Recommended Computer Maintenance Tasks and Intervals Copyright 4ReliableComputers.Net

Recommended Computer Maintenance Tasks and Intervals

(Windows home office user)

rev 2014-04-04

Overview: Preventive maintenance is key to achieving lowest total cost of ownership. Total time required of the user per week on these tasks is less than 30 minutes. It is recommended that a regular time for these tasks be set aside every week, perhaps on Saturday morning. These tasks are best accomplished when the computer can be left running unattended for roughly 20 minutes, but some maintenance tasks can run while the workstation is being used for other work simultaneously.

Maintenance intervals: These maintenance intervals assume daily use of the workstation by a home user. Backup intervals can be extended if little new data is acquired or created in the interim. It is important that anti-virus definitions be kept current per the intervals below, even if the workstation use is low, because the anti-virus application cannot effectively detect threats unless it has the latest and greatest “Most Wanted Threat” list. Maintenance intervals specified herein assume a convention of 4 weeks per month.

Every Week:

· Ensure that at least one anti-virus full system scan has actually completed.

· Ensure that anti-virus real-time protection is configured to scan each email and instant message coming in, as well as those going out.

· Back up user data files to CD or DVD (backup_to_CD_instructions_08.doc or equivalent). Place written media in a secure location separate from the computer

Every 2^nd Week:

· Tasks listed above in “Every Week”, plus:

· Ensure that anti-virus definitions have been updated.

· Manually initiate and complete anti-adware threat definition update (“Check for updates now”). (AdAware or equivalent).

· Manually initiate and complete anti-adware full system scan; quarantine all items found then select and remove all items found. Immunize against future threats (AdAware or equivalent).

· Manually initiate and complete anti-spyware threat definition update (SpyBotS&D or equivalent).

· Manually initiate and complete anti-spyware full system scan (“Check for Problems”); quarantine and then select and fix all items found (“Fix selected Problems”). Immunize against future threats. (SpyBotS&D or equivalent).

Every Month:

· Tasks listed above in “Every Week”, plus:

· Tasks listed above in “Every 2^nd Week”, plus:

· Ensure that all critical Windows Updates have been downloaded and applied ( windowsupdate.microsoft.com or equivalent). Note that the process of running windows update may need to be repeated, with multiple reboots, to obtain all available updates.

Every other Month:

· Tasks listed above in “Every Week”, plus:

· Tasks listed above in “Every 2^nd Week”, plus:

· Tasks listed above in “Every Month”, plus:

· If using Microsoft Office Applications, ensure that all critical Office Updates have been downloaded and applied ( officeupdate.microsoft.com or equivalent).

· If using the Wordperfect 10 (Office 2002) that is included free with many workstations, ensure that all service packs have been downloaded and applied.

· Immediately after backing up user data files to CD or DVD, defragment all computer hard drives. (Ensure that no power interruption or premature accidental shutdown occurs during defragmentation)

Anti-virus subscription anniversary (nominally every year):

· Ensure that subscription to anti-virus definitions update is kept current by renewing subscription, or replacing with current product. Expect to pay roughly $30 per year for this most important of services. Be sure to review configuration settings in detail after upgrading or replacing any anti-virus application. Complete removal of all anti-virus applications is recommended before attempting to install replacements.

We are ready to assist you with preventive maintenance. For all your computer needs, contact us:

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