PC Preventive Maintenance

Computer Preventive Maintenance

Your computer is like your car when it comes to preventive maintenance. Regular maintenance will help it last longer and work better.

Some things to keep in mind include:

Cleaning your computer on a regular basis.

Spyware removal tools

AntiVirus software

Too much dust in a PC could actually cause a fire, although that would be extremely rare. Also, dust in the fans and vents and on the circuit boards retains heat and prevents air flow. As heat increases, performance decreases and this can lead to hardware failure.
Check the cables around your computer. Are they out of the way or do you, your kids and/or pets constantly trip over them? Check the area for dust and lint. Keep the vents and air holes free of dust, lint and pet hair.

You may want look at "tune up tools" for your computer. There are many good free tools available and most don’t cost more that $50 to purchase. Here's a few to explore....http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,4005,00.asp

Related articles:

How To Reduce Computer Problems?
by: Preventive Guru

How can I prevent Computer problems? This is a question that people have asked me many times. The entire process of reducing Computer problems can be bundled under the banner of Computer Preventive Maintenance. Use this article as a computer maintenance tutorial.
So, what should you do as part of preventive maintenance?

1. Use a good antivirus program. This is the most important piece of work in preventive maintenance. Installing the antivirus program is not good enough. You should do the following as well.
* Set-up the program to download and install updates automatically.
* Schedule periodic full system scans.
* Check the virus definitions date regularly and see whether it is up to date.

2. Set-up your PC to Download and install “Windows Updates” automatically. Windows updates include Operating System patches for bugs and PC security related issues. These patches can reduce many unknown computer problems.

3. Install an anti-Spyware program to detect Spyware.

4. Install a personal firewall. Most of the antivirus programs are bundled with a personal firewalls these days.

5. Do not download and install unknown software from the Internet. This is the biggest mistake most of the PC users are doing. This software can damage the Windows registry, which causes lots of errors.

6. Be very careful when you download music from the Internet. Always stick to one trustworthy web site.

7. Perform Scandisk periodically to check the Hard Drive.

8. Delete temporary Internet files.
Readers can find detailed information FREE on above at www.preventiveguru.com

About The Author
This article was prepared by the Webmaster of www.preventiveguru.com who has over 10 years of experience in computer support and maintenance. Anybody can use this article for commercial or non-commercial purposes as long as the content of the article is not amended and keep a hyperlink to www.preventiveguru.com.
webmaster@preventiveguru.com

Guide to Selecting an Office Chair
by: Doug Fowler

Selecting a good office chair is an important decision. If you intend to spend a lot of time in your office chair, it’s probably the equivalent to purchasing a mattress for your bed. Think about how much time you’ll spend in the chair each day. It could be as much as 8-12 hours. If that’s the case, you definitely want to make an informed decision. Listed below are some general guidelines to assist you in the process of selecting an office chair.

Test it first. The best way to select a good office chair is to test it firsthand. If possible, the person who will be using the chair should take it for a test drive.

Check the fit. Make sure the chair height can be adjusted to ensure your feet rest on the floor. Is the seat cushion comfortable? Does it feel stable and balanced in a variety of positions? Are your knees below your hips? When seated with your feet resting on the floor, you want to ensure your knees are below your hips. This is especially critical on heavy use chairs to ensure you maintain proper circulation below the knee. As a general rule, the angle formed by your torso and thighs should be between 90 and 105 degrees. Is the chair rounded at the front? A rounded front also helps to maintain proper circulation in your legs. How’s the back? Make sure the back rest feels comfortable. Lumbar support systems vary, so make sure the fit is good.

Select a chair designed to support your usage requirements. Some office chairs are designed for short-term, infrequent use while others are designed for daily, heavy-duty usage. Today’s chairs also come with a variety of mechanisms to control the comfort level of each user – height control, tension adjustment, lumbar support, tilt angle control, and several other chair controls. Listed below are some general categories for types of office chairs based on the amount of use.
Make sure the office chair provides proper back support. Your back should be comfortably supported to maintain an erect posture. Make sure the chair can adjust to different posture positions.

Review the tilt. A good office chair should accommodate a number of different tilt options to accommodate different seating positions throughout the day. Also, check to make sure the tilting tension can be adjusted. Tilting back in an office chair should be easy, but there should be some tension. You’ll need to adjust this based on your height, weight, and needs.

Check out the armrests. If the chair will be used at a desk or computer workstation, then make sure the armrests are designed so that the chair can be pulled up close to the workstation. Adjustable armrests are also a nice option. Some chairs come with armrests that extend 10 inches or less from the back of the seat. These armrests allow you to work close to the workstation while also providing a place to rest your arms.

Make sure the chair wheel casters are appropriate for the flooring they will be used on. Hard wheel casters are appropriate for carpet and some solid surface materials. However, if your chair will be used on hardwood floors or other flooring material that can be damaged, then you should strongly consider soft wheel casters.

Choose the right fabric. The fabric should be one that allows a firm seat with no sliding. It should also be a breathable fabric that allows easy cleanup of spills.

About The Author
Doug Fowler manages several business-related informational sites, such as www.buy-office-chairs.com. Buy Office Chairs.com provides visitors with a wealth of information related to office chairs.
dfowler@buy-office-chairs.com


Don’t Scratch the Top of a CD!
By: Adam Platzer

That’s right! Scratching the top of a CD (the screen printed side) can be damaging to the integrity of the CD. Most people try to avoid scratches and blemishes from occurring on the bottom side of the CD. But in reality, the top is the more vulnerable side.

Here’s how it works: When a CD is manufactured, plastic is formed through a injection molding process that creates tiny pits and lands which make up the data on the media.
Once the plastic CD has been molded a layer of metallic and lacquer is applied to the top side in order to protect the data which is imbedded close to the top of the CD. Scratches and blemishes can penetrate the thin metallic and lacquer coatings and potentially damage the media.
Play it safe! Always protect both sides of the media!

Tips for Protecting CD’s From Scratches:
- Keep CDs in a protective case such as a clamshell, jewel case, etc.
- Only use markers made for writing on CD’s. Do not use ball point pens, etc.

About The Author
Adam Platzer
Spinergy
CD/DVD Replication, Duplication, and Screen Printing
Phone: 800-333-1328
http://www.spinergymedia.com
adam.platzer@spinergymedia.com