Now that Christmas is over, it’s time to start thinking about those New Year’s resolutions.  This year I’m going to exercise five days a week.  This year I’m going to eat right.  This year I’m going to be a better listener.  What resolutions are you making for 2014?

What about a resolution to make sure your PC maintenance schedule is set for the year? Regular maintenance is very important for your PC’s performance and security. Here are some maintenance items to consider:

Cleaning

• Dust bunnies can accumulate fast!  Shutdown your PC, unplug the power cord and remove the external case, then use canned air or a vacuum and gently remove the dust.
• Get rid of any old files; either delete them or copy them to CD.  Also consider moving them to cloud storage.
• Remove cookies, temp files, cache, and history files.   Use Disk Cleanup (under Accessories > System Tools on a Windows PC).
• Don’t forget your e-mail!  Delete any emails you no longer need.  And be sure to empty your Deleted Items and Trash folders.

 Back-ups

• If you have an automated back-up process, great!  Review and test the process to make sure it’s working as expected.
• If you don’t have an automated back-up process – make a resolution to set one up!  (Here are some options.)

Software

• Check for updates.  If the product has an Automatic Updates option, consider using it to make sure you’re always on the most recent version.
• Remove any software you’re not using.

Operating System

• Consider using the Automatic Updates option if available.  If not, make sure to regularly check for updates.
• Check for any upcoming support changes. Be prepared for situations like this.

Security

• Anti-Virus – check for updates, review any scheduled tasks.
• Firewall – review settings, check for updates.
• Change your passwords.

Printer, keyboard, monitor, and other peripherals

• Make sure they’re clean and you have the latest drivers/firmware.

Maintain a resolution to maintain your PC and you’ll be in operation all year long. What’s on your PC maintenance checklist?