As a Windows XP user there are a number of maintenance and checkup tasks you should know to keep your system running at an optimal level. These, if done on a fairly regular basis, can keep your computer working quickly and securely. There are plenty of tools out there that claim to help with some of these tasks, but there is no substitute for knowing how to get to the source of a problem.
While there are plenty of small maintenance techniques you can use on Windows XP, we boiled our list down to five simple essentials. This list will overcome some of the worst of your XP difficulties, or at least alert you when professional help is needed.
- The Event Viewer
The event viewer, as the name suggests, allows you to view events from all your system programs and executables. Divided into two main logs, named "Application" and "System", the viewer tracks the actions of all your programs, from those that manage your Internet connection to those that handle your printers and everything in between. Events in the viewer will be classified as one of three log types, "Information", "Warning" or "Error". "Information" messages will be the most common, followed by "Warnings" and, on occasion, an "Error". Now, errors aren't always something to worry about, but if you have a large number of them or certain ones that appear consistently, it might be a good idea to have your computer checked out.
Read the step-by-step guide for checking your Event Viewer
- Check your RAM Usage
The status of your computers RAM usage is one of the most significant factors effecting the performance of your Windows XP machine. If your computer is running slow or crashing, RAM is a likely culprit. Periodically checking RAM usage can keep you on top of problems before they become really frustrating. For details on how to check RAM usage visit the page we devoted just to that. See how important it is?
- Check your Device Manager
Every computer has a number of internal and external devices that it needs to manage. To check the status of those devices you will need to visit (surprise, surprise) . . . the Device Manager. This handy tool will let you view all the various devices your computer is dealing with such as your mouse or the internal hard drive. Problems with your devices can cause problems elsewhere, so it is a good idea to give this an occasional review. Watch out particularly for those big yellow question marks.
Read the step-by-step guide for checking your Device Manager
- Run a Spyware and Virus scan check
We all know about spyware and viruses, but oddly many people don't take the time to scan for these nasty little parasites. Spyware and viruses can slow down your system, crash key programs and even increase your vulnerability to further attacks. There are a variety of programs that make this scanning easy and painless, so there is no excuse for a sick computer.
- Check your Task Manager
If you are having RAM problems and finding your computer is running slow, the Task Manager is a good place to start looking for causes. By hitting the infamous Ctrl-Alt-Delete button combo you can bring up a screen displaying all the programs running on your XP system at a given moment. Not only that but it will tell you how much memory each process is using as well. Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult to know what a particular program is doing and, if your not careful you could shut down the wrong program and effectively pull the plug on Windows. Not to worry though. There is a great article on Lifehacker that offers a variety of tips for avoiding that kind of misstep.
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