Computer System Tune-Ups

Ten minutes of maintenance is worth a day of tearing your hair out - especially when it comes to computers. Whether you're running Windows, Mac OS, or another operating system, maintenance and tweaking can help keep your system purring like a well-fed cat.

First things first. Before you begin any system maintenance (and as a good rule of thumb), back up essential files (system files and any work that's irreplaceable) by saving them to storage media such as disks, tapes, CD-ROMs, or (if you're on a network) other computers.

You can manually back up files by saving them individually to other media or you can use backup software (find descriptions and recommendations at StorageCafe, and read more about backing up files. After the initial global save, most backup software only archives information that changes within a period you specify, which saves time and disk space. Backup software can help ensure you don't forget to save crucial files and, because you can generally schedule it to run automatically (e.g., when you're off the computer), it can guarantee that your files are backed up even when you can't find time to save them yourself.

Next, install and run a virus protection program. Anti-virus programs can squash bugs in your system and eliminate problems caused by those bugs. Norton AntiVirus 5.0 is the leading virus protection and disinfectant program for both Windows (US $59.95) and Mac OS (US $69.95). You can find it at Symantec Norton AntiVirus. If you're a PC user, read up on viruses at the Virus Encyclopedia; Mac users should browse MacVirus.

Windows Pains Are freezing systems, "divide by zero" errors, or scary "fatal exception" messages all too familiar? Has "the blue screen of death" had you holding your breath and rebooting? For an overview of these problems and others that pop up in Windows 95 and 98 (and, less frequently, the more stable Windows NT? see Windrivers.com. Chances are that you can avoid a lot of PC problems the same way you avoid problems with your car: by performing scheduled maintenance.

Exact methods for tuning up systems can vary between Windows versions. The Windows Guide at ZDWindows.com is a great place to find Windows tech help and advice. Check out Super Windows Tips (under all Windows versions), Windows 95 Super Guide and Make Windows Work! (under Windows 95), 40 Ways To Make Win 98 Fly, (under Windows 98), and Performance (under Windows NT then Tech Support). Another ZDNet site, PCComputing-Instant System Tune-Up, can help you supercharge your system.

Annoyances.org offers a collection of tips and advice contributed by actual Windows users. Divided into Windows 95 and Windows 98 annoyances, it offers help on customizing your system, dealing with third-party software, troubleshooting, networking, and more.

CNET has help, news, hacks, tips, Q&As, and tons of articrles for each version of Windows. Click Operating Systems (under Software), then name your Windows poison. Links on each page lead to more information. If you're running Windows 98, be sure to review Maintain It: Care and Feeding of Windows 98 and Your PC to round out your approach to desktop maintenance.

If all else fails, go to the horse's mouth. Your included system Help files are searchable, extensive, and even occasionally helpful (if you can understand their wording). The Windows Home Page also offers a few support options. Hit Support in the upper right corner, then Resources on the resulting page for access to software and system updates as well as the Tech Library. Unfortunately, the Windows Home Page isn't the best resource for system maintenance help: the site is slow, items are difficult to find, and information, once found, can be hard to understand.

Preventative Measures

Give yourself a boot. A boot disk lets you start your PC from its floppy drive if the hard drive fails (e.g., after a crash), and is an essential system accessory. Steps in making boot disks differ between Windows versions, but you can find instructions for the various procedures at NT Boot Floppy and How to Make an Emergency Boot Disk.

Resist installation. A lot of people reinstall Windows unnecessarily as an ultimate fix or even as routine maintenance. This is bad. Reinstalling your system can kill preferences, confuse your machine, and make your computing life worse than it was before. Instead of reinstalling, try software such as WinFix (US $39), which lets you save a working system set up so that you can quickly restore your system without the file fragmenting and general confunglement caused by reinstallation.

Go out on an (up)date. Use Windows 98's Web-based Update Wizard to scan for old drivers and system files on your PC. Update Wizard automatically updates your system via your modem from Microsoft's servers. McAfee Oil Change (US $19.95) performs essentially the same function for Windows 3.x, 95, and 98, scanning the Web and updating your system for you.

Make cleanliness a virtue. Use the Add/ Remove Programs applet in the Windows 95 or NT Control Panel or the Windows 98 Disk Clean Up tool to remove applications you don't use and to clear file fragments and other unnecessary information from your temp file directories, caches, and Recycle Bin. More space means more speed. Removing all the residual gunk files from your system can also alleviate system confusion and crashes. A clean-up software alternative for Windows 95, 98, and NT is Norton CleanSweep (US $39.95).

Schedule a tune up.

Windows 95 and 98 include a number of system utilities to make your hard drive run faster, smoother, and with fewer errors. Use Windows Disk Defragmenter regularly and especially before installing a new application or transferring a large number of files. It helps some programs run faster by re-ordering dusters of bytes so that related information is saved in adjacent blocks and can be accessed efficiently. Another Windows utility, ScanDisk, checks your hard drive for errors and physical damage. It can often repair damage before it causes usability problems. Finally, System File Checker tests program files, extensions, drivers, and other important system files to make sure they're current and uncorrupted (on NT, Error Checking performs some of the same functions). Windows 98 Maintenance Wizard lets you schedule automatic execution of the three utilities so that it doesn't interfere with your work--for example, while you're away from the computer. It's like a maid that cleans your house while you're away. Windows NT does not include a defragmenter; however, third-party software such as Norton Speed Disk (part of Norton Utilities for Windows, US $44.95) and Diskeeper by Executive Software (US $75) performs many of the same functions for NT workstations and servers. Although Windows 95/98 comes with a disk defragmenter, NT defragmentation requires an external utility such as Executive Software Diskeeper.

Cash in on your Registry.

The Windows Registry stores system configuration settings. Maintaining your registry call forestall system errors, and you should back up your Registry each time you install new software or hardware. You can also groom your registry to optimize and enhance system performance, troubleshoot problems, and make your computer more user friendly. For registry tips and tricks, see RegEdit:Windows Registry Guide. Registry Tips and Windows NT Tips, Registry Hacks, and More.

Mac Attacks

Newer Mac systems are more stable than old ones, but system freezes are still a fact of life for Mac users. Unfortunately, it takes more than love to keep your Mac healthy. A few simple preventative measures, however, can go a long way toward eliminating frequent freezes, interminable waits, and irritating operating errors.

Apple-Products-MacOS 8.6 is the official word on how to take care of your OS and desktop. Other general help sites include MacFixIt. MacTips from the Macintosh Guy, and MacSpeedZone.

An Apple(fix) a Day

Rebuild to power. Rebuild your desktop (restart while holding down Opt + Command) weekly or daily. This ensures that all of your programs and files show the correct icons and that the correct applications open when you access your hard drive. To make sure everything is in its proper place, rebuild twice during consecutive restarts. Rebuilding Your Desktop File elaborates on what your desktop file is and why you should rebuild it.

Take up slack. At least once a month, return misplaced files to their proper locations, remove all files except alias icons from your desktop, get rid of extraneous files (Trash files, old Read Messages and installer logs, unused extensions and preference files, and browser caches), and run Disk First Aid (included with the OS) to catch major problems. The Mac OS's internal diagnostic tools are pretty weak, but a small investment will get you robust software such as Norton Utilities (Mac version: US $99.95), MicroMat TechTool (US $94.95), and Alsoft DiskWarrior (US $69.95). If you have Mac OS Extended format, only use compatible versions of utilities software: Non compatible utilities - especially disk optimizers -- can seriously damage your hard drive. See Macworld's Timely Mac Tune-Ups for more tips on Mac maintenance.

Good Medicine

Whatever operating system you're using - Windows, Mac, Linux, Unix, OS/2, etc.-- it's better to do what you can to prevent problems from occurring in the first place than to deal with the lost data and system corruption those problems might eventually cause. Do your scheduled maintenance: back up, defrag, rebuild. if you spend a relaxed half hour each month on these tasks, you might avoid spending consecutive sleepless nights one month down the road. Think about it.