. Once a week take the media out and store it off-site. Rotate through 3 or 4 units (retrieve 3-week-old media from off-site and re-use it.) Keep monthly or quarterly or year-end media off-site. Once a year test that you can recover data from an old backup copy that was off-site.
Note: Windows XP comes with a program called NTBackup (For Windows XP Home it is not automatically installed but comes on the Windows XP Home CD). It is rudimentary, but free. Also, consider disk-to-disk backup. You can purchase an external hard disk drive or you can share folders on multiple PCs, backing up one PC to the other. Disk-to-disk is fast and easy, but will not save you if your whole office or home is destroyed. Automatic internet backup is reliable, but takes a very long time to download your backed up information. Flash (thumb) drives are handy, are easily lost, and are not permanent. They wear out and fail. Only use them for transport.
Email Locations (default):
Microsoft Addressbook: Documents and Settings\<account>\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book
Outlook Express: Documents and Settings\<account>\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\Outlook Express
Outlook: Documents and Settings\<account>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook
Mozilla Thunderbird: Documents and Settings\<account>\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles
Account names and other logon info is often kept in the registry: Documents and Settings\<account>\NTUSER.DAT
Install Windows Critical Updates on Tuesdays.
Why: Hackers are always looking for security flaws in Microsoft Windows. As Microsoft develops fixes for these flaws they publish the security fixes as free “Critical Updates”. The updates are usually published on the second Tuesday of the month. Hackers can take less than a week to figure out how to exploit the flaw or develop a virus/worm/Trojan/etc. after Microsoft’s publication of a fix. Typically it takes 1 to 3 days after the release of a virus for the virus definition and fix to be added to antivirus lists.
Note: You run a risk that the Microsoft patch you install may disable your PC or a program you use. Install Service Packs (SP2, SP3, etc.) on a non-critical machine first and verify that it is fully functional (you can print, etc.). When the test passes then roll out the service pack to the rest of your computers.
How: Open Internet Explorer. Pull down Tools menu, select Windows Update. Or schedule Automatic Updates. While you are updating your PC you should install drivers and Office Updates as well. Set a system restore point before installing new drivers.
Scan for spyware.
Why: Spyware/malware/search hijackers are not just a nuisance. They will slow your PC to a crawl. In most cases you install the spyware when you install a desired software without understanding the EULA before clicking “I Agree”.
How: Run Spybot Search & Destroy or Webroot Spy Sweeper. Download updates. Immunize. Check for problems. Spybot S&D doesn’t catch everything but it is one of the best and certainly the cheapest.
Defrag the hard disk.
Why: Constantly remodifying files can lead to pieces of the files spread out on the hard disk. This is called fragmentization. Reassembling the pieces so you can use the file or document slows your PC down even when you have plenty of free space on the hard disk.
How: Programs – Accessories - System Tools – Defragment. Or Explore – right-click on drive – Properties - Tools – Defragment.
Update your antivirus program.
Why: As novel new ways of attacking your PC are developed the antivirus software has to undergo corresponding changes. This is in addition to the simple inclusion of the virus ‘signature’ in the virus definitions file. Sometimes antivirus software must be changed to accommodate Microsoft Windows updates as well.
How: Run Norton LiveUpdate to update the Norton AntiVirus program as well as virus definitions.
Disk Cleanup.
Why: As you install software, surf the internet, and work on documents your PC accumulates temporary files, copies of web pages, and extra copies of files as well as unemptied trash. At one point in time these were for your benefit but they can start to slow your PC down. Viruses and malware like to hide in the Windows Temp folder. Also once your hard disk reaches 85% capacity it can start to thrash. Like a warehouse where you start storing things in the aisles, the hard disk has to spend time moving files around to modify old files or store new ones.
How: Programs – Accessories – System Tools – Disk Cleanup. Or Explore – right-click on drive – Properties - Tools – Disk Cleanup
Also Control Panel – Internet Options – Temporary Internet Files: Delete Cookies. Delete Files. Check ‘delete all offline content’ when deleting files. Set your history to as few days as you require for monitoring internet sites visited by users of the PC. Clear history.
Vacuum or blow desktop tower PCs.
Why: PC components can overheat and need air flow through heat sinks (fins) to avoid permanent damage.
How: Shut the PC down. Unplug it. Start with the front vents. (You may have to tip the unit up or lay it on its side or upside down to see the front vents.) Vacuum the floppy, CD, DVD drive faces. Vacuum any USB, Ethernet, and modem (phone) ports. Vacuum the bottom and side vents if any. Vacuum the vents in the back and the fan grills last. If you are very careful you can open the case and blow out the dust with canned air.
Warning: Static electricity is extremely dangerous to chips. A discharge of only 10 volts can permanently disable your CPU chip. You will not feel, see, or hear anything. The vacuum can generate static. Always keep one hand on a metal part of the PC case while you poke around cleaning out the cobwebs and dust bunnies from around the heat sinks (fins), cables, drives, and horizontal cards inside the case. Avoid brushing or rubbing components, especially contacts as this action can generate static electricity. The canned air can frost the components. Take your time.
Renew your antivirus definitions subscription.
Why: Most antivirus companies spend a great deal of effort trying to keep an up-to-date list of active viruses and they charge for this service. Yearly subscriptions are usually around $30 or less.
Test your offsite backup media, equipment and recovery procedure.
Why: Backup media (especially tape) ages. Equipment changes (maybe your old tape drive finally died and you have a new one, or a high-density, multiplayer DVD drive instead. Software changes (will your new version of the software still read the old files?). Can you (or someone else) still follow your recovery procedure?
Lubricate the cooling fans.
Why: The fans move room air through the PC case and over internal heat sinks to keep very expensive chips from burning out. Sleeve bearings often dry out in 3 years of normal use. Dry bearings seize. Fan stops.
How: Shut the PC down. Unplug it. Open the case. Locate the fans: Case fan, Power Supply fan, CPU fan, Graphics processor fan. Most fans have a foil over the bearings near the wires. Very carefully peel the foil off and save it. If the bearing is covered by a plug, carefully remove it. Orient the fan so the bearing hole is face up and drop one or 2 drips of light household oil (3 in 1) on the bearing. Do not fill. If you get oil on the housing, wipe with a cloth moistened with window cleaner so the foil will stick. Replace plug and foil.
Change the battery.
Why: There is a small battery that keeps the board memory (CMOS) intact and keeps the clock running when the machine is unplugged. The CMOS memory contains information about the hardware configuration of your PC. Usually the first sign this battery needs replacing is when the clock starts running fast, slow, or erratic. When CMOS memory fails the machine may ‘forget’ settings (video, drives, speeds, number lock) or cease operating altogether.
How:
Clean and oil the floppy drive.
Why: After 5 years many floppy drives get too dusty and stiff to function properly. They may have difficulty finding data on the floppy. They may have difficulty receiving or ejecting the floppy.
How: