Keeping it Clean: Insight and Out

Published on: November 20th, 2014

Last month we discussed the colossal mess that can quickly pile up in the office kitchen. Just a few days of neglecting the trash and suddenly your office kitchen has become a health hazard. Seriously, how long has that leftover slice of birthday cake been sitting there? Hey, there’s not a single clean coffee cup to be found on the shelf!

Unfortunately, most of us who work in an office environment are familiar with that type of kitchen experience.

In reality, a similar fate can befall your office computers. If you neglect a regular schedule of computer updates and maintenance, messy problems will soon start piling up. A disorganized office supply room or a dirty kitchen is bad enough, but never forget that your computers handle your business’ most important assets: accounting, financial records, communications and client information.

Keeping It Clean: Inside & Out!

Last month we shared tips on how to keep your computer’s external surfaces clean. Remember that keeping the outside of your computers clean isn’t just about aesthetic appeal. Routine cleaning, especially the removal of dust, can keep your computer from overheating and damaging the hard drive and other components. It’s important.

Perhaps even more important than a dust-free keyboard, is keeping your computer’s internal “nuts and bolts” in working order. To keep your computers in tip top shape, we strongly recommend the following guidelines:

Step 1: Keep your computer up to date. Both Mac and Windows release regular security updates for your operating system. These updates are generally set to run automatically. If you aren’t sure if the updates are complete or if you have disabled the automated updates, follow these guidelines:

• Windows: Go to the Start Menu, click on All Programs and then click on Windows Updates. See the status of your updates and check on the automatic updates settings. You can set your computer to download and install updates or you can perform these tasks manually.
• Mac: Open the Systems Preference menu and choose Software Update. All available updates will appear on a list. Select the updates you want to install.

Step 2: Clear your Internet history or over a period of time data builds up to a point that can cause performance issues. Use the tools that come with your Internet browser of choice and following the required actions:

• Internet Explorer: See the Internet Options control panel and click Delete on the General tab under the Browsing History.
• Firefox: See Firefox menu and open Options to click the Clear button to erase cookies and cache data.
• Chrome: To clear data, hold Control and Shift and click Delete. This will open a menu where you can select the data you want to erase. Also click on Clear Browsing Data when you are done.
• Safari: Clear the browsing cache by using the Edit menu then select Empty Cache.

Step 3: Malware is a type of program that can create security holes and compromise your computer’s performance. Call a Computer Troubleshooters professional to learn about a variety of both free and paid programs that are designed to erase malware and spyware. One of the best ways to avoid malware is to never download anything you are not sure of, such as a mysterious attachment that comes from an unfamiliar e-mail address.

Step 4: Defend your computer against malicious viruses with a powerful antivirus program. Having an antivirus program on your computer is a necessity. While no program can guarantee you will be safe from every possible threat, not having this protection or having a low quality product exposes your computer to the likelihood of infection. To avoid losing important data or having to pay for expensive repairs, talk to your local Computer Troubleshooters about your security needs.

Step 5: Hard drive maintenance is an automatic task provided on most recent computers. It defragments and reorganizes data storage for greater efficiency. It also handles disk cleanup by deleting duplicates and unused temporary files. This process is typically automatic on a Mac. With Windows, if your computer doesn’t provide automatic hard drive maintenance, use the Start Menu to open and run the maintenance program.

Step 6: Now that your computer is running more efficiently, be sure that the computer has a reliable backup system in place. There are many different options for backup solutions that are both reliable and affordable. Call your local Computer Troubleshooters to discuss the available solutions that best fits your needs.