Many times as small, medium or even large business owners we get so wrapped up in our work, that sometimes we forget about the basics. We get so busy striving for that next customer, or big promotion that we sometimes forget about the system we are using to generate these dollars.

Now I'm not talking about marketing basics, I'm talking about computer basics.

When was the last time you checked to see if your hard drive needed defragmenting?

When was the last time you did a complete backup of your system, in fact, when was the last time you did a backup?

When was the last time you went through your hard drive and deleted unneeded files?

When was the last time you, or you had someone pull the cover and blow out the inside of your computer and exhaust fan(s)? Exhaust fan??? Yeah exhaust fan. Read on dear readers!

Let me ask you, have you ever had a hard drive crash in your system? If you have been using a computer for any length of time then you probably have. If not, then be ready, it is gut wrenching, and major stress time, the first time it happens!

At least for most people, and then when the computer tech says "your hard drive is shot", you think so! He says I will have to put in a new hard drive, and then you can restore your data from your backup. Ah yes, the "ole backup."

"I don't have a backup", you say. Now this is when it is gut wrenching, the tech says "well I guess you have lost all your records and data then!" Not only would my gut be flipping, but my heart would fall through the floor!

So let's get back to basics. First you should go through your computer regularly and delete any old and unneeded files. Not only does this free up disk space, but it also makes it easier on your hard drive, especially when it has been defragmented and optimized.

Deframenting and optimizing is when a software utility goes through and re-indexes all the files and directories on your hard drive. As it re-indexes, it moves all of the files closer together in spot on the drive, and frees up space on the drive. This means when the little head scans across the platter in the drive, (much like a record player needle going across a record) it doesn't have to scan all over the platter to find files.

This is over simplified but gives you an idea of the process. Less scanning means less work for the drive. By the way, Windows 95 has a built in defragmentator, but have a backup before running any such utility for safety's sake.

Ok, we have discussed deleting old unneeded files, and optimizing your drive. Be sure to backup your files on a regular basis, the above scenario should be enough to make you want to backup right now! There are any number of means for backups, but to go into detail would be beyond the scope of this article. There are zip drives, tape drives, floppy disks though they are becoming outdated; because of their size limitation and today's hard drive and file sizes. And of course the new CD-ROM readers and writers.

The final thing is to regularly clean your computer. Pull the cover and spray out the dust, spray out the exhaust fan, oh yeah it is usually located in the back of the computer. That's the noise you hear when the system is running. Blow it out from the inside and outside several times. This keeps dust from accumulating and possibly shorting out or burning up the fan prematurely. If you are uncomfortable with removing the cover and doing this, have it done. If you do it, be sure to unhook the power cord first, and be careful as some circuits can still carry an electrical charge, so watch what you touch!

If you will follow the tips above, your computer's life span should be extended, and your computer will really like you a whole lot more. Oh that's right, they are just machines. Well you could fool me sometimes, mine seems to have a mind of its own at times.

Copyright 1999 Gary Knuckles
Mail-Co & BudgetWare Marketing

Gary Knuckles owns BudgetWare Marketing and Consulting and Mail-Co Marketing and Internet Resources
http://www.mail-co.com
mailto:gary@budgetware.com
For the FREE report: What files do I NOT delete? mailto:tuneup@mail-co.com

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