Maintain Your Computer – Keep Your Business Running

Maintaining your computer is extremely important – especially if you are an Internet Marketer. As you know,

without your computer, your business can
come to a screeching halt. There are 4 important steps in which

you can perform on a regular basis, to help protect your computer and your livelihood.

First line of

defense, invest in quality virus software. Be it Norton AntiVirus, McAfee Virus Software or another software

program, protect yourself and
your computer.

I personally have set Norton to run every evening. It may

seem like a hassle when you’re trying to get a project done, however, a 10 minute break in
the action is far

better than a one or two days of down time – and possible loss data, if your computer crashes. And trust

me, I’ve learned this from experience.

Second line of defense, invest in ad ware software. I use

Ad-Aware SE Personal – you can get the freeware version or the shareware version – the decision is yours.

I’m currently using the freeware version, but will eventually
be going to the paid version for added

protection. Anyway, Ad-Aware SE will protect your computer from such critters as, data-mining, scumware,

parasites, mulware, browser hijackers, to name just a few.

A third line of defense is to always backup

your data. Even though you don’t want to hear this, realize that your hard-drive can either go belly up or

crash. It is always better to have a backup – it shortens the down time.

Just a side note, when I was

working in the corporate world, I had the misfortune of having a supervisor that was computer illiterate. My

computer started to make sounds similar to that of a seagull. I told my supervisor that I thought my

hard-drive was going out. She did not want to believe me, and stated “We do not have the money in our

budget for a hard-drive”. I found that to be a rather crass remark and waited nervously for my hard-drive to

make its exit. To make a long story short, two days later, I get a cryptic
statement flashing on my screen

that said “Back up your Hard-Drive - Error” -- than my hard-drive crashed and died. Amazing, they did have

$60 in their little old budget to get a new hard-drive. Now, how much do you suppose my supervisor’s

statement cost the company?

Fourth line of defense and maintenance, always clean out your temporary

Internet files. It uses up memory!

To clear out your temporary Internet files do the following:
1. Open

up your Internet connection.
2. Click On Tools, then Internet Options
3. Under the General Section you

should see a section
labeled “Temporary Internet Files”
4. Click on the button that says Delete

Cookies, and then the button that says Delete Files. When you click on delete files, a box will open up and

will ask you if you want to alsodelete off-line files – check that box, as well.

Within the General Section

you should also see a section called History. I decrease the number of days that I hold on to the pages that I

visited. Again, this helps to save memory.

These simple maintenance tips can keep your computer clean

and protected, which is extremely important when you’re making your living on the Internet.

Learn How Internet Firewalls Work To Keep Your PC Safe

Copyright 2006 Otis Cooper Not many of us intentionally leave our cars unlocked or the front of our homes open to strangers. But we often leave our computers wide open to anyone and everyone that may want to snoop. To get and keep our computers safe from hackers,or anyone wanting to have a look in our computers,we need the aid and assistance of something commonly called Firewalls. A Firewall can be hardware or software that acts as a gatekeeper to your computer. It does this by monitoring all internet traffic coming in and going out of our computers. They not only allow the passage of this traffic but inspects all,making sure it is safe and do not contain viruses,any spyware,or other malicious software. Firewalls control internet traffic in two methods: Packet filtering and stateful inspection. A Packet is a chunk of data and it contains the address of the computer it comes from and a destination address. Ok,so you're wondering what on earth is an IP Address.Well, it is an idenifier for your computer device.The format of an IP address is a 32-bit numeric address written as four numbers separated by periods. If the Firewall recognizes the Packet and its IP Address,or its Internet Protocol Address,it allows the Packet to pass. The Stateful Inspection method look at the some data in the Packet and compares key chunks of data to a large area that contains known,trusted information. to see if it is safe or if your computer is expecting the data.It aloso allow safe passage of data if all seems well.The Stateful Inspection method is preferred since it checks the data that have passed through your computer before. ALL ABOUT HARDWARE FIREWALLS Hardware Firewalls are devices that are designed to run software Firewalls.So why are there hardware firewalls,you ask.One big advantage of having a Hardware Firewall is that the computer don't have to do any work. The hardware running the software does all work,thereby leaving the CPU in the computer free to get on with other tasks.The CPU, or Central Processing Unit should be free as much as possible to keep the computer running at peak performance. ALL ABOUT SOFTWARE FIREWALLS WHAT FIREWALL PROTECT YOU FROM There are many creative ways that people use to access or abuse your computer when its not protected. Smeone is able to connect to your computer and control it in some form. This can range from being able to view or access your files to actually running programs on your computer.Some of the software Firewalls protect your computer from are the following. Email Bombs. Someone sends you the same e-mail hundreds or thousands of times until your e-mail system cannot accept any more messages. If you spend time on the internet often you will most likely experience this. Viruses. This is no doubt the most well known threat.A Virus is a small file which reproduces itself on other computers.Viruses may be harmless to wiping your hard drive clean. Firewalls may not protect you from all viruses.It would be worth your while to invest in good anti virus software as added protection.Once you invest in a Firewall,study its owner's manual to set it up. Once the Firewall has been installed and setup complete,take a minute to be sure its working.Test the Firewall by going online and visiting a security site.Go to www.grc.com and give their free Shields Up security test a try. If the Firewall pass,you will have the comfort of knowing your PC will have that added protection from someone stealing your credit card information or any valuable information. If you have not invested in a Firewall,won't wait to give one a try. Your critical files and programs will be much safer and you will have the knowledge of being able to install Firewalls on the PC of your friends,enemies,and everyone else in between.

How To Troubleshoot Your Computer's Video Display

Copyright 2006 Otis Cooper Troubleshoot Video Cards When you have problems with your video display,it can be something as simple as having the brightness turned down to a bad controller on the motherboard.If you have not done,first learn to identify the components of the video display system. When you look inside any open computer,see if you can locate the Video Card.Is your video card mounted in an adapter slot or is it integrated onto the motherboard.If the card is motherboard integrated,locate the jumpers that will allow the card to be disabled should you need to install another card. The Monitor is the second component in the video display and it must be compatible with your video card.Be sure the maximumn resolution of your video card and monitor are the same.Its even better to your a higher resolution display on your monitor. Go to http://www.ultimatepcrepair.com/photos.html to see a video card in an adapter slot and one that is motherboard mounted. Follow these procedures to correct any type of video display malfunction. NOTHING ON THE MONITOR As we first mentioned,chack the brightness and contrast buttons on the monitor to be sure they are not turned down. Yea,we know.This sounds a little silly to think this could be overlokked,but believe me,it really does. And while we're talking about simple checks,be sure the monitor is receiving power.If the power indicator light is out,remove the power cable and look for any bent or broken pins or connectors. Try to reboot the computer one or two times to be sure the system did not just lock up.If nothing happens,replace the cable with a known good cable to prove that the wall outlet or surge protector has power. If the monitor has power but nothing is on the screen, check the data cable going into the rear of the computer. Be sure the cable is secure.If it is,Turn the power off to the system unit,remove the cable and look for broken, loose,or bent pins. Finally,if you're blessed enough to have two computers, exchange the monitor with a good monitor to see if it works.Replace the old monitor if the new monitor works. If the new monitor fail as well,remove the system cover to inspect the Video Card. MONITOR WORKS BUT NO DISPLAY When the Monitor is known to be good but its screen is still blank,the Video Card is the most likely culprit.First inspect the card to be sure it is fullly seated in its slot if it is adapter slot mounted. Check the jumpers of any motherboard mounted card to be sure a jumper has not been lost or loose.If you have been inside your system,its always a possibility to have moved the card. MONITOR WORKS BUT POOR DISPLAY If your monitor works but the images appear fuzzy,or flickering often,and the text are hard to read,it may be time to adjust the video card's resolution and the refresh rate. Right click the desktop,select properties and open the display properties dialog box.Choose the tab for settings and adjust the slider to change your display resolution.Most 17-inch monitors will have a resolution of 800 x 600 but choose the best resolution for your eyes. After adjusting the resolution,check the display to see if all flickering and other problems have vanished. If not,optimize the refresh rate.The refresh rate is the rate in which the video card redraws the screen.Lower refresh rates sometimes cause flickering. To adjust this rate,open the display properties dialog box in the desktop, and choose the settings tab once again.Click the advanced button and choose the adapter tab if your operating system is Windows 98. If you have Windows XP,choose the Monitor tab.And from there you can set the refresh rate to about 70Hz or 70 Hertz.Check your monitor's manual or web site to see the maximum refresh rate for your monitor. To effectively maintain your video display,visit the supporting web sites for updated software patches and device drivers.Watch for new control software for your card that will greatly boost its performance. Take the time to clean the system unit case which will allow air to flow freely.This in turn will help keep the video components cool which will allow the card the perform smoothly. Rush over to www.ultimatepcrepair.com/photos.html and study the video components.Then open your PC ,locate the video card,and know if it is motherboard mounted or not.To learn much more in great detail, get the PC Super Pack with detailed video all about the video display system.

How To Properly Install A New DVD Drive With Ease

Copyright 2006 Otis Cooper When you are ready to begin installing your new DVD Drive,have plenty of room on your desk or table to work.Allow enough space to move around and to be able to move the system unit as well. Check to see if you have ample light.You may want to have a container to place small screws in.The system unit cover may have small screws and you don't want to lose them. After you have plenty of work space and ample lighting, prepare your mind as well.Make this and every other adventure of working on your computer educational and fun. Now go over to www.ultimatepcrepair.com/photos.html to familarize yourself with all components inside the PC. Take the time to study the actual components inside your computer.You'll be glad you did should something go wrong.Follow these steps to install your drive. REMOVE THE COMPUTER COVER First Turn off your computer and unplug all peripherals. Take notice of how you unplug or disconnect any devices. Second Remove the side panel of the tower system or the cover if you have a desktop.Place the panel in a safe place well out of the way. Third Before touching anything inside the system unit, remove electrical static charge from your body by touching a door knob or any unpainted metal surface. Fourth Remove the new drive from its protective wrapping and take the time to read through the manual. Be sure you have all components and save the box just in case it need to be returned. Fifth Check the jumper settings on the drive to be sure it is set to master.If you are adding this drive as a second drive,you will have to set one as master and one as the slave drive. Your manual should make this procedure quick and fast. A small pair of tweezers can be used to remove the small jumper to the correct position.Most drives are set to master by default. SLIDE NEW DRIVE IN COMPUTER Sixth Locate the drive bay for the cdrom drive.In most cases,its at the top of the case.If you are removing another drive,slide it out partially,disconnect cables, and slide the drive out completely.Take note of the location of all connections. If you are installing a new drive the first time,use a small screwdriver to pop off the 5.25 inch drive bay cover and bezel on the system unit case. Seventh Slide the new drive in partially and connect the data,sound,and power cables to the rear of the drive.Slide the drive in completely and use small screws to secure the drive to the case. In some cases,the drive is secured to the case with the use of Drive rails.These rails should be mounted on the old drive if you had to remove one.Check the drive's manual if your new drive came with side rails. When connecting the cable,carefully graps the cables by the ends and not the wires themselves.Carefully but firmly push the connectors into their sockets until you are certain of a good connection. If you are installing this drive as a second drive and have made this drive the secondary or slave drive, connect the drive to the center connector on the Ribbon cable.The master drive must be at the end. Eighth After all cables are re-connected to the drive and the drive is secured to the case,replace the system unit cover,reconnect all peripherals.Be sure the faceplate of the drive is flush with the front of the computer. SETUP YOUR NEW DVD DRIVE Ninth Boot up the computer and in nearly all cases,the operating system should detect the new drive and install the device driver if necessary. In most cases,new cdroms and dvd drives will not come with a cdrom or diskette with a device driver. Windows should install the drive with ease. Some new drives will come with a cdrom full of software,such as games,music,or movies.Check this cdrom for software utilities that you may need to help run and operate your drive. Tenth Check your new drive to see if Windows has recognized it.Click on My Computer and you should see the drives installed.Check for both drives if you installed the drive as a second drive. And that's it.You can now use the drive as a huge data backup.Or you may want to make movies. Whatever the case,check the drive for compatbility with other drives. Take the time to learn absolutely everything about that computer you're reading this with.Quickly master the art of installing not just the dvd drive, but all drives and other components.

How To Install Cable,DSL,Dialup Modems

Copyright 2006 Otis Cooper When you want to access the Internet,you want to have the fastest Modem connection possible.And the dialup modem will do if you want just email basic surfing. The faster cable or dsl are a must have for such internet downloads of large files,super faster web page access,and viewing videos online. Installing your new modem,whether its dialup,dsl, or cable,it can be a breeze when you both make the installation an education experience as well as having fun in the process. For this to happen,you must be prepared with the right equipment.High speed modems will need an ethernet card in most cases,for example. Let's take a deep down look at what it will take to get a new Internal or External modem up and running in your computer. While we're at it,we will see what it takes to install a cable or dsl modem as well.These modems are always external but will need a couple for parts in order to get that fast internet speed. CONNECT THE MODEM TO THE COMPUTER When installing your Modem,first right down the serial number for use should you need to contact technical support. External modems are connected to the computer with the RS232 cable.This cable is connected to the rear of the system at the serial port and the modem itself.Some modems will have this cable as a part of the modem. Internal modems are inserted in an expansion slot on the motherboard,unless its intergrated with the motherboard. Provide power to the external modem with the use of the adapter that with the modem.Internal modems get their power from the expansion slot right on the motherboard. After the modem has been installed,both the external and internal modem must be connected to the analog phone line.Plug one end of the phone cord to the jack labeled Line on the modem and the other into the phone jack.You can then connect your telephone to the phone jack on the modem. INSTALL MODEM SOFTWARE Now you can replace the system unit cover if you are installing an internal modem.And after all peripherals are re-connected to the computer, boot the computer. With external modems,simply turn the computer and modem on.See if the power indicator is on. If you have Windows 98 installed,insert the floppy disk or cdrom containing the device driver into the appropriate drive when the "add new hardware" screen appears.Follow the instructions on the disk to install the device driver. Be sure to read the modem install manual carefully to be sure all installation procedures were followed. Click on fininsh once Windows find and install the device driver. Users of Windows XP have an updated list of device drivers which may be present.Its best to use the disk when installing the software. TEST YOUR NEW MODEM The device driver allow your modem to talk to your computer.To see if the modem is working,click on Start,Settings,Control Panel,and click the Modems icon. Read the description of the modem to be sure it is the one you have. Windows XP users should click on Start,Control Panel,and click the Phone and Modems icon. Then click Modem,Properties,and Diagnostics. Run a Query Modem check to verify your modem is up and running. INSTALLING A CABLE OR DSL MODEM Cable Modems are external and are connected to the computer by a Cat5 Cable.This cables looks like a regular modem data cable but is larger. One end of the Cat5 Cable is inserted into the rear of the cable modem while the other end is inserted into a Network Interface Card. This NIC card must be installed in an empty adapter slot in the system unit and transfer data between the computer and modem. With the Cat5 cable connecting the modem and PC together,you must provide the Internet signal to the modem by connecting a coail cable to the modem. This cable provides high speed internet access and may use the same connection as your television. One end of the coaxial cable connects to the modem and the other is connected the cable TV connector. If the connection is being used by the TV,a cable adapter will split the signals and you can use one connector for both your TV and the Internet. DSL Modems also use the NIC card and Cat5 cable. Some DSL modem require device drivers and either a cdrom or diskette should come with the modem. Once you connect to the Internet with a cable or dsl modem,you'll most likely never go back to the slower dialup version. Onthe other hand,you just may want to keep your dialup modem once you realize just how much more you're going to invest when it comes to broadband Internet. Since the choice is yours,learn all you can about all modems,how they work,and how they connect to the world wide web.Your internet experience will grow by leaps and bounds if you do.

Good Computer Maintenance - Part Two

In our last part of discussion of good computer maintenance, we will discuss backing up, some free stuff, and cleaning tips. All great bits of advice for proper care of your computer. Back It Up One maintenance task that is still crucial is backing up your data, particularly if it is business or financial related. At the very least, manuallly copy such data to a recordable CD or DVD disc when it changes. More sophisticated options include using the more automated backup tools that come with Windows, a stand alone backup program for networks such as the well regarded Dantz Retrospect Professional (www.dantz.com), or a Web backup system such as the excellent IBackup (www.ibackup.com). Free Stuff One really interesting maintenance task is checking to see who is spying on you. If you download a lot of software, one or more programs may be peeping at your Web surfing habits, which could be slowing you down. Such behavior naturally riles people, and good spirited entrepreneurs offer free software to weed out the sneaks. The best overall stand alone program for this is Patrick M. Kolla's Spybot Search and Destroy (www.safer-networking.org). Another fun, and free, software maintenance program is WinPatrol (www.winpatrol.com). Among other things, it shows you all the programs that load automatically every time you load Windows, letting you disable any you do not want running that may be slowing you down, regardless of whether you use Windows XP, NT, 2000, ME, 98, or 95. Cleaning Tips Clean your monitor if it becomes smudged. But stay away from glass cleaners ... they can remove a monitor's anti glare finish. Use isopropyl alcohol or distilled water along with a lint free cloth. Wet the cloth first, then the monitor. Periodically open up your computer's case to clean out dust. Every couple of years or more frequently if your PC is in a dusty area. This will help prevent heat build up, which can shorten the life of system components. Use either a portable vacuum cleaner or compressed gas duster. To minimize static discharge, avoid older vacuum cleaners and brush attachments, and prevent the metal of any vacuum cleaner from touching your PC. After vacuuming the inside of your PC, vacuum the grille in front and your keyboard. Before working inside a PC, ground yourself ... turn off your computer, leave it plugged in, and touch an unpainted metal surface inside the PC. Your PC should be plugged into a three pronged grounded outlet, preferably on a dedicated circuit. Do not move a PC or connect or disconnect its cables while it is on unless they are plugged into a univeral serial bus port. If your mouse starts misbehaving, take it apart and clean it. Shake out dust, or use a cleaning swab or compressed gas. Finally, it is best not to smoke around your PC. Cigarette smoke can coat the innards of your PC with tar, shortening its life.

Checklist On How To Revive A Dead Computer

Copyright 2006 Otis Cooper

Its not something we like to think about but your computer will fail, if you keep it long enough.It may be a simple problem,such as the floppy drive not reading the disk to a major system crash.

Because computers are run by operators,User Error is the most common cause of computer malfunction.When the user is at the computer,he or she may add or delete certain files.Or he/she may remove or exchange certain hardware features.

When we look at user error,we must remember that since we're human,the user error may be easy to solve by simply asking the last user if he/she installed any software,re-configured any software or hardware settings,etc.

A large percentage of computer malfunctions are due to environmental factors such as power surges caused by lightning, resulting in overvoltage.

Another cause for failure may be room temperature being too high or low,as well as dust,dirt,or sunlight.If you're in business and heavily dependent on your computers,such fators as room temperature,sunlight and protection against power surges is of the utmost importance and simply cannot be overlooked.

The most common pc problem is when you can't access your PC at all.When you turn on the power switch,NOTHING HAPPENS.

Here is a quick checklist of troublshooting procedures you should follow if you encounter this problem .We also have videos you can download from the Internet should you need assistance in just how to perform these procedures:

Try the Power Switch a second or third time.If nothing happens..

Check the wall outlet for power.If the outlet has power.

Check the power cord itself from wall to computer.

Check the Power Supply inside the System Unit.

Replace the Power Supply rather than trying to repair it.

If the system make those click noises,but the screen is blank, check the Monitor.

If the monitor proves to be good,check the Video Card,even in a new system.

Another big headache you will most likely encounter if you're a regular user of your computer system,is the fact that Windows will fail to load or the system's POST will fail to run.Download the file below to learn much more about the Power On Self Test.Don't forget those preventive maintenance procedures that can be done often to keep your PC running at peek performance.

Running such Windows ultilities as Scandisk,Disk Defragment,and Disk Cleanup will help your computer performing at its best.Using a can of compressed air removes dust that could build to the point of causing a short.

If you get the computer to boot but it does not want to read from the hard drive'the Master Boot Record on the hard drive may be corrupted or even missing.To verify that the master boot record has not been damaged...

Boot from the floppy disk that contains the FDISK program and type the command " fdisk mbr " to restore the master boot record onto your hard drive.

How To Resolve Cable,DSL,and Dialup Modem Problems

Copyright 2006 Otis Cooper When it comes to diagnosing the modem and any other computer problem,always start with the most obvious first.Modem problems may be repaired as fast as re-booting the computer or can be as complex as resolving hardware conflicts. First remember to check for the most obvious signs of trouble,such as loose connections at the rear of the computer for external modems. Internal modems may have their retaining screw at the expansion slot loose are missing.Phone line connections may simply be inserted in the wrong connector. Nearly all internal modems are inserted into the PCI or Peripheral Component Interconnect slot in the system unit. NO POWER AT THE MODEM For Internal Modems,first try inserting the modem in a different PCI Slot.Reboot the computer and click on Start,Control Panel,and click the Phone And Modems icon if you have Windows XP as your operating system. Then click on modems,properties,and look for the statement "This Device Is Working Properly". You can click on Diagnostics and run a test to see if the modem has power as well. External modems can be checked for power by inspecting the adapter plug to see if it is plugged in completely.Look to see if any indicator lights flashing and be certain you are using the adapter for your modem. Be sure the surge protector or wall outlet is providing power by plugging in a lamp or a radio.If the radio works,the culprit may be the adapter or the external modem itself. If you purchased the modem in your town,you may have the chance to return to the store and ask the technician to test it with a known good power adapter.You can been replace either the adapter or modem. MODEM DISCONNECTS OFTEN If your modem,whether internal or external,is working but disconnects from the Internet very often,without warning,check to be sure your call waiting option is not enabled. Another culprit that cause this headache is line noise.This noise and interference can be caused by such things as loose wiring. Poor waterproofing,old wiring,worn phone jacks are some causes that will result in line noise. Make sure no other equipment is using the same line that your modem is on. Be sure other devices as your fax machine, answering machines or even security alarms are not sharing the same line as your modem. Other PCI devices may be causing conflicts with your modem.Clicking the Control Panel ,and clicking the modem icon will show the message "This Device Has A Problem" or somthing similar if there is a conflict. Windows will offer ways to resolve the conflict. Take the time to carefully follow instructions tocorrect any conflicts that may be present. Loose data lines for Internal modems and loose or damaged connectors for External modems can cause data lost as well.Visual check and double check these connections. MODEM IS PRESENT BUT WILL NOT WORK The external and internal modem must have device drivers installed before they will work. Bad or incorrect drivers can cause the modem to disconnect as well as not work at all If you noticed that the device driver was either missing or corrupt in the modem icon,follow the instructions to update the device driver. If some cases,you may have to completely remove the old modem from thw Windows Device Manager. Once it has been removed from Windows, reboot the computer and Windows will detect the modem and automatically re-installs the the device driver. If your modem came with an installation cdrom or diskette,use the software the disk rather than the one in Windows. Once you are up and running,the first thing you should do is to visit the modem's support web site and search for any software patches or updated drivers to download. COMMON BROADBAND PROBLEMS The most common high speed internet problems whether its dsl or cable connections are not being able to log on and poor signal. If the Cable modem often reboots,you should check to see if your signal indicator is strong.If the signal seems good,electronic signal from mobile phones and other devices nearby may be interfering with the signal. Stop and look behind the cable or dsl modem to see if the connections have worked themselves loose or have come off completely.Be sure the connections have not be damaged in any way. The modem is connected to an Ethernet card which will receive and send signals to the computer.Look at the rear of the card and see if the green indicator is on.If not,there is a problem with the card installation or the card may be faulty. If the ehthernet card in the computer become loose, your high speed Internet reception will be interruppted. Place a finger on the ethernet card and try to move it. If you can,open the system unit case and tighten the card. If the ethernet card has become loose,it may be a good idea to remove it and inspect the yellow contacts to be certain they are not dirty or damaged.Power will not transfer to the card should this be the case. Other causes may be the main wiring to the modem may be faulty.The vacuum cleaner or the power tools your son is using in the garage may be causing the problem as well.And we cannot omit the idea that the cable or dsl modem themselves may be faulty. While you're learning about your computer,understand the modem at every level and do so now while it is still in good operating order.Print or write down modem and all troubleshooting tips. Put these troubleshooting tips in a binder or at least in a safe place so you can refer to them should your PC fail to boot.Knowing about your computer takes time and effect but you be glad you took the time should your system goes on the blink.

Good Computer Maintenance - Part One

Normally we think of maintenance as a chore, something we have to do to keep things running smoothly and prevent problems down the road, whether with our car, house, or computer. But with a PC, maintenance can actually be fun ... approached from the right perspective.

Automatic Updates

The "joy" of computer maintenacne takes many forms. These days, automation is the byword. Operating systems such as Microsoft Windows and Symantec's Norton Interenet Security let you automatically keep crucial parts of your computer system up to date. It's fun to watch the technology keep tabs on itself.

The security vulnerablilites of Windows are legion, and this forces you to download patches and updates if you want to minimuze your exposure to hackers seeking to break into your system over the Internet.

You can run Windows Update periodically through Microsoft Internet Explorer, which automatically detects which versions of Windows components you currently have installed and, by checking with Microsoft's site, which have newer versions.

Or, if you are running Windows XP Home Edition, you can automate things even further by directing Windows to check for "critical updates" by itself at the frequency and time of your choosing. From the Control Panel, go to System and click Automatic Updates to specify your settings.

Website Updates

You can keep your other software up to date by periodically checking the Websites of the respective manufacturers. Typically, by pulling down the program's Help menu, you will quickly be directed to the site. But the Website VersionTracker (www.techtracker.com/products) does something similar with multiple programs, for free, whether you have a Windows PC or a Mac. The ad-supported site has 30,000 programs in its database. Pay versions, starting at $24.95, automatically alert you when new updates of programs that you're using become available.

Using Utilities

Staying up to date is crucially important these days in keeping the bad guys away from your computer and those using it. A good utility suite for this is Norton Internet Security (www.symantec.com), which combines such crucial tools as a firewall, anti-virus program, porn-blocker, spam filter, spyware detector, and pop-up ad blocker. If you use the program, make sure you let its LiveUpdate feature automatically keep your virus definitions and other components up to date.

Symantec's other utility suite, Norton SystemWorks, is less useful, and if you need system tools more powerful than those provided by Windows itself, a better package overall is V Communications' SystemSuite (www.v-com.com).

SystemSuite includes tools for preventing and recovering from hard disk crashes, recovering accidentally erased files, completely uninstalling programs you no longer need, and completely shredding sesitive files. It also has an excellent file manager, PowerDesk, that makes quicker work of copying, moving, deleting, and otherwise manipulating files than Windows Explorer.

With today's large and fast hard drives and more efficient operating systems, one maintenance task that's no longer as necessary is disk defragmenting. When working with files over time, they invariably wind up stored in places at different locations on your hard disk. Running a defragmenter gathers up the pieces and places them together in one contiguous location.

Recent testing by the computer magazine PC World, however, showed that defragging no longer improves performance the way it used to. It still makes sense to defrag once in a while, though unless it's for a network file server, there's usually no need to buy a separate program for this beyond what comes with Windows itself.

So in all ... even automated maintenance can be fun in that it is automated and can leave you more time for other endevours.