Run a Disk Defragmenter as well, you will be surprised how this tool will increase your computer's performance just by cleaning up your hard drive and re-organizing sectors.

 

Drivespace is also useful if you are running out of hard drive space. Drivespace will compress your hard drive giving you more space to utilize.

 

Disk Cleanup will delete or compress duplicated files or files that have not been accessed for a specified period.

 

Have a look at your Windows TEMP (temporary files) directory and delete any unwanted files, if not all.

 

Clean out your Recycle Bin as well by deleting unwanted files - they should all be as they are files that you have deleted previously.

 

Delete all your temporary Internet files also, along with the thousand of cookies that are probably hiding there ( if you don't want to have cookies you can set your Internet settings to either prompt you to accept cookies, or not accept them at all.)

 

Have a look in your saved mail and delete unwanted messages or files.

 

Check out all your data directories and delete any old, unused or unwanted files - if you are like me and want to keep them for sentiments sake or "just in case" copy them to a floppy if you want to save them, then delete them from your hard drive.  Warning - do not delete any  program or critical files (there are many) - only your own data files! If you have doubts about any files, leave them, get some advice or let an experienced user check and clean up your file system.

 

The same applies to any unwanted, unused programs that you have - I was in the habit of down-loading software programs to trial them and then forget to delete them if they were unwanted. Software programs take up a lot of crucial space so don't have any "dog" programs taking up valuable disk space. Make sure you use the uninstall tool if the program has one, otherwise you will still have some of the program files left in your file system.

 

Check your Unzipped Directory - are there any downloaded programs lurking there as well? The more files and directories you have, the slower your computer will run, unless you have them all organized and your hard drive and PC optimized.

 

	If lack of free hard drive space has become critical you have several options:    replace your hard drive with a larger one  add an additional hard drive  double space or compress your drive (this will slow your PC down) add an external drive type - Zip, Jaz, tape etc. add a write-able or re-write-able CD ROM (also useful for duplicating presentations to CD for prospects) consider online storage space services   The above options need to be evaluated thoroughly as to what is best for your purposes - get professional advice from a computer technician or do some detailed research into the pros and cons of each option.  Pricing, function, ease of use, availability, cost of medium i.e. disks or tapes, and ease of installation all need to be considered. Look ahead - decide whether the device storage is adequate for the future, or will you have to go through the same process again in 12 months time.
	General care - keep objects away from your PC and monitor, ventilation and cooling are important to both and overheating will eventually result. Avoid placing your tower on carpet if possible, you may find carpet fibers drawn into your power unit fan possibly leading to failure of your power unit.
	Save your work as go - some programs will prompt you to save or, save your work automatically, others may not.

 

Hard Drive care: the old saying "it will never happen to me" springs to mind. I lost three months of data when a hard drive once crashed ? I used to think the above, but it did happen to me!

 

Risks from above: Never operate your Computer during storms as you risk lightning zapping your PC  through your electrical power outlet, or your modem connection.

 

Your keyboard is not liquid-proof, one of the most common accidents with computers is when your favorite beverage, balanced precariously on your desk, ends up in your keyboard. Enjoy a refreshing drink, it keeps you alert, but keep them away from your PC and keyboard. Paper clips, staples, lint and other little goodies have a habit of finding their way into your keyboard also. Take the time and use a small brush to clean between the keys and blow the gunk out. Do this only when your PC is off, of course.

 

Your mouse: (standard mouse) give it a routine clean or when you find it's responding erratically or not at all. Make sure your PC is off and remove the small bottom cover generally with a twist , remove the tracking ball and give it a light clean with a dry cloth. With a small semi-hard tool, clean the build-up from the revolving ball guides inside the ball cavity. Replace the ball carefully, and the cover and your done.

Crash course in computer posture - It isn't natural to sit in the same position for hours on end, but that's exactly what we do in front of a computer. You spend, or intend to spend a lot of your time in front of your computer, so a few basic tips to make your online time a bit more comfortable:

The warning signs: - headaches may mean you are sitting too close to the screen, you've got a vision problem, or strained neck or shoulder muscles. Pains in forearms, neck and shoulders can indicate poor posture. Recurring pain in forearms, or wrists could indicate an overuse strain injury.

 

Sitting correctly - when you sit down at your computer, let your arms hang down by your side in a relaxed way, then bend your elbows to a 90-degree angle - that's where your keyboard should be. Adjust your chair accordingly. Your legs should sit comfortably at about 90 degrees or more from your trunk. If your legs are hunched up, your chair is not high enough. If your legs won't fit under desk after you've adjusted your chair, your desk is too low and needs to be adjusted.

Strained Muscles - a lot of muscles need to contract to enable you to sit and type; muscles in your back, shoulders, arms, wrist and fingers. When muscles contract, the amount of blood flowing to and from them is reduced. This blood flow is very important because it carries oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, and carries away waste products. When this blood flow is reduced for long periods of time, you get muscle strain.

Taking a moment to relax and have a stretch is a good way to replenish those muscles. Do it whenever you think of it, you don't even have to get up, just relax your arms or stretch the muscles that are feeling strained.

Eye-Strain - There are tiny muscles which control the lens in your eyes, so you can focus.