Learn how to clean your computer

I have a dirty secret. I've never cleaned my computer. Sure, I've dusted my monitor, but I haven't taken off the cover or tried to reach the crumbs lurking inside my keyboard. And I honestly don't know the difference between pressurized air dusters and compressed air cleaners.

"Your computer could fry if you don't keep it clean," says Jonathon Millman, chief technology officer for Hooplah Interactive.

Whether it's a desktop or laptop/notebook computer, dust and lint can clog the cooling vents. This can cause your computer's brain—the central processing unit (CPU)—to heat up. And heat is the biggest cause of component failure in computers. Regular cleaning could save you costly maintenance fees down the road.

Follow the five simple steps in the cleanup and maintenance routine below to keep your computer and accessories looking shiny and new. It's an easy, do-it-yourself solution to help them run smoothly and last longer.

You'll need:

Standard (flat-tip) and/or Phillips screwdriver

Can of compressed air (available from computer dealers or office-supply stores)

Cotton swabs (do not use a cotton ball)

Rubbing alcohol

Soft, lint-free cloths, paper towels, or anti-static cloths

Water

Safety glasses (optional)

Important: Always turn your computer off and disconnect it from the power source before you begin any of these steps.

If you see dust or other debris accumulating around the vents of your desktop or laptop, you can bet there's more inside—and it's only going to cause trouble. To remove it, you'll need to open the case. That may sound more intimidating than it really is. Before you begin, of course, make sure the computer is turned off and disconnected from the power source.

One more consideration: Manufacturers' policies vary, but, in some cases, opening your computer case may void your warranty. You may even encounter a warning sticker on the case. Review your warranty terms before continuing.

For desktop computers. Desktop computer manufacturers employ a variety of fastening mechanisms to secure the case. Face the back panel: Modern cases typically use two or more small knobs that you can turn by hand, or buttons that you press in, to release a side panel or the entire shell of the case. Others may require you to remove two or more slotted or Phillips screws. If in doubt, consult your owner's manual for specific instructions.

For laptop and notebook computers. Set the computer upside down on a table or other stable surface. (You may want to place a towel or paper under the computer to prevent scratches and scuffs.) Remove the battery. On most laptops, the vents on the underside will be grouped on a removable panel, secured to the case with several screws. Typically, these are very small Phillips-type screws, which may be of different lengths. Remove them, and be sure to keep track of which goes where.

After you're inside either your desktop or laptop, touch as little as possible inside the computer—keep your fingers away from cards and cords. Look for any dust bunnies or other bits of fluff in the nooks and crannies. Pick these out carefully with tweezers or a cotton swab. Blow compressed air around all of the components and along the bottom of the case, keeping the nozzle at least four inches away from the machine. Blow air into the power supply box and into the fan.

Try to aim the stream of pressurized air in such a way that it blows debris out of and away from crevices and recesses, rather than driving it deeper in. Safety glasses are a good idea, too, to keep the flying dust out of your eyes.

Take particular care when blowing the delicate fans. Overspinning them with excessive pressure can crack a blade or damage the bearings. Position the compressed air can well away, and use short bursts of air rather than a steady blast. As a precaution, you might also carefully immobilize the fan blades with your fingertip or a cotton swab while using the air can.

Lastly, blow air into the floppy disk, CD or DVD drives, and I/O ports—but again, not too aggressively. Wipe the inside of the cover with a lightly moistened cloth, and dry it before replacing it.

Millman recommends doing this every three months if your case sits on the floor, if you have pets that shed, or if you smoke. Otherwise, every six to eight months is fine.

Run a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol around all of the openings on the outside of your case. Give them one swipe with the damp end of the swab and one swipe with the dry end. Do this as often as you clean the inside of your computer.

Turn the keyboard upside down and gently shake it. Most of the crumbs and dust will fall out. Take a can of compressed air and blow into and around the keys. Next, take a cotton swab and dip it in rubbing alcohol. It should be damp, but not dripping wet. Run the cotton swab around the outside of each key. Rub the tops of the keys. Don't be stingy with the swabs. Discard them when they start to get dirty, and switch to a fresh one. If you have a laptop, follow the same procedure but take extra care with your machine—treat it as gently as you would a carton of fresh eggs. If your laptop has a touchpad, use the damp swap to wipe it clean, as well. Do this keyboard cleanup monthly.

It's tempting to use a vacuum cleaner to suck the debris out of the keyboard and other parts of the computer, but technicians warn that it can create a static electrical charge that can actually damage the computer's sensitive electronics.

If a spill happens, immediately turn off your computer, disconnect the keyboard, and flip it over. While the keyboard is upside down, blot the keys with a paper towel, blow compressed air between the keys, and leave it to air dry overnight. Check to ensure that all traces of moisture have evaporated before using the keyboard again. Laptop spills need more attention because liquid can easily penetrate the keyboard and damage internal parts. For laptop spills, immediately turn off the computer and remove any external power source and other items plugged into it. Turn the laptop over, remove the battery, and then bring it to your nearest repair center to check for internal damage. Simply blowing compressed air into the keyboard and letting your computer air dry upside down overnight aren't enough, because liquids can sit inside a laptop for days.

For all spills, be aware that anything other than plain water may cause severe damage, and never attempt to dry a keyboard or laptop in a microwave or conventional oven.

Disconnect the mouse from your computer. Rub the top and bottom of your mouse with a paper towel dipped in rubbing alcohol. Scrape hard-to-remove grime with your fingernail. If you have an optical mouse, ensure that no lint or other debris obscures the light-emitting lens on the underside of the mouse.

If you use a mechanical mouse, open the underside of the mouse and remove the ball. (In most cases, you simply need to rotate the plastic ring encircling the ball one-quarter turn counterclockwise.) Wash the ball with water, and let it air dry. To clean inside a mechanical mouse, dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and rub all of the interior components, paying particular attention to the little rollers, where gunk tends to collect. Finally, blow compressed air into the opening and ensure that the interior is dry. Replace the ball and the cover.

Clean your mouse monthly.

For liquid-crystal display (LCD) laptop and flat-panel monitor screens, slightly moisten a soft, lint-free cloth with plain water. Microfiber cloths are excellent for this purpose. Avoid using paper towels, which can scratch monitor surfaces. Don't spray liquid directly onto the screen—spray the cloth instead. Wipe the screen gently to remove dust and fingerprints. You can also buy monitor cleaning products at computer-supply stores.

For glass CRT (television-style) monitors, use an ordinary household glass cleaning solution. Unless your manufacturer recommends differently, don't use alcohol or ammonia-based cleaners on your monitor, as these can damage anti-glare coatings. And never try to open the housing of a CRT monitor. Capacitors within can hold a dangerous electrical charge—even after the monitor has been unplugged.

Clean the monitor weekly. Finally, make sure that everything is dry before you plug your computer back in.

Article adapted from an original article written by Alyson Munroe.

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Slow PC? Help improve computer performance with simple maintenance

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Speed up your PC: Automate your computer maintenance schedule

Most people do one of the following when their computer begins to slow down (besides get angry):

Speed up their computer by buying more memory.

Try to tweak their computer's settings.

Give up. They figure that their computer is old, there's nothing else they can do, and it's probably time to buy a new computer.

All these solutions can help increase PC speed. However, what's to keep your newly blazing PC from slowing down again after a couple months or years? A badly fragmented hard drive will bring even a top-of-the-line new computer to a grinding halt.

One option is to create a preventive PC maintenance plan—a computer maintenance schedule that's easy to set up and put in motion so you never have to think about it again. The plan outlined in this paper uses tools that are built in to your Windows operating system, including Disk Defragmenter, so they can be run free of charge as often as you like.

The following sections provide information on how to automate a maintenance schedule to help keep your PC running smoothly. These procedures differ from version to version, but overall you'll find these tasks work for Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

When people notice their computer's performance slowing, the most common reason is the hard disk. Your computer's hard disk is a non-removable area that holds all the information available from your computer. Over time, hard disks begin to lose their ability to store data efficiently.

The Windows operating system provides three great tools to help keep your hard drive humming smoothly. These tools are Disk Cleanup, Disk Defragmenter, and Check Disk. Find more information about using these tools to optimize your PC. Ideally you should clean the hard disk of temporary files, optimize (defragment) the hard disk, and check the hard disk for errors on a weekly basis.

Who has the time (or the desire) to keep up with this schedule? The best solution is to let Windows do all of the work.

Windows allows you to set up and automate these tasks. Please note that the tools may require user input or administrator privileges to run correctly. See specific sections for additional details, and make sure you know your administrator password.

Tip: In Windows 7 and Windows Vista, you can go directly to any of the tools mentioned in this article. Just click the Start button, and, in the Search box, type the name of the tool. When you see the name of the tool populate in the Search list, just click it. This works for the Task Scheduler tool referenced on some of the pages linked to in this article, as well.

Your computer amasses temporary files over time. These files can come from any number of sources, with the web being one of the largest offenders. After a while, these temporary files will slow down your computer.

About once every week, you should run the Windows Disk Cleanup utility to clear your PC of these temporary files. The Windows Disk Cleanup tool requires user input to complete its designated task. For this reason, it is recommended that, when setting up the utility to run automatically (as described in the next paragraph), you choose a time when you are typically on the computer so you can provide this input. When using the Create Basic Task Wizard, select the Open the Properties dialog for this task when I click Finish check box. This allows you to access additional properties related to the task. On the Settings tab, select the Run task as soon as possible after a scheduled start is missed check box to ensure that the task starts the next time you are logged on to your computer.

Schedule Disk Cleanup to run automatically:

Open Task Scheduler: Click the Start button, click Control Panel, click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Task Scheduler. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Click the Action menu, and then click Create Basic Task. This opens the Create Basic Task Wizard.

Type a name for the task and an optional description, and then click Next.

To select a schedule based on the calendar, click Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or One time, and then click Next.

Specify the schedule you want to use, and then click Next.

Click Start a program, and then click Next.

Click Browse, and, in the File name box, type cleanmgr.exe, click Open, and then click Next.

Click Finish.

Open Task Scheduler: Click the Start button, click Administrative Tools, and then click Task Scheduler. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Click the Action menu, and then click Create Basic Task.

Type a name for the task and an optional description, and then click Next.

To select a schedule based on the calendar, click Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or One time, and then click Next.

Specify the schedule you want to use, and then click Next.

Click Start a program, and then click Next.

Click Browse, and, in the File name box, type cleanmgr.exe, click Open, and then click Next.

Click Finish.

Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

Click Performance and Maintenance.

Under or pick a Control Panel icon, click Scheduled Tasks.

In the Scheduled Tasks window, double-click Add Scheduled Task.

In the Scheduled Task Wizard, click Next.

Scroll down to Disk Cleanup in the list of Applications, click it (to highlight it), and then click Next.

Under Perform this task, click Weekly, and then click Next.

Set the time and day of the week you would like to run Disk Cleanup. For best results, choose a time when you're typically at your computer so you can provide any required input. Click Next.

Type your password in both the Enter the password and Confirm password boxes, and then click Next.

Click Finish.

Whenever a file becomes too large to store in a single location on your hard disk, your computer breaks that file into parts (or fragments). Don't worry, though. Your computer keeps track of all these fragments, piecing them together whenever the file is accessed.

However, as fragmented files accumulate on your hard disk, your computer becomes gradually slower. This is because your computer has to go through all these fragmented files to piece the correct parts together again.

Although there's nothing you can do to prevent the fragmentation of files, Windows does have a utility (Disk Defragmenter) to help deal with this situation. Disk Defragmenter rearranges fragmented files, resulting in increased free space on your hard disk and quicker performance from your PC.

About once every week, you should run the Windows Disk Defragmenter utility.

Note: Windows 7 and most versions of Windows Vista are preconfigured to automatically run Disk Defragmenter on a weekly basis. Follow the directions for your operating system to confirm that Disk Defragmenter is already set up or to make changes to the existing schedule.

Set up Disk Defragmenter to run automatically:

Open Disk Defragmenter: Click the Start button, click All Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools, and then click Disk Defragmenter. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Click Configure schedule....

In the Disk Defragmenter: Modify Schedule dialog box, choose how often, which day, what time of the day you want defragmentation to occur, and which drives, and then click OK.

Click OK again.

Open Disk Defragmenter: Click the Start button, click All Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools, and then click Disk Defragmenter. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Click Modify schedule....

In the Disk Defragmenter: Modify Schedule dialog box, choose how often, which day, and at what time of the day you want defragmentation to occur, and then click OK.

Click OK again.

Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

Click Performance and Maintenance.

Under or pick a Control Panel icon, click Scheduled Tasks.

In the Scheduled Tasks window, double-click Add Scheduled Task.

In the Scheduled Task Wizard, click Next.

Click Browse.

In the File name box, type %systemroot%\system32\defrag.exe, and then click Open.

Under Perform this task, click Weekly, and then click Next.

Set the time and day of the week you would like to defragment your hard drive. For best results, choose a time when your computer will be on but you will be away from it, and then click Next.

Type your password in both the Enter the password and Confirm password boxes, and then click Next.

Select the Open advanced properties for this task when I click Finish check box, and then click Finish.

In the Run box, add C: to the existing command. Make sure you include a space before the “C:”. Then, click OK.

In the Set Account Information dialog box, type your password in both the Password and Confirm password boxes, and then click OK.

Whenever a program you're using crashes, your computer may create errors on your hard disk. These errors will eventually slow your computer to a crawl.

The good news is that Windows includes a Check Disk program. Check Disk corrects these types of errors on your hard disk, resulting in better PC performance.

About once every week, you should run the Check Disk utility. While Check Disk runs, a black window will open. If you happen to be working at your computer when the window opens, you can ignore it. The window will automatically disappear when Check Disk is complete.

Note: You must be logged on as an administrator to perform these steps. If you aren't logged on as an administrator, you can only change settings that apply to your user account.

Set up Check Disk to run automatically:

Open Task Scheduler: Click the Start button, click Control Panel, click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Task Scheduler. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Click the Action menu, and then click Create Basic Task.

Type a name for the task and an optional description, and then click Next.

Do one of the following:

To select a schedule based on the calendar, click Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or One time, click Next, specify the schedule you want to use, and then click Next.

To select a schedule based on common recurring events, click When the computer starts or When I log on, and then click Next.

To select a schedule based on specific events, click When a specific event is logged, click Next, specify the event log and other information using the drop-down lists, and then click Next.

To schedule a program to start automatically, click Start a program, and then click Next.

Click Browse to find the program you want to start, and then click Next.

Click Finish.

Open Task Scheduler: Click the Start button, click Administrative Tools, and then click Task Scheduler. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Click the Action menu, and then click Create Basic Task.

Type a name for the task and an optional description, and then click Next.

Do one of the following:

To select a schedule based on the calendar, click Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or One time, click Next, specify the schedule you want to use, and then click Next.

To select a schedule based on common recurring events, click When the computer starts, or When I log on, and then click Next.

To select a schedule based on specific events, click When a specific event is logged, click Next, specify the event log and other information using the drop-down lists, and then click Next.

To schedule a program to start automatically, click Start a program, and then click Next.

Click Browse to find the program you want to start, and then click Next.

Click Finish.

Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

Click Performance and Maintenance.

Under or pick a Control Panel icon, click Scheduled Tasks.

In the Scheduled Tasks window, double-click Add Scheduled Task.

In the Scheduled Task Wizard, click Next.

Click Browse.

In the File name box, type %systemroot%\system32\chkdsk.exe, and then click Open.

Under Perform this task, click Weekly. Then, click Next.

Set the time and day of the week you would like to run Check Disk. For best results, choose a time when your computer will be on but you will be away from it. Click Next.

Type your password in both the Enter the password and Confirm password boxes, and then click Next.

Click Finish.

Follow the prompts in Task Scheduler to schedule a program to run at a set time (for Windows 7 and Windows Vista only—the directions in Step 1 for Windows XP are all inclusive).

Note: Check Disk isn't available within the scroll-down list of programs that you select from in the Task Scheduler, so you'll need to select it manually. To select it, click Browse. Then, navigate to windows\system32\chkdsk.exe. Select chkdsk.exe, and then click Open.

The best way to schedule tasks as described in the previous sections varies depending on how you use your computer. For example, if you shut down your computer every day, schedule the tasks to perform during a time when your computer is typically on. You can do this by editing the Task properties as described in the steps for each utility and operating system. On the Settings tab, select the Run task as soon as possible after a scheduled start is missed check box when creating the new tasks described in this article. This ensures that the task starts the next time you are logged on to your computer, should it happen to be turned off during the scheduled time. If you set your computer to Hibernate or Sleep and want to schedule the tasks to run during that mode (for example, overnight), on the Conditions tab, select the Wake the computer to run this task check box. If you don't set these parameters during the initial setup, you can always go back and access them via the Task Scheduler. Simply locate your task in the Task Scheduler Library, and then double-click it. This opens the Properties dialog box for a given task.

Let Windows do all the work
These automated tasks—while they seem simple enough—are the foundation on which your computer's performance rests. Lucky for us, Windows can completely handle these tasks. You never have to worry about them. You just set up your maintenance tasks once, automate them, and let Windows take care of the rest.

Chris Tull is a freelance writer and designer based out of the Dallas/Fort Worth area. He is the author of Web Designer's Guide to Adobe Photoshop (Wordware, 2006).

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More RAM please: Add memory to your computer

Your computer is a little like your physical work area. The hard drive is the filing cabinet where you store your documents, and memory—or RAM (random access memory)—is the desk where you work. And when your RAM—like a full desktop—isn’t big enough to hold all your work easily, your work slows down and becomes more difficult. A good solution is to expand the space—or install more RAM.

If it suddenly seems that your computer can't keep up and the drive light is flickering like crazy, it's probably time to install RAM. But before you unplug the cables, lug the machine to the car, drive to the computer store, wait to have RAM installed, and pay for the service, read how to install RAM yourself.

Note: Problems with speed can also be caused by viruses, spyware, or other malicious software. Make sure that your virus checker is up to date. Or download Microsoft Security Essentials for free.

Before you buy anything, you need to know how much memory you have and what type of memory to buy.

Find out how much RAM your computer has

You can find out how much RAM is installed in your computer in two ways. You can open the System Information dialog box to see the installed physical memory, or you can go to Control Panel.

To open System Information, click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools, and then click System Information. In the left pane, select System Summary. The Installed Physical Memory (RAM) entry in the list tells you how much RAM your computer has.

The Installed Physical Memory (RAM) entry in the System Information list tells you how much RAM your computer has.

Go to Control Panel in your version of the Windows operating system to find out how much RAM your computer has:

In Windows XP, go to the Start menu, click Settings, and then click Control Panel. Click System, and then select the General tab. At the bottom of the page you will see the amount of RAM.

Find out how much RAM you need

Most games specify the minimum amount of RAM you need to install and play. For example, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban requires 256 megabytes (MB). This amount includes RAM that the computer needs to do its own background work in addition to running the game.

The amount of RAM you need depends on the operating system you are using. For systems running Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP, you should have the minimum recommended amount, but more can be better, depending on your needs. If you just use your PC for surfing the Internet and writing letters, you may need only the minimum amount of RAM required to run the version of Windows you have installed on your computer. But for the best performance—especially if you keep several programs open at the same time while you’re working—consider increasing the RAM on your computer to at least 2 gigabytes (GB).

See the minimum amount of RAM required for your version of Windows:

For more RAM-intensive programs, such as games or photo editing, or if you like to use a lot of applications at the same time, such as desktop publishing and video rendering, you may need additional RAM. Individual programs come with system requirements that show both the minimum RAM needed to run the program, and the amount of RAM needed for its best performance.

You can buy RAM modules in a variety of sizes, typically 1-GB, 2-GB, and 4-GB modules.

To determine the maximum amount of RAM your computer can handle along with the speed, consult your PC owner's manual, which should show you the number of slots (the place where you insert the RAM), how much RAM each can take, and the maximum RAM your system can use.

Contact the manufacturer or use an online memory advisor, such as those from Crucial Technology or Kingston Technology. These memory advisors use information that you enter about your computer model and do a memory check for your specific PC that tells you which products work with your system.

To find out what kind of module you need, you can also open up your computer.

First, turn off the computer, but leave it plugged in so that it's automatically grounded. (Computers that should not remain plugged in will be clearly marked.)

Place the computer on a clean workspace and remove the cover carefully (you may need to use a screwdriver).

Touch the case to ground yourself. When you touch the case, it discharges static electricity that could otherwise damage your computer. (Note that some manuals recommend anti-static wrist straps, but this is not necessary for home users.)

Locate the RAM modules, which are green with black tubes, on the motherboard.

Now determine the type of module you have. You can identify the type by its appearance.

RDRAM is paired up (you have to put in two at a time) and has metal casing on one side.

DDR SDRAM is the most popular and looks like regular RAM but has one notch.

SDRAM (which is being phased out) has two notches.

Also note your RAM speed, which is usually written on the side of the existing chip (either 266 or 333).

If you don't have a free slot, remove one of the memory cards to check the number of notches on it. You will replace the smaller of the two RAM modules.

Buy RAM.

RAM = random access memory. RAM is the primary working memory in a computer used for the temporary storage of programs and data and in which the data can be accessed directly and modified.

RAM is measured in bytes: 1 gigabyte (GB) = 1,024 megabytes (MB) = 1,048,576 kilobytes (KB)

 

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