Keep a Computer Healthy
- Moffat, Ethan
- Karen Park
- Brenden, Kate
All computers need regular maintenance to keep them running effectively as well as ensure the security of the system. While modern operating systems do many maintenance tasks automatically, there are still additional tasks that need to be performed on a regular basis. With an established maintenance routine, a computer will run more reliably.
Click any of the above links to view more information about how to perform a specific task. We recommend performing these steps at least once per month, or more often for heavily used computers.
As of April 8th, 2014, Microsoft has ended support for Windows XP. As a result, computers running Windows XP will be vulnerable to any new security threats. Personal computers running Windows XP should be upgraded to a newer operating system as soon as possible. See Microsoft Campus Volume License for more information on how to obtain a new operating system from CIS.
Computer Running Slowly
Computers begin to run more slowly when the amount of available resources is less than the computer requires. This can be caused by spyware, viruses, too many applications running (especially in the task bar), failing hardware, or not enough disk space or computer memory (RAM). Performing a spyware scan as well as a virus scan can eliminate some of the problems that are causing the slowness.
Having multiple anti-virus programs installed will do more harm than good. Installing both Norton and McAfee will result in files being scanned twice, bringing the system to a crawl.
If these steps do not resolve computer slowness, contact the CIS HelpDesk or a local repair vendor.