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Computers require routine and diligent maintenance in order to be efficient and durable. In this article, I will be explaining the general ways to maintain a computer and how you can learn other ways that are specific for your type of computer.

There are some general ways to maintain a computer and these ways apply to all computers irrespective of their brand or type.

- Shut Down Properly:
As simple as this instruction, the disobedience has accounted for more than 70% of the reasons computers develop errors and why most computers breakdown. Recent polls have shown that some people intentionally switch off their computer from the power button without properly shutting it down when they are in hurry or when it hangs. Although with the advent of Windows, a CheckDisk or ScanDisk is automatically run when the computer is not properly shut down, but yet, people still fail to allow the computer go through that process. They will just skip it. The first thing you must observe in your computer maintenance routine is proper shut down. It is the most compulsory.

- Cleaning:
For desktop computers, even laptops, notebooks and palmtops, you will have to keep them where dust will not get to them. In a situation where they dusty, you should ensure the dust is removed before use.

- Have a routine error check:
Apart from not properly shutting down the computer, many other things cause errors in the computer. For this reason, it is wise to establish a routine for error-checking, say weekly. This will help you fix errors in your computer local hard drive. You can check and fix errors by running the CheckDisk or ScanDisk utilities if you are using the Windows Operating.

- Have a routine virus check:
Virus is no longer news in the computer world anymore. Other names for it are worm, horse, etc. Firstly, you must have an up-to-date Anti-Virus Guide. Secondly, you must run this anti-virus program routinely, say monthly to check and eliminate computer viruses or worms. You are also advised to always update your anti-virus program, say bi-monthly, but this depends largely on the type of anti-virus guide you are using.

Due to the fact that you computer can be quite different from that of another, you may need to also observe some other specific maintenance alongside the general maintenance.

The way to go about this is to read articles about what you do with your computer or ask friends or professionals. What I mean here is this: for example, in your computer you have a database of information, one of the maintenance you will do is to backup the database file either daily or weekly. One have a computer without a database file will not have to do this. So it quite varies. You will have to use the Internet or read books that will teach you how to run maintenance on what you do with your computer OR what extra maintenance you computer needs to have because of what it does.

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