That's right! There is a right way. If a computer is shut down unexpectedly, it may have been in the middle of an operation. By interrupting the process means the computer has unfinished business and can leave corrupt files lingering in your system. To avoid this, shut down all the programs that are running and then go to your start menu and select "shut down". If it takes a few moments that's ok, don't force it, it's just tidying up.
Uninstall trial software and unused programs the right way.
Erasing the desktop icon does NOT remove the program from your computer. It only removes the short cut. When a program is installed it can store files in several places throughout your system. Some programs have a tool that will uninstall it. This can be accessed by going to your start menu, opening the programs lists, selecting the program, and then selecting uninstall. That is not always available however. So the easiest route, and one that you can use for any software installed on your computer, is in your control panel. Open up your start menu, go to control panel, and you should see an option for uninstall programs. This will populate a list of everything installed on your PC. Now be careful, just because you've never heard of something doesn't mean it's not vital to the functioning of your PC. Only uninstall something if you're sure you don't need it. For instance, did you download a trial of a game and the trial period is up and you don't want to purchase it? DO this process, find the game on the list, and uninstall it. Poof! It's gone and you won;t be bother with it's popup's to buy it anymore.
Set a Computer Maintenance Checklist. (If you're comfortable working with your PC)
This is for more familiar users. There are several steps you can take to maintain your system. Think of it as an oil change for your computer. It's fairly detailed so I'll just leave this here: Computer Maintenance Checklist
Use Anti-Virus.
There are a lot of options and picking the right choice can be confusing. We can help you decide what will work best for you, install it, and show you how to utilize it.
Perform Regular updates.
You know that pop up you get that says "Windows Updates Available"? Those aren't spam and they are updates that your computer needs to run smoothly and interact with other programs better. You can set up your computer to run these automatically if they aren't already. Give us a call if you need help to set up this convenient feature.
Learn how to multi-task like a pro.
An awesome keyboard shortcut to switch windows without having to leave the keyboard is Alt-Tab. It brings up a window showing all the running programs. Just keep hitting the tab button while the Alt button is held down until you reach the window you want to access. Release the Alt key and VIOLA!
If you have any more questions computer tricks or maintenance or basic training we're hear to help! Give us a call!
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