TIS How to maintain your Computer to keep the speed you paid for

Think of your computer as a toy chest.  You play with something and when you are done with it you toss it back in the box.  Every time you do this, your "toys" get more mixed up.  Eventually, if Mom and Dad don't re-sort your toys, games, and puzzles, you can't find all the parts of anything to play.

Visualize your RAM (Random Access Memory) as a hand reaching into your hard drive to pull out a program to run.  If that "hand" has to look all over your hard drive for the parts to the program, it can use up all its energy just opening the program, let alone running it.

Maintenance Wizard
It can be found by clicking on Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools. Or, click on Start, go to Help and search for "Maintenance."

1. Disk Cleanup -- delete *.tmp and other un-needed files

2. Scandisk -- check for file system errors and bad sectors on your hard disk and make corrections.  Make sure you check "thorough."

3. Disk Defragmenter -- re-arranges files, programs, and unused space on your computer's hard disk, so that programs run faster and files open more quickly.

Windows 98 and ME have Maintenance Wizard listed in the same place.  Set up the Wizard to run weekly at a time you don't normally run the computer (i.e.:  in the wee hours of the morning).  Make sure your PC is turned on at that time and not running Screen Saver or anything else that causes activity (which will kick off Defragmenter).  File Cleanup will only take a minute or two.  Scandisk can take up to 5 to 15 minutes.  Disk Defragmenter can run 15 to 30 minutes.  It all depends on the condition of the PC so schedule each part far enough apart in the above order.

After Maintenance is completed, make sure you re-start your computer before you try to do anything because you will be low on RAM by then.