Periodic Computer Maintenance: Whats Your Routine?

[Back]

I use almost all of my machines daily so they are running just about 24/7. After a while they get sluggish so I have a routine I go through to keep them running smoothly.


For my Macs: Every two weeks or so.

Clear browser history/cookies/database.

Quit all apps.

Check for any Software Updates and install if needed.

Toss all downloads/junk docs/desktop garbage.

Empty trash.

Run all MacJanitor routines.

Run Apple Disk Utility - Repair Permissions.

Shutdown for a few minutes. Restart.


So far this periodic maintenance schedule and method have kept my machines in good running condition.


What is your routine? What software do you use? How often? Whats best?

[Deathravin]

Systems:

i7 16gb ram server running ubuntu linux server

3 virtual machines running from that - 2008 AD/File/IIS/PlayOn/SQL server, win 7 work VM, win 7 'home' vm (used for misc things)

i5 4gb ram laptop - mine for work win 7

i7 8gb ram laptop - mine running win 7

i3 4gb ram laptop - wife's running win 7

PS3 - used constantly for streaming TV

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I'd say once every 3-4 months I'll do the following.

Turn off all VMs & PCs. Run update manager on linux server. reboot

Run VM (oracle VM virtualbox - it works for what I need), download guest additions update

Load each VM, windows update & guest additions upgrade.

Start each laptop, run windows updates

Check for PS3 updates

Take PS3, Laptops, and PC outside and blow out dust with can of air (usually takes 1-2 cans).

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Once a year I take the laptops apart and blow out the insides. I take apart my phone and clean out the space between the digitizer and the screen (it gets dusty sometimes because I'm lazy and don't seal it to the digitizer like I should).

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As for files, junk, garbage etc. I clean all that whenever it needs it, but we use chrome and i've never found too many problems with overly full cache.

Maybe the /downloads/ folder getting a bit cluttered, but I clear that whenever I think about it. I have a Misc folder on all my PCs that does tend to fill up, so I usually just pop that into a folder on the server and almost never clean it. It's a mess in there.

Other than that... my work e-mail gets pretty full so every 6 months to a year (whenever it gets above 2gb) I make a new archive PST file.

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By-in-large my PCs don't get slow. When I hear the fans turning on more than normal I know it's time to blow out the dust, but they've been very rock solid.

[Buckwheet]

I don't do anything because at least once per year I am building a new machine. So I guess my maintenance is "build a new machine".

[AnticorRifling]

I just (you're not going to read this or follow it) so then I (fuck it go to Best Buy).

[Androidpk]

I open the side of my case, empty out the dead hamsters, then go eat a pb&j (with the crusts cut off.)

[Deathravin]

Thanks for reminding me of the time I opened a computer at work that had two dead mice (one skeleton and one freeze-dried) and a plethora of dead cockroaches in it...

[Gelston]

I don't do anything.

[Back]

As for files, junk, garbage etc. I clean all that whenever it needs it, but we use chrome and i've never found too many problems with overly full cache.

Still using FireFox. Now that you mention it I don't see much difference in browser performance over time like I used to... I guess its me clinging to outdated browser performance/security notions to clear my cache/history/database stuff on the reg.

[Ryvicke]

http://lifehacker.com/5815256/what-kind-of-maintenance-do-i-need-to-do-on-my-windows-pc

[Bhaalizmo]

Thanks for reminding me of the time I opened a computer at work that had two dead mice (one skeleton and one freeze-dried) and a plethora of dead cockroaches in it...

This one time. When I worked on a gateway laptop repair line in Texas. I found a dead lizard in laptop.

But, to respond to the original post (ignoring the mac babbledegook).

Start, run, msconfig. Go to services tab, hide all Microsoft. Uncheck any crap you don't need like Yahoo, google, adobe, etc. Go to startup tab, uncheck anything you don't need. Reboot.

Download Cccleaner, check most options except the delete stored passwords and wipe free space type stuff. Run it. Also run the regcleaner portion. Fix all problems found. Reboot.

[Liagala]

Start, run, msconfig. Go to services tab, hide all Microsoft. Uncheck any crap you don't need like Yahoo, google, adobe, etc. Go to startup tab, uncheck anything you don't need. Reboot.
This is the second thing I do on a new machine (first is update Windows and antivirus). It's amazing how much crap they throw in there.

[Deathravin]

First thing I do on a new machine: Reinstall windows from scratch.

Poor thing doesn't even get to boot up once. Fuck bloatware.

[Parkbandit]

I just take the side cover off my desktop. This does four things:

1) Gives me more room to put upgrades into my computer. Best Buy cabinets are so small!

2) Free cooling system. Take the side off it and BOOM, you go down 5-6 degrees. Money saved because you don't have to buy fans and such.

C) Dusting is easy.. I just blow it out with a straw.

[Androidpk]

I just take the side cover off my desktop. This does four things:

1) Gives me more room to put upgrades into my computer. Best Buy cabinets are so small!

2) Free cooling system. Take the side off it and BOOM, you go down 5-6 degrees. Money saved because you don't have to buy fans and such.

C) Dusting is easy.. I just blow it out with a straw.

:lol2:

[subzero]

I've found that tapping things with a magnetized hammer tends to get them moving again.

[4a6c1]

1) Take the case off.

2) Prophet.

[Androidpk]

Like this?


http://i45.tinypic.com/k05104.jpg

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

I use a square of rare earth magnets and run it over all of the components, paying extra attention to the hard drive.

[subzero]

Like this?


http://i45.tinypic.com/k05104.jpg

You're in for it now! In case you didn't realize it, you're probably now on a list of people to kill for creating and/or spreading the image of the prophet, Jemimahad. If that weren't bad enough, you will be sentenced to resurrection and death, again, for defiling said prophet with your foul, hijab-less depiction. Enjoy the rest of your short life!

[fallenSaint]

I usually just do a full format and re-install of the OS once or twice a year which does good at getting rid of old shit you don't need. Thanks to Chrome's Cloud backup and Dropbox I don't have to worry about losing anything of importance either.

[Showal]

I use a square of rare earth magnets and run it over all of the components, paying extra attention to the hard drive.

I tend to slack on computer maintenance, but when I do this, i feel like it is the best use of mytime.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

I tend to slack on computer maintenance, but when I do this, i feel like it is the best use of mytime.

Seriously, nothing else cleans things up and gets things going faster.

[Delias]

I usually just do a full format and re-install of the OS once or twice a year which does good at getting rid of old shit you don't need. Thanks to Chrome's Cloud backup and Dropbox I don't have to worry about losing anything of importance either.

Call me crazy, but I just get rid of the old shit I don't need and save myself a couple hours.

[Showal]

I once made a big mistake. I filled the bath tub up with one part bleach and 10 parts water and soaked my computer in it for 20 minutes. I removed it, towel dried it, and put it in a bag of rice overnight. It came out very clean, but it never worked again.

[Back]

If you want a really cool trick try shuffling your feet around on a carpet then go lightly touch any metal part on the case and see a spark! I don't know why but it works really well with my computer as opposed to say the door knob. I often see how large a spark I can make. This one time I did it was huge and pure blue!

[AnticorRifling]

This one time I did it was huge

Now you're just telling lies.

[Back]

Now you're just telling lies.

Jealous.

[subzero]

Call me crazy, but I just get rid of the old shit I don't need and save myself a couple hours.

Yeah, that doesn't always work like you seem to think it does.

[Blazar]

Yeah, that doesn't always work like you seem to think it does.

No, no it doesn't. Most people who know anything about Windows know to format every 6 months to a year. A couple of hours every 6 months to a year will save you more than a couple of hours with how much better your PC will run. It's even easier if you make an image after you get all of your necessary applications installed, then you just wipe it and load the image. Not hard at all.

Though I'm with the few really intelligent people who just take the sides off of their case. My next endeavor is this, maybe Back can give me some suggestions?

I'm sure with no case at all I could save several degrees and speed up my system.

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS59ZVbOpl_jHMTq_jfHf9KvFEkNaDT4 bcreghqJRzZPG0WxVdUlrbWVFHa

[Sam]

Solaris 11, 24GB RAM, 2x quad core
Always stays on. I did wipe some collected dust and hair off the fan the other day though, and my pug tried to eat it with enthusiasm.

Windows 7, 4GB RAM, dual core
Would always stay on if it were up to me, but it decides to reboot itself when it's tired every few weeks or so. Scheduled defragmentation check runs daily at 4 AM.

Usually I just run windows boxes and clutter up the desktop and install random shitty software until it gets to be too much, then I copy the desktop and other random locations to my file server in case I need to try and find something later, and do a clean windows install.

Not much of a routine.. Being that I work with computers, you'd think I'd take better care of my stuff. I now understand how my dad did body/fender work and painted cars for a living, yet we always drove beat up pieces of shit.

[AnticorRifling]

[Not much of a routine.. Being that I work with computers, you'd think I'd take better care of my stuff. I now understand how my dad did body/fender work and painted cars for a living, yet we always drove beat up pieces of shit.


Pretty standard. You work with them last thing you want to do is work with them at home.

[Parkbandit]

Not much of a routine.. Being that I work with computers, you'd think I'd take better care of my stuff. I now understand how my dad did body/fender work and painted cars for a living, yet we always drove beat up pieces of shit.

I do energy efficiency audits at homes and one of the worst ones I've been at happened to be a guy who worked for an electric company in their energy conservation department. It was as if he was purposely finding new ways to waste energy. And his house wasn't even in his electric company's territory.