General everyday use of your PC will over time lead to a decrease in its performance. Simple tasks such as browsing the Internet, word processing and playing games will all contribute to the decline in its ability to run efficiently.

If left unchecked this gradual wear and tear will eventually lead to problems with your computer such as slow performance, freezes, system crashes and the irretrievable loss of data. To avoid this happening it’s important to perform regular maintenance on your PC.

Below are listed 8 maintenance checks which should be carried out regularly.

AntiVirus Scan

Every time you use the Internet, your computer is at risk from picking up what could be a potentially serious virus. If the virus is not removed it can result in critical damage to your system, not to mention putting your security at risk. It’s important therefore to run an antivirus scan regularly to check for any malicious threats. Always remember to keep your antivirus software definitions up to date to keep abreast of current security issues.

Update Your Operating System

Check periodically for any updates or patches for your Operating System. These are designed to keep your PC running smoothly and address any security problems. If a newer version of your Operating System becomes available, download and install it.

Install a Firewall

This is important especially if you use the Internet regularly. A good firewall, kept updated, will protect your computer from any security breaches and prevent hackers getting access to your PC or your personal information.

Backup your data

Always make regular backups of any data stored on your computer which is important to you. Even with good maintenance, there’s always a small possibility your computer could crash and all your important data could be lost forever.

Defrag your hard drive

Running a regular defrag on your hard drive will increase the performance of your PC and help it run faster by moving the data around so it can be accessed by your system much more efficiently.

Keep your PC clean

Your computer generates a lot of static and because of this dust will accumulate on the exterior components. This can cause your PC to malfunction. Keep all hardware clean and dust free.

Disk Cleanup

This system tool is integrated with your Windows Operating System. Run it regularly to delete old files and temporary data stored on your PC. Freeing up your hard drive of any unnecessary data will create space and improve your computers performance.

Clean the Windows Registry

The Windows Registry can become clogged with redundant files and fragments from old software and hardware components. Running a reliable registry cleaner such as RegCure will root out these unnecessary files and delete them, resulting in a faster performing computer.

Possibly the most obvious place to start cleaning up your PC is by deleting all the old files you no longer use or need. Don’t waste important space on your hard drive by keeping old files and folders. If there are files or photographs you wish to keep, free up space by burning them to disk or upload them on to a website – more than one if necessary. An email inbox can also be used for this purpose. Remember to delete old PDF documents and e-books as well.

Help Your Hard Drive

Your hard drive will store many files which were downloaded while you were using the internet. If you notice the speed of your PC slowing down then you probably need to clean up the Internet files stored on your computer. To do this navigate to My Computer – Control Panel – Internet Options. A box will appear on screen and in the section marked Temporary Internet Files, click on Delete Files. Using the settings option, you might think of changing “Amount of disk space to use.”  To give your PC a more comprehensive clean up try the following steps to run a disk cleanup: Go to Start – Programs – Accessories – System Tools and choose which drive you wish to clean. If you haven’t yet cleaned out the Temporary Internet Files you can do so from here. Other files which can be removed here are Downloaded Program Files, Temporary Files stored on that particular drive and the Recycle Bin. By using the More Options tab there are additional programs and components which can be deleted.

Clean Your CPU Unit Regularly

As well as cleaning the software components of your PC it is important to remember the external hardware components also need regular looking after. Many system crashes and slow running machines are caused by dirty and dusty CPU units. Clean your cables to free them of dust, check the fan and clean the air holes of your PC as dust gathered can cause your system to overheat, possibly to dangerous levels and if not regularly kept clean may damage your hardware irreparably. When cleaning your PC hardware components, unplug all power cables and use a vacuum specially designed for computers. Alternatively use a variety of sizes and coarseness of paint brushes and a few clean soft cloths. This option will only be of use if regular upkeep is maintained. Remember never try to wipe clean the internal components such as the motherboard or cards.

Uninstall Old Programs

Remove all the old programs you don’t use anymore including any files and folders left over. If you’re constantly installing new programs having lots of installation exe files cluttering your computer hard drive can slow up your PC. Also this frequent installing and uninstalling will leave old data and file fragments stored on your hard drive long after the applications have been removed. To clean these files out, right click on the hard drive icon on your PC, click on explore and Program Files. You can safely delete all the empty files and folders from the programs no longer installed. It is a good idea to use a powerful registry cleaner such as RegCure to clean up your PC efficiently. Registry cleaners are completely safe to use as they will only delete old files your system no longer needs or uses. A good tip to see what may have silently downloaded on your PC is to press CTRL+ALT+DEL simultaneously, this will bring up Task Manager which will show all applications currently running on your computer, including those running in the background. Some of these download automatically when you surf certain websites and usually contain adware or spyware. Run a spyware cleaner to remove these programs before running RegCure to get rid of all the leftover fragments.

Update Your Passwords

Sometimes giving your PC drives a thorough clean can affect old password cookies. To fix this, visit the Microsoft technical support website where you can download a tool which will update and replace old passwords. This is a small download and is free to use.