Spring Cleaning Your PCSpring Cleaning Your PC

Clean/Check your Hardware• Cable Management • Keyboard • Mouse • Printer• Possible Upgrades• Keyboard• Mouse • Memory

Dusting and Cleaning Your PC at Dusting and Cleaning Your PC at Home (Every 3-6 Months)Home (Every 3-6 Months)

Check Your Hard Disk For ErrorsCheck Your Hard Disk For Errors

You can help solve some computer problems and improve the performance of your computer by making sure that your hard disk has no errors.

Open Computer by clicking the StartStart button , and then clicking ComputerComputer.

Right-clickRight-click the hard disk drive that you want to check, and then click PropertiesProperties.

Click the ToolsTools tab, and then, under Error-checkingunder Error-checking, click Check NowCheck Now.

To automatically repair problems with files and folders that the scan detects, select Automatically fix file system Automatically fix file system errorserrors. Otherwise, the disk check will simply report problems but not fix them.

To perform a thorough disk check, select Scan for and Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectorsattempt recovery of bad sectors.. This scan attempts to find and repair physical errors on the hard disk itself, and it can take much longer to complete.

To check for both file errors both file errors and physical errorsphysical errors, select both Automatically fix file system errors Automatically fix file system errors and Scan for and Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors.attempt recovery of bad sectors.

Check Your Hard Disk For Check Your Hard Disk For ErrorsErrors

Click StartStart.

Depending upon the size of your hard disk, this may take several minutes. For best results, don't use your computer for any other tasks while it's checking for errors.

Check Your Hard Disk For Check Your Hard Disk For ErrorsErrors

Permanently Delete Files from the Permanently Delete Files from the Recycle BinRecycle Bin

When you delete a file from your computer, it is temporarily stored in the Recycle Bin. This usually gives you an opportunity to restore the file to its original location if you discover that the file should not have been deleted.

Permanently Delete Files from the Permanently Delete Files from the Recycle BinRecycle BinTo permanently remove files from the computer and reclaim any hard disk space they were using, you need to permanently delete files from the Recycle Bin. You can choose to delete individual files from the Recycle Bin or empty the entire Recycle Bin at once.

Open the Recycle Bin by double-clicking the Recycle Bin on the desktop.

Do one of the following:To delete one file, click it, and then press DELETEDELETE.To delete all of the files, on the toolbar, click Empty the Empty the Recycle BinRecycle Bin.

Disk CleanUpDisk CleanUpOpen Disk Cleanup Disk Cleanup by clicking the StartStart button, clicking All ProgramsAll Programs, clicking AccessoriesAccessories, clicking System ToolsSystem Tools, and then clicking Disk Cleanup. Disk Cleanup.

In the Disk Cleanup Options the Disk Cleanup Options dialog boxdialog box, choose whether you want to clean up your own files only or all of the files on the computer.

Click to view movie

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Delete-files-using-Disk-Cleanup

Disk Disk CleanUpCleanUp

If the Disk Cleanup Drive Disk Cleanup Drive Selection dialog box appears, select the hard disk drive that you want to clean up then click OKOK.

Click the Disk Cleanup tabDisk Cleanup tab, and then select the check boxes for the files you want to delete.

When you finish selecting the files you want to delete, click OKOK then click Delete files Delete files to confirm the operation. Disk Cleanup proceeds to remove all unnecessary files from your computer.

Disk DefragmentationDisk Defragmentation

Disk defragmentation describes the process of consolidating fragmented files on your computer's hard disk.

Fragmentation happens to a hard disk over time as you save, change, or delete files. The changes that you save to a file are often stored at a location on the hard disk that's different from the original file. Additional changes are saved to even more locations. Over time, both the file and the hard disk itself become fragmented, and your computer slows down as it has to look in many different places to open a file.

Disk Defragmenter is a tool that rearranges the data on your hard disk and reunites fragmented files so your computer can run more efficiently.

Disk DefragmentationDisk Defragmentation

How to Perform a Disk Defragmentation

Open Disk Defragmenter by clicking the StartStart button, clicking All ProgramsAll Programs, clicking AccessoriesAccessories, clicking System ToolsSystem Tools, and then clicking Disk. Click Defragment NowDefragment Now.

Disk Defragmenter might take from several minutes to a few hours to finish, depending on the size and degree of fragmentation of your hard disk. You may still use your computer during the defragmentation process.

Clean up Internet Clean up Internet Explorer's Cache/HistoryExplorer's Cache/HistoryFrom the Start Menu, go to SettingsSettings, Control Panel, Internet OptionsControl Panel, Internet Options, and click the Delete Delete button in the area titled "Temporary Internet Files and "Temporary Internet Files and Cookies"Cookies"

Get Into the HabitGet Into the Habit

Maintain your computer on Maintain your computer on a regularly scheduled a regularly scheduled

maintenance plan. Not only maintenance plan. Not only will this will ensure optimal will this will ensure optimal

performance from your performance from your system but a partnership system but a partnership

between you and your between you and your computer!computer!

REMEMBER…a CLEANCLEAN computer is a HAPPY HAPPY computer!