Summary

Chapter 4: Basics of Preventive Maintenance and Troubleshooting 3■■■■■■Review driver updatesUpdate virus definition filesScan for viruses and spywareRemove unwanted programsScan hard drives for errorsDefragment hard drivesBe proactive in computer equipment maintenance and data protection. By performing regularmaintenance routines, you can reduce potential hardware and software problems. Doingthis will reduce computer downtime and repair costs.A preventive maintenance plan is developed based on the needs of the equipment. A computerexposed to a dusty environment, such as a construction site, will need more attentionthan equipment in an office environment. High-traffic networks, such as a school network,can require additional scanning and removal of malicious software or unwanted files.Document the routine maintenance tasks that must be performed on the computer equipmentand the frequency of each task. This list of tasks can then be used to create a maintenanceprogram. Remember, the more you use your computer, the more frequently youshould perform preventive maintenance. This can include doing a defragmentation of thehard drive weekly rather than monthly, continually scanning files for viruses rather thanperforming a scan once a week, and checking for updates for software and hardware everytwo weeks rather than monthly.Some benefits of preventive maintenance include the following:■■■■■Increases data protectionExtends the life of the componentsIncreases equipment stabilityReduces repair costsReduces the number of equipment failuresIdentify the Steps of the TroubleshootingProcessTroubleshooting requires an organized and logical approach to problems with computersand other components. A logical approach to troubleshooting allows you to eliminate variablesin a systematic order. Asking the right questions, testing the right hardware, andexamining the right data help you understand the problem. This helps you form a proposedsolution.