It's difficult to keep a computer functioning well if it's in a poor environment. There are three factors to consider: temperature, air quality, and electricity. For most computers, room temperature should be between 15.5 to 29.5 degrees Celsius.

Air quality is important because computers require air circulation to prevent overheating. There are two rules: The vents on the monitor, case, and printer need a good three to four inches of space (roughly the width of your hand from thumb to small finger) to get good air flow. Move them away from any cables or cubicle walls blocking them.

Electricity is a key factor in determining the longevity of your computer. So-called "dirty" electricity (blackouts and fluctuations etc) will damage your computer, and your files, far more effectively than any virus. A good protection for this is using a stabilizer and an uninterruptible power supply or UPS.

2.   Verify Your Electronic Setup

Automation is the name of the game when it comes to preventive computer maintenance for a busy organisation. There are three items that you must automate: virus protection, critical software updates, and computer firewalls that are either part of the operating systems (such as Windows XP's firewall) or part of your antivirus software.

3.   Monthly Preventative Maintenance

Once a month, perform two tasks: Clean your temporary files and empty your trash or recycle bin (you can do this with the "Disk Cleanup" utility in Windows XP) and defragment your computer (you can do this by running the Disk Defragmenter utility in Windows XP).

4.    Annual Computer Maintenance

There are two aspects to this process: electronic and physical.

The electronic tune-up consists of the regular monthly maintenance plus a disk scan of your hard drives and a manual check of all software for updates. In Windows XP, utilize the Check Disk utility ­ check both boxes to fix file-system errors and scan for bad sectors.

The physical tune-up, while short (it takes five to ten minutes from start to finish), might seem intimidating at first. Don't let it scare you, though. There are only five simple steps: unplug, unplug, look, lift, and dust. However, I recommend that this be done by someone with at least basic technical skills.

First, turn off and unplug your computer and your monitor. Next, unplug the rest of the cables from the computer case, including the network cable, the printer cable, and so on. Inspect the cabling for any broken or frayed bits. If you have a laptop, take out the battery. For desktop computers, unscrew the case (generally in the back) and lift it off (some computers, like Dell and HP, have flip cases that you open by pressing a plastic button). Now, with the hose and bristle-sweep attachment of your vacuum, clean off the air vents on the outside of the computer case, the monitor, and the keyboard (and the docking station if you have a laptop). Then, gently vacuum out the dust from inside the case. This is not a detailed spring cleaning; go lightly and quickly (it should take you less than 30 seconds).

5.    Independent "Health Check"

At least once every 18 months, if not yearly, ask someone you trust, or who comes recommended, to do a "health check" of your systems and processes. You want this done by an IT professional who is a generalist, skilled in both software and hardware issues. You want personalized advice focused on your technology, organisation and environment.

Final Thoughts

If your organisation has more than 30 computers, you may find it challenging to consistently take time away from your mission to devote to this maintenance routine. If this is the case, consider asking for help from a local technology service provider or an independent IT contractor. Likewise, if you are uncomfortable handling this maintenance, seek help from a professional.

This Tech Tip was compiled by the WOUGNET Technical Support Team. Extracted from an article by John Avellanet <http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/hardware/page6006.cfm>