During a recent period of the fretted PC breakdown,I
came
to realize that I took my computer for granted.I
thought the high tech machine would never let me down
and I was
never further from the truth. Just when I thought
things were going smoothly,"BANG",I was in deep
trouble.

Home-based businesses should be aware that computer
down time can and will mess up your schedule.After only
a week,I was behind and a bit discouraged to say the
least. I was lucky enough to be able to fix my pc
myself,but this isn't always the case. Sometimes it
takes an expert to bail you out and it can be costly.
Professionals charge $50.00 per hour,and up, to find
and correct problems. It may be wise to stash a bit in
the bank for such an occasion.

I found backing up your files is of the utmost
importance.
Store your important pieces on floppy or Cd-Rom.
Do not wait too long and be sure to format those
floppies.
I stored information on a floppy and found after I was
back to normal, the floppy was no good and would not
open my files.
Never store a program on a floppy, it will not work
properly when you try it. Programs must be reinstalled.
A good example is Aureate Group Mail or something you
downloaded online.
If you have an opt-in list,that can be saved to floppy.

Think you know your computer? Take a look at its
contents. Go to my computer, C drive, Wow,I was amazed
at the contents and the worst of it was I did not know
what everything was.
Another great place to see the internal contents of
your computer is the Control Panel, Go to my
computer,control panel,system, and device manager. This
place is a maze of high tech content. Do not change
anything unless you know what you are doing. The
results can be disastrous.
I have had my share of problems with down time,ranging
from installing anew Cd-rom, to blowing dust from my
tower. Yes, dust is a common culprit! Fans get clogged
with dust quickly,and the result is overheated
components and leads to computer failure.I blow out the
dust using a vacuum cleaner and also being careful not
to disturb delicate parts.

PC problems sometimes develop from a loose connection.
It may be a cord or a circuit board within the tower.
Gently pushing in a loose connection may solve a
problem.

Booting into the safe mode is a safe way to fix
problems.
When booting, after the start up screen,pressing Ctrl,
puts the pc in this mode with internet access, and many
programs disabled, so the problem can be found and
corrected.

Running disc cleanup, scandisk and defragmenter
regularly is a must.
Keep your recycle bin emptied, and the cache of your
browsers cleaned.

Downloading too many programs and files can be a
hazard. Games the kids like to play require alot of
hard drive with their special effects,graphics and
colors.

Updating programs help out alot and often results in
faster load time, and keeps up with technology.
Windows updates are included in the start menu. Many
programs have updates files included.
Another important update is the antivirus software. New
viruses are discovered every day and your antivirus
program needs to cover new and potentially harmful
viruses. This is another great way to lose important
data and wipe out your whole system.

Email is the culprit for unwanted viruses. Never open
an email if you do not know where/who it is from and
beware of attachments. Always
scan your mail before opening,if your unsure of the
content....DELETE IT!

Starting from scratch is not fun and may take several
days to accomplish. Reloading programs back into the
computer is time consuming and usually requires
technical assistance. Check your warranty for
additional information. If you are out of warranty, you
may have to pay for repairs.

Additional hardware cause problems too, such as a
backup unit for power outages,scanners, and printers.
Be sure to service these often,check for wear and
upgrade when needed.

I have an additional comment for those of you that want
to save money, be aware those universal ink printer
refills for any printer may not work for your printer.
I thought I was saving money and the results were a
damaged printer,thus repairs. In my case, not only did
I get ink all
over my hands, ink leaked into my printer from the
cartridge and caused the damage. You are much better
off paying for the cartridge that goes with the
printer, than trying to save money and end up paying 3
times the cost in repairs.
Last but not least....again...Never, ever think your
computer is not vulnerable to sickness..Some never
recover!

About the Author
Donna Sweat
Publisher/Editor
Dee's Helpful Info.
Endless Mts.Home Business
New Albany,PA.18833
http://www.homebiz.pa.32668.com