Weekly System Maintenance

There are four weekly maintenance steps you can do to make sure your system and internet connection are running properly.

  1. Reset the Subscriber Module
  2. Run Disk Defrag, Disk Clean Up, and Error-Checking on your disk drive
  3. Update your hardware and software
  4. Update virus and spyware definitions and run your Anti-Virus and Spyware software
  5. Re Boot your computer

Reset the Subscriber Module

Reset the Subscriber Module by powering down the unit. Stop power to the SM by unplugging it from the wall or turning off the power strip. Power down the SM for at least one minute. Be sure to power the SM back up.  Meadowbrook customers don't have to do this step.

Defrag, error-checking, and Disk Cleanup

Defrag

With normal use of your Windows computer, your hard drive will become fragmented.  This doesn't mean that it literally falls to pieces, but it means that the files on it will be stored in pieces, scattered all over the drive.  When the computer accesses a file that is fragmented, it has to read in all those pieces all over the hard drive, which is slower than if the file were all in one piece.  The way that you put all the pieces back together, and thereby make your computer run faster, is called defragmenting.

To Defrag Windows 2000/XP

  1. Click Start.
  2. All Programs
  3. Accessories
  4. System Tools
  5. Disk Defragmenter.  Once the program starts, simply click on the drive you want to defrag, then click the "Defragment" button.

To Defrag Windows 98

  1. Click Start
  2. Programs
  3. Accessories
  4. System Tools
  5. Disk Defragmentator, Once the program starts, simply click on the drive you want to defrag, then click the "Defragment" button.

Error Checking (ScanDisk) and Disk Clean Up

Individual clusters on hard drives sometimes go bad. There's nothing you can do about this, so its important to check occasionally for bad clusters on drives. The tool used to do this called ScanDisk. When it finds bad cluster, it puts the electronic equivalent of orange cones around them so that the system won’t try to place data in those bad clusters.

ScanDisk does far more than just check for bad clusters. It goes through all of the drives file names, looking for invalid names and attempting to fix them.

To access ScanDisk in Windows 98

  1. Choose Start
  2. Programs
  3. Accessories
  4. System Tools
  5. ScanDisk, Select the Standard and to Automatically Fix errors

To Access Clean Up in Windows 2000 and XP

  1. Click Start
  2. Programs
  3. Accessories
  4. System Tools
  5. Disk Clean Up
  6. Scan for Updates

Update the hardware and software

Be sure that your Operating System has the latest updates from Microsoft.

  1. Click Start, then Update Windows.
  2. Click the Express Install button.
  3. Install all Critical and System updates

Update the Office products (outlook, word, excel)

  1. Click the Office Family link at the top of the page.
  2. Click the Check for Updates link.

Update any hardware devices such as routers

Visit the hardware manufactures web site for any updates or security notices.

Anti-Virus, Firewall, and Spyware software

Anti virus software

The three anti virus software packages we suggest are Trend Micro PC-Cillin, Norton, and McAFee. All of these are fee based, but money well spent. We suggest staying away from free virus protection, you get what you pay for.

Norton, McAFee, and Trend Micro are what large businesses use to protect their PCs. Each of these has home and home office versions for a lesser fee.

Remember to upgrade your anti virus software on a weekly basis.

Trend Micro

To scan your compute for free using Trend Micro software completes the following steps.

  1. To check for viruses, log onto to Trend Micro by clicking here
  2. Click on the "Scan Now!" link and follow the instructions.

Symantec Norton Anti Virus

To scan your compute for free using Norton Anti Virus software completes the following steps.

  1. Log onto Norton by clicking here
  2. Follow the instructions

McAfee Anti Virus

To scan your compute for free using McAfee Virus software completes the following steps.

  1. Log onto McAfee by clicking here
  2. Click the Scan Now button and follow instructions.

Firewall

A firewall is a security system that acts as a protective boundary between a network and the outside world. Windows XP includes Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) software you can to restrict what information communicated between the Internet and your home or small office network. ICF also protects a single computer connected to the Internet with a cable modem, a DSL modem or a dial–up modem.

Be sure that ICF is enabled.

To turn Windows Firewall on or off for Windows XP.  Note: Your security suite (Trend Micro, McAfee, Norton) will have a Firewall built into it and you will NOT need to turn on the Windows XP Firewall.

You must be logged on to this computer as an administrator to complete this procedure.

  1. Click Start
  2. Settings
  3. Control Panel
  4. Click the Security Center icon (looks like a shield)
  5. View the Security Center page, see if Firewall is on or off
  6. To alter the Firewall setting click the Windows Firewall link at the bottom of the page
  7. On the General tab, click one of the following:

On (recommended).

This is the setting that you should normally use.

You can also select the Don't allow exceptions check box. When this check box is selected, the firewall blocks all unsolicited requests to connect to your computer, including requests to programs or services selected on the Exceptions tab. Use this setting when you need maximum protection for your computer, such as when you connect to a public network in a hotel or airport, or when a dangerous virus or worm is spreading over the Internet.

Off (not recommended).

Turning off Windows Firewall might make your computer (and your network, if you have one) more vulnerable to damage from viruses or unknown intruders.

Spy Ware

What is “Spyware”?

Spyware is software (programs) that gets installed in your computer, often without your knowledge or permission. Once in place, spyware program will send personal information stored in your computer to external parties on the Internet, also without your knowledge or permission.

Most free spyware you see on the web, are VIRUSES. Software saying that it will remove or block spam, viruses, and other bad things IS THE VIRUS.

Spyware removal programs that Westcom suggests and uses are Spybot Search and Destroy, Ad-Aware, Norton, McAfee, and Trend Micro. Spybot and Ad-Aware are free downloads.  Norton, McAfee, and Trend Micro include spyware in their security suite.

Free Trend Micro Scan

To scan your compute for free using Trend Micro software completes the following steps.

  1. To check for spyware, log onto to Trend Micro by clicking here
  2. Click on the "Scan Now!" link and follow the instructions.

To Download Spybot

  1. Log onto to Download by clicking here
  2. Click the Download Now logo
  3. Follow the directions making sure you download the English version
  4. You don't have to donate any money, this is a free application

To download Ad-Aware

  1. Log onto Ad Aware by clicking here
  2. From the menu on the left select Ad-Aware Personal.
  3. Click on the Download. COM logo to the right of the screen.
  4. Click on the down load now link and follow the instructions.

Back Up data files

To back up simple data files, documents, spreadsheets, and photos, click on the file or files in the My Computer. Right click and select Send To to send the file to a back up media. I usually back up my whole My Documents folder to a CD, then put the CD in a safe place.  If the back up file is to large for a floppy disk, create the back up in a WinZip file.  WinZip "crunches" these down to a smaller bite size.  WinZip is a free download from the internet.

Re Boot

If you leave your computer on 24 hours a day 7 days a week, you need to re boot at least once a week.  Re booting resets your memory allocation, making your computer run faster.

To Re Boot your Windows XP computer

  1. Click Start
  2. Turn Off Computer
  3. Click the Restart button

To Re Boot your Windows 98 computer

  1. Click Start
  2. Turn off computer
  3. Select the Re start button
  4. Click OK