1. Choose Your PCs Wisely
Many of the “problems” businesses have with their computers aren’t related to maintenance at all. They simply purchased an underpowered PC. For example, video and photo editing software require a lot of RAM (random-access memory). Trying to use a program like this on an outdated PC will cause things to slow down to a crawl or even crash the computer completely. You’d be forgiven for thinking that this is some kind of an issue with the computer, but everything is functioning just fine. There’s no amount of maintenance that you could do in this situation to improve things.
This is why you need to make smart decisions when purchasing your workstations. Take a look at all of the programs you frequently use in your day-to-day operations. Most will have the system requirements listed. You should also keep in mind that employees will be using multiple programs at a time, so it’s never a bad idea to overshoot these requirements.
2. Keep Your PCs Updated
Windows and Apple release regular updates to improve performance, fix bugs, and patch security holes. Make sure you’re always updating your workstations to the latest version of your chosen OS as soon as it becomes available.
3. Regularly Remove Unnecessary Data
Over time computers become weighed down by all of the unused junk that accumulates. Old applications. Documents that are no longer relevant. Things like that. At a certain point, the hard drive becomes so cluttered that it takes longer to read and write from it and this causes everything you do to slow down. This usually doesn’t start happening until it’s at 75-80% capacity, but there’s no reason to wait that long. Just keep your hard drive clean as you go and you’ll never have to worry about it.
4. Be Careful What You Install
There are a number of useful freeware programs out there, but be careful when installing them. Many come bundled with additional software that’s automatically installed unless you opt out. This software will almost always negatively impact your PCs performance in some way. So, pay attention during the installation process so you don’t end up with a bunch of software you didn’t ask for.
5. Get Some Help
Installing and maintaining business computers is easy — in theory. But when you’re dealing with dozens of PCs it can be time-consuming. Ask yourself: is this really something I need to be focusing on? There are almost certainly other areas of your business where you should be putting your time and effort. An IT solutions provider with expertise in PC support can help you make the most of your computer while you focus on more pressing issues.
At Atlantic Communications Team we offer full-service communications support to businesses in central Florida. We help businesses make the most of their information technology with a diverse array of IT solutions. This includes basic PC support tasks such as procurement, maintenance, and virus removal. Please, contact us today to learn more about what our IT solutions can do for you.