Being a computer technician pays

nice money and has for a very long time. Why?well,mainly

because a lot of new computer owners fail to learn how to use

and maintain there new computer.

Before purchasing my first computer back in 1998,I took an 8 hour

class on the basics of operating a windows 95 system based

computer..Even with the class,within the first few months,I

had crashed the computer 3 times. This gives you

somewhat of an idea about what we have here today..Alot of

people now are getting computers because there friends have

one,or to just get into the chat rooms,or the adult

sites..point being..they dont know how to use a

computer,much less maintain one.

To save yourself

allot of money and needless trips to the computer shop for

repairs,there are a series of very simple steps you can take

to keep your new computer running fast and

efficient. Myself,I have windows xp home edition

running on my computer. I find it to be the best system out

there at the moment.The choice is of course yours as to what

operating system you install on your machine.

When you get your new computer home and you configure an internet

connection,the first thing I recommend that you do is to get

to the windows update site. The site will automatically

update your new operating system with files to prevent

people on other computers from accessing your data.

Next step is to install an anti-virus and spyware program on

your computer.

If your buying a new computer from a big

outlet,this is usually included with your purchase but not

always.Make sure to inquire about this when purchasing your

computer. Both these programs,the anti-virus and the

anti-spyware are a must have in today’s computer age..You can

get good information from Google (http://www.google.com).

Just type in anti-virus in the search box..you will get

choices for a lot of programs..same for the

anti-spyware.

Over time,you will visit a lot of

websites..Most of these sites has what are called

“cookies”.These are little embedded packages of

data(files),that the sites you have visited leave on your

computer to track your browsing habits. After awhile,these

files need to be purged,deleted from your

computer.

Other files that need to be purged at

least once a week,are your temporary internet files and your

history files. Failing to do this will really slow down

your computer to a crawl and possibly cause a system

crash,meaning you will have to re-install your operating

system.

When you open up internet explorer,at the

top left of the page,you will see options..Look for the

Tools option.Left click “Tools”,then left click “Internet

Options”.From there it should be straight forward for

you.After you have deleted your temporary internet files and

history files,click “OK” I do this at least once a

day,really keeps my computer running fast.

You will need to defragment your files on your hard drive at least once a month.

Over time,if this is left undone,your programs will run slower,your computer will not be running at maximum efficiency. To do this,left click the start button,look for accessories,look for disk defragmentor.Run the program. You will find that if you have not done this for a long time,it will make a big difference in the overall performance of your computer.

For computer users with a DSL or Cable modem:

Sometimes you will notice that your browsing speeds are slower,the websites that your visiting are taking a long time to load.A remedy to this is shutting the computer off,disconnect your modem from the modem box for a few minutes..reconnect the modem and turn your computer back on. This is called renewing the modem. I do this a few times a week and my speeds are always fast.

Now im going to share with you,some things you can do about whats

inside of your computer “the case”or your computers

“hardware”. No matter how clean the surroundings

where you have your computer placed,over time,alot of dust

and particles gather on the inside..your motherboard,inside

the power supply,on your cpu,all your

cards”video,sound,etc.” I clean the inside of my computer

every 3 months and I recommend all new users do it also.

Here is how to do it: First,before you do anything,make sure

the computer is unplugged from the outlet and is completely

turned off! Next is to get a screwdriver for those little

round screws you will need to undo to get inside your

case. When both sides of the case are removed,you will

need a can of compressed air..you can buy this from any

computer store for under 5 dollars. You then spray all

the areas inside the case..you will see the dust and dirt

flyng off from the places you sprayed. Doing this 4

times a year(every 3 months)Is a great way to save a lot of

money and keep your computer running like its brand

new.

I hope you all have enjoyed my

computer tips.

Sincerely,

William