The software side has to do with the programs and applications that are installed on the computer. The Windows operating system is a piece of software. ITunes, Internet Explorer, Adobe Reader, Microsoft Office, etc. are all examples of software.
To ensure your machine runs as efficiently as possible, you need to be sure both the hardware and software aspects of your PC are maintained. If you recall last issue, we discussed maintenance on a number of aspects of the hardware using Disk Defrag and Disk Cleanup. We emphasized cleaning out the inside of the PC regularly, as computers are somewhat of a dust magnet.
This article pertains to the software side of things. We will discuss a few ways to keep the software on your PC running as efficiently as possible.
One analogy that I use often when discussing PC maintenance is comparing the maintenance on your PC to the maintenance on your automobile.
When driving your car you expect it to react and respond a certain way because that is what you have become accustomed to over time. So when you step on the gas your car will respond the same way all the time. If for some reason it does not respond the way you expect it to, or you hear noises that you never heard before. it gets your attention, and if this new response occurs frequently, at some point you either look into the issue yourself or bring the car in to a professional.
Your computer is the same way. You usually perform the same tasks on your PC day in and day out to the point where you expect your it to respond a certain way depending on what you are asking of it. If for some reason the program responds differently than it normally does, this is the first sign that something may be wrong.
When this happens there are a couple of things you can do to attempt to get your PC back to responding the way you expect it to. One is to check to see if Windows has any updates available.
Updates are important as they are created to address known issues within a given product. So by having the latest updates installed, you know your software is running optimally.
To check for Windows Updates on Windows Vista or Windows 7, left click the start logo in bottom left and in the box, you are presented with type Windows Update. This should present you with the Windows Update program. Click on the program and you will be connected to the Windows Update website. In Windows XP left click Start, All Programs. Windows Update option should be at the top of the list you are presented with.
If there are any updates available for your PC, download them and install them. Another approach you can implement is to ensure the program you are working with has the latest updates installed also. For example if you are working in Microsoft Word and it does not respond appropriately, check to see if Microsoft has put out any updates or Service Packs for Microsoft Office.
Both of these examples are more of a reactive type of approach. To be more proactive you can check on these types of software updates before your PC begins acting oddly. Just be sure all software and drivers on your PC have the latest updates available from the manufacturer.
Another area that should be reviewed periodically involves the programs you have installed on your PC. Over time, more and more applications get installed on your computer as you may find something of interest, install it, then decide it is not for you. After a while, you may have numerous applications that have been installed but are never used. Removing these applications if they are not needed will streamline your PC to ensure that only the programs you use are taking up space.
This can be accomplished again through the Control Panel. In Windows XP, it is Add/Remove Programs. In Windows Vista and seven, it is Programs and Features. Once in this area remove the applications that you have installed on your PC over time that you no longer use. Note of Caution is that if you did not install the application do not uninstall as there are programs in this area that have been installed for a specific purpose on your PC and uninstalling these may render some programs unusable.
Besides ensuring all programs have the most recent updates applied and unwanted applications are removed, there are a couple of programs that I use to cleanup unwanted files on the PC as well as search for files that have been known to cause issues on PC’s. These programs are Malwarebytes and SuperAntiSpyware. These programs can be downloaded for Free from download.cnet.com. Once installed on your PC you can run them anytime you feel the need.
Avast Antivirus is another free program that can be downloaded from download.cnet.com, and in my opinion it is one of the best Free Antivirus programs out there. Word of caution: before you install Avast, make sure you do not have any other antivirus program installed on the PC.
If used correctly these programs, along with scheduled maintenance should keep your PC running in tip top shape.
As always if, you have any questions you would like answered send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and we will do our best to answer them.
