How to Do Computer Maintenance and Reduce PC Problems

Computers have established a huge consumer base amongst businessmen, professionals, students, homemakers and others, in the past decade. Since computers have become integral part of our lives, computer manufacturing companies are trying hard to compete with the consistently upgrading technology and serving their customers with the best options at affordable prices.

Desktops, laptops, notebooks, tablets, ultrabooks and many such devices are nothing but different forms of computers. Desktops are considered to be the best machines to be deployed at a workplace, while the laptops and others cater to the need of portable computing during meetings, travels and outdoors. But have you ever thought of how will you deal with the PC problems that may arise accidently? What will you do if your machine is infected by stubborn viruses and is not letting you send an urgent mail? Many of such issues may arise without any prior notice so it is always recommended to maintain your PC to avoid such circumstances.

In this article, you will read about the basic maintenance tips that will help in reducing the PC problems and keep your PC up and running.

1.       Use an effective antivirus program

To avoid virus and malware threats, a PC should always be protected using an effective and efficient antivirus program. Viruses secretly hide themselves inside your machines and keep on attacking your software as well as hardware components, which may result in improper functioning and slowdowns. Some malware programs are efficient in revealing your personal as well as sensitive data to strangers and may result in personal and financial loss.

Slow loading of apps, unnecessary error messages, slow boot up, Windows freezing and damage to hardware components can be the potential results, if you fail to pay attention towards such threats in initial stages. Even just setting up an effective program will not help, you will need to download and install updates automatically to keep your PC ready to fight against latest virus threats. Scheduling a periodic full system scan can also help in identifying a virus or malware infection.

2.       Install Windows Updates automatically

Installing Windows updates automatically is a free way to help keep your PC safe and running smoothly. You will simply need to turn it on and you'll be getting all the latest security and other important updates from Microsoft automatically. To do the same, just go to the Microsoft Update website and you will be guided step-by-step to turn on the Windows Update in Control Panel. Once you have made the selection, all the latest security and performance improvements updates will be installed on your PC quickly and reliably.

If you have turned on the automatic updating feature, then most of the updates will be downloaded and installed automatically. But, sometimes Windows Update will ask for your input during an installation process. So, if you see a notification on the right of the taskbar, then ensure that you click it before proceeding further. In case you forgot and don't respond to a Windows Update alert, then your PC might miss an important download or may become a victim of a virus infection.

3.       Install anti-spyware to detect spyware tools

Spying is something illegal but can cause you huge damage in personal as well as monetary fronts, if executed smartly. Various malware and spyware authors adopt promotional messages, fake promises, lottery prize money and other unrealistic techniques to trap innocent users. Once a user clicks on that particular ad or e-mail, the spyware gets installed on your device and sends your personal as well as financial information to the hijackers, once activated successfully.

It is recommended to install an effective anti-spyware program on your devices to avoid such online threats. A careless behavior may invite many hijackers or identity thief to attack your PCs and walk away with your crucial data. On successful install, the program will update you about the illegitimate access on your devices and you can stop them immediately.

4.       Do not download and install unknown software from Internet

Unknown software or an email received from an unknown author can be equally dangerous as it may spread infection in your device. As soon as you will click to download or install any unknown software, the virus inside it may get activated and damage your PC or its hardware components to an irreparable extent. A stubborn malware or virus has the potential to damage the Windows registry, which in turn may cause a lot of errors in the functioning of a PC.

It is recommended to download only that software and programs, which you’re aware of. In case, you suspect any chances of infection or uncertain behavior then immediately close the program or check its health using your anti-virus program. Several websites also help malware authors in spreading the viruses and malware, hence, download only from trusted websites and install only after checking the program.

5.       Uninstall unnecessary programs

Closely observe the list of programs that are currently installed on your device. Make sure that no unnecessary program is running on your device because they may occupy the valuable space on your hard disk drive. Free up some space on your drive to make your PC run faster. Always leave some space of urgent install and scripts to run while browsing various websites. Before pressing the uninstall button, ensure that you only uninstall those programs that are not required as your device may experience improper functioning if an essential program gets uninstalled.

6.       Use an advanced browsing software

Most of the new browsing software comes with an incorporated security feature that safeguards your devices against viruses and malware threats. If possible, try to avoid using Internet Explorer as you may need to face major security breaches that can be potentially harmful for your software as well as hardware components. Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Safari and many other browsers are available over the Internet that are enriched with advanced productive and security features. So choose your browsers smartly to avoid viruses, malware and identity theft threats.

Above mentioned are some of the tips that can help you manage and maintain your PC in a more effective manner. Avast, Norton, Kaspersky, Bitdefender and Zone Alarm are some of the very good free antivirus and Firewall programs. You can even seek advice and take the help of an IT professional to maintain your PC on a regular basis. Firefox users can access to NoScript, one of the most powerful web security tools, which blocks all web scripts from running unless approved by a user. You can also blacklist any site and check for its existence on doubleclick.net to avoid installing or downloading stuff from malicious websites. Maintain your PC on a regular basis and save some extra amount in your wallet!

Brooke M. Perry is an ardent technician associated with Qresolve virus removal with wide experience of fixing issues with PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones. With a strong track record of devising effective ways of remote pc support and system security, she has so far helped thousands of users across the globe. Her writings on tech issues are the reflection of her in-depth interest and command she carries as a remote pc repair technician. Her blogs and articles have been rated high for their lucid style and easy to understand language.