
Computer maintenance is the practice of keeping computers in a good state of repair. A computer containing accumulated
dust
Dust is made of particle size, fine particles of solid matter. On Earth, it generally consists of particles in the atmosphere that come from various sources such as soil lifted by wind (an aeolian processes, aeolian process), Types of volcan ...
and
debris
Debris (, ) is rubble, wreckage, ruins, litter and discarded waste, garbage/refuse/trash, scattered remains of something destroyed, or, as in geology, large rock fragments left by a melting glacier, etc. Depending on context, ''debris'' can ref ...
may not run properly.
PC Components
Keyboard
The crumbs, dust, and other particulate that fall between the keys and build up underneath are loosened by spraying pressurized air into the
keyboard, then removed with a low-pressure vacuum cleaner. A plastic-cleaning agent applied to the surface of the keys with a cloth is used to remove the accumulation of oil and dirt from repeated contact with a user's fingertips. If this is not sufficient for a more severely dirty keyboard, keys are physically removed for more focused individual cleaning, or for better access to the area beneath. Finally, the surface is wiped with a disinfectant.
Monitor
A
monitor
Monitor or monitor may refer to:
Places
* Monitor, Alberta
* Monitor, Indiana, town in the United States
* Monitor, Kentucky
* Monitor, Oregon, unincorporated community in the United States
* Monitor, Washington
* Monitor, Logan County, Wes ...
displays information in visual form, using text and graphics. The portion of the monitor that displays the information is called the screen. Like a television screen, a computer screen can show still or moving pictures and It's a part of Output Devices.
Mouse
The top surface of the
mouse
A mouse (: mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus'' ...
is wiped with a plastic cleanser to remove the dirt that accumulates from contact with the hand, as on the keyboard. The bottom surface is also cleaned to ensure that it can slide freely. If it is a
mechanical mouse, the trackball is taken out, not only to clean the ball itself, but to scrape dirt from the runners that sense the ball's movement and can become jittery or stuck if impeded by grime.
Tower/desktop unit
Internal components accumulate dust brought in by the airflow maintained by fans to keep the PC from overheating. A soft brush may remove loose dirt; the remainder is dislodged with compressed air and removed with a low-pressure vacuum. The case is wiped down with a cleaning agent. A pressurized blower or
gas duster
A gas duster, also known as compressed air or canned air, is a product used for cleaning or dusting electronic equipment and other sensitive devices that cannot be cleaned using Water#Washing, water.
This type of product is most often packaged ...
can remove dust that cannot be reached with a brush.
Data
Backups
'
Important data stored on computers may be copied and archived securely so that, in the event of failure, the data and systems may be reconstructed. When major maintenance such as
patching is performed, a backup is recommended as the first step in case the update fails and
reversion is required.
Disk cleanup
Disk Cleanup (cleanmgr.exe) is a computer maintenance utility included in Microsoft Windows designed to free up disk space. It was introduced in Windows 98 and has been a part of Microsoft Windows ever since.
In 2018, Microsoft introduced a seco ...
may be performed as regular maintenance to remove these. Files may become fragmented and so slow the performance of the computer. ''
Disk defragmentation'' may be performed to combine these fragments and so improve performance.
Legal issues
In the US, the
Digital Millennium Copyright Act
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a 1998 United States copyright law that implements two 1996 treaties of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). It criminalizes production and dissemination of technology, devices, or ...
specifically exempts computer-maintenance activities, so copies of copyright files may be made in the course of maintenance provided that they are destroyed afterwards.
Software
Operating system
Operating-system files such as the
Windows registry
The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores low-level settings for the Microsoft Windows operating system and for applications that opt to use the registry. The kernel, device drivers, services, Security Accounts Manager, a ...
may require maintenance. A utility such as a
registry cleaner
A registry cleaner is a class of utility software designed for the Microsoft Windows operating system, whose purpose is to remove redundant items from the Windows Registry.
Registry cleaners seem to no longer be supported by Microsoft, despite ori ...
may be used for this. Also inbuilt Disk defragmenter will also help.
Software updates
Softwares packages and operating systems may require regular updates to correct
software bug
A software bug is a design defect ( bug) in computer software. A computer program with many or serious bugs may be described as ''buggy''.
The effects of a software bug range from minor (such as a misspelled word in the user interface) to sev ...
s and to address security weaknesses.
Software updates in computer maintenance
are essential for maintaining the functionality and efficiency of systems. These updates often include enhancements that improve the overall performance and stability of software and operating systems. They also introduce new features and capabilities, ensuring that the software remains compatible with evolving technological standards and user needs. Regularly updating software is a key practice in keeping computer systems up-to-date and running smoothly.
Security
Maintaining security involves
vulnerability management
Vulnerability management is the "cyclical practice of identifying, classifying, prioritizing, remediating, and mitigating" software vulnerabilities. Vulnerability management is integral to computer security and network security, and must not be ...
and installation and proper operation of
antivirus software
Antivirus software (abbreviated to AV software), also known as anti-malware, is a computer program used to prevent, detect, and remove malware.
Antivirus software was originally developed to detect and remove computer viruses, hence the name ...
like
Kaspersky,
Avast Antivirus
Avast Antivirus is a family of cross-platform internet security applications developed by Gen Digital Inc. for Microsoft Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. Avast offers free and paid products that provide computer security, browser security, an ...
,
McAfee
McAfee Corp. ( ), formerly known as McAfee Associates, Inc. from 1987 to 1997 and 2004 to 2014, Network Associates Inc. from 1997 to 2004, and Intel Security Group from 2014 to 2017, is an American proprietary software company focused on online ...
and Many are available.
References
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Maintenance
The technical meaning of maintenance involves functional checks, servicing, repairing or replacing of necessary devices, equipment, machinery, building infrastructure and supporting utilities in industrial, business, and residential installa ...
Maintenance