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Desktop Maintenance Tips
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  Contents:

  1. When is a Notebook preferable to a Desktop Computer?

  2. Should I upgrade the old Desktop or buy a New one?

  3. Do I go in for a locally-assembled Desktop or for a Branded one?

  4. Cleaning Desktop Computers

  5. Maintaining Desktop Computers


When is a Notebook preferable to a Desktop Computer?

A Desktop PC has unmatched processing power and upgradeability as well as the ability to take on Add-ons, in comparison with a Notebook PC. It is also priced significantly lower than a Notebook PC, because of which the Desktop form factor will remain universally appealing for a lot more time to come.

 

You should go in for a Desktop Computer rather than a Notebook Computer, if one or more of the following apply to you:

  1. You will be working from the same spot, do not need to be mobile while computing

  2. You require a good amount of processing power - including graphics processing abilities. This is the case if you plan to run larger applications like Relational Databases, CAD/ CAM software, comprehensive medical diagnostics applications, even PC Games requiring high graphics processing capabilities. A Notebook with these functions would cost 3 to 5 times as much as a Desktop Computer!

  3. You are likely to upgrade your Computer in the near future. A Notebook has very limited upgrade options, whereas virtually any part of a Desktop can be upgraded - and that too, at half the cost!

  4. The Power situation at your work spot is either good, or you can make do with an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). Clean Power is vital for the functioning of a Desktop, not so important for a Notebook Computer. Remember, a UPS gives a back-up time of about 15 minutes alone - just sufficient time for you to save whatever you were working on when the electricity failed, and shut down your Computer!

  5. You do not have a space problem and can easily accommodate a Desktop

To keep your Desktop PC (and your investment) in a trouble-free, healthy and efficient running condition at all times here are the important steps you need to take. These are very elementary, yet neglected by users due to ignorance. Do begin maintaining your WellOiledPC by running through the following list:

 

  1. For God's sake, use legitimate software. Anything else and whatever else we write in here would be of no assistance to you, if you use pirated software!

  2. Your Monitor (or LCD Screen) would be 15" or more in size - 14" Monitors went out of fashion (and production) a long time ago! The screen size is specified by the diagonal size in inches of your Monitor or LCD Screen. A well-configured Monitor should have almost zero wasted space along the 4 edges. If there are wasted spaces on one or more edges of your CRT Monitor, you need to manually adjust the Horizontal or Vertical Size, so that this is corrected. LCD Screens are built such that there is zero wasted space along each of their four edges.

  • On a 15" Monitor/ LCD Screen, your Screen Resolution should be a minimum 1024 x 768. If you are using anything lesser (640 x 480 or 800 x 600 resolution), you are not utilizing your screen space optimally, even if there is zero wasted space along its four edges. As a consequence of your non-optimal screen settings, you would be forced to scroll both horizontally and vertically for most spreadsheets, e-Mail, pictures, etc., since most documents (as well as this site, as mentioned in the left frame) are today formatted to be best viewed under 1024 x 768 screen resolution. On the other hand, on a 15" Monitor or Screen, resolutions higher than 1024 x 768 would result in extremely small text and therefore, unnecessary strain on your eyes!

  • If you have a larger Monitor or Screen (say a 17" or a 19"- maybe even a 21" Screen), check out the manufacturer's recommended screen resolution. Better still, explore the different possible screen resolutions yourself and choose the one you like best - after all, it is your Personal Computer!

Click this link to understand how to check out the various screen resolutions and select the one you like best!

To view what are the software programs that run each time you start Windows, click this link.

  1. Your machine has finite memory, but there are a number of tempting programs - freeware, adware, shareware and commercialware, out there. If you install too many software, it will strain your Windows. Especially while starting up and possibly while shutting down as well. A list of all your startup programs can be seen in your Windows Start Bar, towards the right side. Each of these programs consumes a small chunk of Memory (RAM), thus leaving that much less for your main programs to use! Unfortunately, many software do not even ask you whether you would like it to be placed in your startup! Therefore, it is worth the effort to periodically check and remove all unnecessary Windows startup programs. To remove/ disable one or more programs from Windows Startup, check out the freeware program StartupRun by clicking here!

  2. Main Memory - more popularly called Random Access Memory or simply RAM, is one of the most important resources your PC should have sufficient quantities of. A machine with the latest processor will crawl through a simple application, if it has insufficient RAM. On the other hand, even a 4-year old PC can run a big, resource-intensive application fairly comfortably, if it has lots of RAM.

  3. You should have sufficient free space on your Hard Disk: ensure that you have a minimum of about twice your RAM, as free space on your Hard Disk. To understand the equations between speed of your PC and the amount of free space you should have, click here!

  4. The more free space you have, the better it is, in terms of your PC's performance. As your Hard Disk fills up with more programs and data files, your PC's performance will begin to slow down. This is due to two factors - the reduction in free space on your Hard Disk (as discussed in the previous point) as well as increasing fragmentation of your program and data files. Fragmentation results in longer times to seek out the program/ data, from your Hard Disk. You should run Disk Defragmenters regularly, so that your files - including Windows system files - are not chopped into too many bits and spread all over your Hard Disk. Windows has a built-in Disk Defragmenter called ScanDisk, which is okay for basic file de-fragmenting. To read more about de-fragmenting and managing your Hard Disks, click here!

  5. Your Windows Registry is one crucial Windows Operating System file. It contains vital information about your Windows preferences, the location of various installed software and a host of other information that Windows needs, to start itself up every time you boot up. Use a Registry Editor to check and repair your Windows Registry. There are a number of paid and free Windows Registry Cleaners/ Optimizers, as well as Windows' own built-in Registry Editor, called RegEdit. However, editing the Registry is something that even experts botch up once in a while. You should therefore never attempt to edit your Windows Registry yourself! We at WellOiledPC would never recommend a freeware solution too, for something as critically important as managing your Windows Registry. We recommend you purchase UniBlue's excellent Windows Registry program, called Registry Booster. Here is the purchase link for Registry Booster! WellOiledPC brings you a Free Registry scan as well as the link to purchase Registry Booster at best prices, right below!

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WellOiledPC Tip:

Norton SystemWorks (NSW), now in Version 2007, is a Complete Disk Management Solution with an excellent module for checking and fixing your Windows Registry. The program is very interactive, you are not required to know anything at all about your Windows Registry! Choose the Default Option when repairing the Windows Registry the NSW way, i.e., let NSW handle all corrections automatically. We have never yet seen NSW go wrong - and we have been using NSW right from the DOS days, when it was called Norton Disk Doctor!

 

In the unlikely event that NSW does go wrong for whatever reason, you have a simple, intuitive method of reverting to the Windows Registry settings, just prior to its attempted repair. Its highly unlikely that you will have to click on the revert button, though!

Norton SystemWorks is Highly Recommended by WellOiledPC

  1. Make sure you have;

    • an updated and patched OS at all times
    • a good Antivirus Solution, patched and updated at all times
    • a good AntiSpam Solution, patched and updated at all times

Check out the link, Keeping PCs welloiled, for indicative frequencies for updating and patching your OS, Antivirus and AntiSpam solutions.

  1. Ensure that you have taken the recommended steps for protecting your PC from Power and Climatic variations.

Check out the link, Protecting your PC against power and climatic variations to ensure that you have covered all possible variations of power and climatic conditions.


Should I upgrade the old Desktop or buy a New one?

It is very unlikely that you will get even a fraction of the amount you initially spent on a new Desktop Computer, when you sell it. (This is equally true with a Notebook as well!) With so many advances taking place so rapidly to virtually each aspect of Computers - be it the Processor, Memory, Hard Disk, Graphics - this is bound to happen. What is also bound to happen is that you will quickly begin to feel the need for greater speed from your Desktop! At this point, naturally, the question of whether to upgrade the old Desktop or to dump it and purchase a new Desktop will invariably come up.

 

The answer to this situation is to weigh the potential gain in overall performance from upgrading, vis-à-vis the cost of a new Desktop. Obviously this cannot be done on any web page, therefore we have the following general guidelines to assist you, so that you may take the best decision:

 

Upgrade or Purchase New?

Upgrade your existing PC if:

Purchase a new PC, if:

Your existing PC has a P4 processor running at 1.8 GHz or faster

Your existing PC's processor is older than a P4 1.8 GHz, whatever be the rest of the specifications.

Remember though, that you will have to virtually dump your old machine - you will get virtually nothing for your old Desktop!

You have 256 MB of RAM or lesser. Upgrade to a minimum of 1 GB RAM!

You have a 40 GB Hard Disk or lesser. You may either upgrade to a 120 GB Hard Disk (copying all your programs and data from the older disk to the new one) or go in for a second Hard Disk.

Important Note:

If you purchase a new Hard Disk with a speed (measured in Revolutions per Minute - RPM) that is much higher than your old HDD's speed, you would not get the full benefits of higher speed from the new HDD. HDDs commonly come in RPMs of 5,400, 7,500 and 10,000 RPM. Also, check the kind of HDD Interface supported by your machine: older machines will not support the latest (and faster) SATA interface.


Do I go in for a locally-assembled Desktop or for a Branded one?

For your home, we recommend a locally-assembled Computer, if one or more of the following applies to you:

  1. You know someone who assembles Computers very well and trust him/ her to put in quality parts. In addition, the vendor agrees to install genuine Operating System, Antivirus and Antispyware, if you require this (and we STRONGLY recommend that you install genuine software!)

  2. Your local vendor is also prompt and knowledgeable, when you require after-sales service

  3. You have an extremely tight budget or plan to add more RAM/ a second hard Disk/ a Graphics Card/ Multimedia Speakers, etc., at a later date, when your budget permits you to do so

  4. The local assembler throws in a great bargain that you cannot or do not want to refuse!

Branded Computers usually ship with Genuine Operating System (OS). Make sure you are given either the OS (and other OEM software) or a Recovery CD that includes the OS and all other programs that are part of your Desktop Purchase List. The chances of Hard Disk crashes are very real, do not neglect this step, as you may otherwise have to purchase the software all over again!! Branded Computers do cost about 15% more. However if you are purchasing many PCs for your Office or Home Office, a branded desktop would be a better choice, as you are likely to get better support from well-known manufacturers.

 

Cleaning Desktop Computers

The more you use a Desktop, the more the number of wires, cables and attachments that will appear all around the computer! Therefore cleaning can become quite a delicate affair after a while! Here are a few guidelines with respect to cleaning Computers

  1. It is time to clean a Desktop when you spot dust around it. Dust and water are both extremely harmful to a computer!
  2. Make sure your Computer is switched off and you have pulled out all the power cords (that of the Desktop as well as other attachments like Printer, Speakers, etc.), before you begin cleaning it
  3. To remove dust - as opposed to merely re-distributing it around the Computer - it is best to use a slightly damp, lint-free cloth. We recommend that you get hold of any lint-free cotton cloth - or a soft, cotton t-shirt, wet it thoroughly and squeeze the water off it as much as you can. Gently wipe the computer clean with it, rinsing and squeezing dry as many times as required
  4. Clean each of the wires/ cables with the cloth too. If you use an Extension Cord for your Computer, it is a good idea to clean it as well, when you clean the Desktop
  5. If you are up to it - and if your Keyboard looks dirty, you may remove each of the Keys of the Keyboard by pulling it gently out of the Keyboard. Clean each key and press each one firmly back into its allotted space. Do not worry - if you are unsure about where a particular key should go, check it out by turning on the Computer and pressing various keys until you locate the correct spot! Note that certain keys - the Space Bar, the Enter Keys (both of them) and the Shift Keys are usually fixed a little different from the other, regular keys. These keys are bigger, therefore you should remove them for cleaning only if you know how they are to be put back!
  6. Now-a-days, most Computer Mice are light-operated. Optical Mice require very little maintenance - just wipe or gently scrape off the dust at the points where the Mouse touches the surface and your Mouse will be as good as new! If you still use the older Mechanical Mouse, you will need to clean the points where the Mouse touches the surface, the Marble-sized Ball inside the Mouse as well as the three thin Plastic Rollers inside the mouse. Note, to access the Plastic Rollers and Ball, you will need to open up the Mouse.
  7. Do not attempt to open the Desktop to clean it, a Desktop's insides accumulate dust more gradually.
  8. If you are cleaning the CD Drive, make sure to do so very gently - the CD Drive is a terribly flimsy piece of equipment! If required, you may run one of the CD/ DVD-cleaning CD/ DVD, available at almost all Music CD stores.
Maintaining Desktop Computers

Desktops are not designed for moving around, unlike Notebooks, which are designed for working while on the move. In a way, this makes it easier to maintain Desktops! Here are a few useful guidelines on maintaining Desktop Computers - if you have any other useful desktop maintenance practice that you have learnt from experience, do share your tip with us, we will gladly give you due credit!

  1. If the power supply at your work spot is cent percent reliable (for example if you have a Uninterruptible Power Supply [UPS] that provides sufficient backup for your Desktop), you may leave your Desktop on all the time. However if this is not the case, you need to switch off the Desktop each time you finish working on it. Even if your backup power supply takes no more than an instant to switch on, it is not good enough for a Desktop, as an instant of no power will result in the Desktop switching off abruptly. If this happens a few times, you are sure to find bad sectors on your hard disk, corrupted system or data files causing your desktop to crash and possibly, failed hardware components!
  2. If you need to switch off your Desktop, you MUST make it a habit to properly shut down the Operating System. Rudely turning the switch off is like the power going off abruptly! Wait for all the Desktop's lights to go off and for the Power Supply Fan to go silent, before switching the power switch off
  3. It is not uncommon for Desktops to suddenly refuse to boot up. If this happens right after you have moved it - or soon after a perceptible change in the weather, do not panic - it could be that one of the many Cards inside your Desktop has slipped out of its socket. If you are up to it, go ahead - switch the Desktop off, remove the screws, slide open the casing and peer inside your Desktop! Then gently, firmly, press each card and each cable into place. You do not need to remove anything - just a gentle and firm push on each card and each cable. Note that it is quite unlikely that you will hear or feel anything that was loose, now 'snapping' into position either! When you have finished nudging all cards and cables into position, switch on the Desktop and check whether your first aid measures have revived your Desktop! If it has, go ahead and grin from ear to ear! Shut down the Desktop, replace the cover and screws and pat yourself on the back for having saved yourself the trouble of calling over the computer technician and letting him rip you off! If your first aid does not revive your Desktop, it is clearly a malady that is a lot more deep-rooted. You need to then call in your friendly neighborhood computer technician... clean with it, rinsing and squeezing dry as many times as required
  4. Apart from Antivirus and Antispyware, investing in a Disk Management Utility such as Norton SystemWorks is a great idea - you could end up saving your data and/ or recovering from a serious error with minimum effort on your part, with a good Disk Manager installed on your Desktop! Do check out our section on Disk Managers by clicking here

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