Wringing every dollar out of your Computer
November 13, 2008
Times are tough
The news is depressing, your budget is shot, and your computers are younger than dirt but not by alot. So, what are you gonna do when you need new systems?When your computers get slower and slower while the fear of them dying (and killing your budget with it) grows daily?
There is an answer and it costs little but pays huge dividends.Do basic maintenance on a routine schedule along with backing up your data.It’s just that simple.And the upside is huge.
Think about it.And you save a ton of money if you can keep your computer running, and running longer.Your ROI increases with every day you get additional work out of your existing computers (with a little maintenance assist). The downtime for changeover of systems is reduced saving labor cost. Just build a schedule of simple and quick tasks to keep your computers running longer and faster along with having the “insurance policy” of a quality offsite backup and your money ahead.
So here’s what you need to do:
Keep your Antivirus up to date
Updating your virus scanner is the most important thing you can do for your computer. New viruses are discovered daily. If you don’t update your antivirus program, you are taking a big risk.A virus scanner can’t prevent what it doesn’t know about. Daily updating is the only way to keep damaging viruses at bay. Most virus scanners will automatically update themselves with no intervention on your part. Having a antivirus program with this capability is a must.
Keep your Operating System Up to Date
You not only need to keep your antivirus updated, but also your Operating System (Windows,Linux, MAC). Windows update center for your Windows machines. YUM, DEB, or APT for Linux. And Apple has the aptly named Software Update. You should set whichever system you have to update itself at least weekly. Folks who neglect this are leaving their computers vulnerable for hackers and other attacks.
Do a Little, Save a Lot
If you have a car, you follow a maintenance schedule. You should do the same for your computer. Once a week delete your Temporary Internet files.Check for updates to your antivirus software daily. Keep your computer safe from spills (soda is NOT good for keyboards).And don’t be afraid to get the vacume cleaner out and get all the dust off your computer and keyboard. Dirt makes computers run hotter and that shortens the life of your computer.Just follow this schedule and your computer should last longer.
Back up your Data
Even with all the preventative maintenance in the world the inevitable will occur.Your computer will fail. The fear of this is the number one reason people buy new computers even if their current system is perfectly good.But take a moment to think about this. You can invest a small amount of money for remote online backup of your data and large part of that fear can be elimenated. The newer Internet Attached Storage services are much like antivirus software. Inexpensive, easy to use, and they update your backups automatically.
How much longer can you keep a computer running fast and efficiently with a little maintenance and prevention? I have a system built in 1996 that I’m writing this article on right now. Every day I look to make sure the virus scanner is up and running. I make sure the icon for my remote online backup software is there. I keep the keyboard clean, and clean the computer itself every week.I’ve only upgraded the hard disk and replaced a power supply. That’s it. Now that’s what I call ROI.