Chapter Fifteen Computer Maintenance

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
COMPUTER MAINTENANCE

Overview

In the course of time, the performance level of your computer is likely to go down for a number of
reasons. In some cases problems may arise that disable parts or all of the functions of the computer. The
goal of this chapter is to minimize problems and to provide an approach to dealing with problems with
minimal hassle and cost.

1. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Most problems can be avoided if some
prevention is done. Even if there is an issue, the earlier it is discovered the less damage there
will be. Regular computer maintenance will avoid a world of problems.

2. In this chapter there are some helpful guidelines listed will simplify problem solving to a great
degree.

3. Finding the cause of the problem is the first step to the solution. There are many aids to
troubleshooting available.

4. You can fix many problems but some require more care or expertise.

Learning Objectives

In this chapter you will learn about:

 Computer Virus
 Types of Virus
 Symptoms of a computer virus
 Spyware
 Process to remove a Computer Virus and Spyware
 Uninterruptible power supply
 Hardware maintenance tips
 Software maintenance
 Computer Maintenance Tips.

Page- 389
Chapter Fifteen Computer Maintenance

Introduction

Computer maintenance is the practice of keeping computers in a good state of repair. Computer
Maintenance can is in the form of any activity as given below:
Computer cleaning
Computer cleaning is the practice of physically cleaning the interior, and exterior, of a computer
including the removal of dust and debris from cooling fans, power supplies, and hardware components.
Backup
Important data stored on computers may be copied and archived securely so that, in the event, of
failure, the data and systems may be reconstructed. When major maintenance such as patching is
performed, a backup is recommended as the first step in case the update fails and reversion is required.
Disk maintenance
Disk storage, such as your hard drive, fills up with unwanted files over time. Disk cleanup may be
performed as regular maintenance to remove these. Files may become fragmented and so slow the
performance of the computer. Disk defragmentation may be performed to combine these fragments and
so improve performance.
Dust
Dust and other cruft may accumulate as a result of air cooling. If filters are used to prevent this then
they will need regular service and changes. If the cooling system is not filtered then regular Computer
cleaning may be required to prevent short circuits and overheating.
Law
Computer maintenance activities are specifically exempt from the Digital Millennium Copyright Act
and so copies of copyright files may be made in the course of maintenance provided that they are
destroyed afterwards.
Registry
Operating systems files such as the Windows registry may require maintenance. A utility such as a
registry cleaner may be used for this.
Security
Service intervals
Depending on your environment computers should be serviced at least once per quarter, though
monthly service is optimal. This will ensure your computers run at their peak performance.
Software updates
Software packages and operating systems may require regular updates to correct software bugs and
address security weaknesses. An automated or semi-automated program such as Windows update may
be used for this.

Computer Virus
A computer virus is a computer program that can copy itself and infect a computer. The term "virus" is
also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware, including but not limited to
adware and spyware programs that do not have the reproductive ability. A true virus can spread from
one computer to another (in some form of executable code) when its host is taken to the target
computer; for instance because a user sent it over a network or the Internet, or carried it on a removable
medium such as a floppy disk, CD, DVD, or USB drive.

Page- 390
Chapter Fifteen Computer Maintenance

Definition of a Computer Virus

A computer virus is a small software program that spreads from one computer to another computer
and that interferes with computer operation. A computer virus may corrupt or delete data on a
computer, use an e-mail program to spread the virus to other computers, or even delete everything on
the hard disk.
Computer viruses are most easily spread by attachments in e-mail messages or by instant messaging
messages. Therefore, you must never open an e-mail attachment unless you know who sent the message
or unless you are expecting the e-mail attachment. Computer viruses can be disguised as attachments of
funny images, greeting cards, or audio and video files. Computer viruses also spread by using
downloads on the Internet. Computer viruses can be hidden in pirated software or in other files or
programs that you may download.

Types of Viruses

Not all computer viruses behave, replicate, or infect the same way. There are several different
categories of viruses and malware. Below I list and discuss some of the most common types of
computer viruses.

Trojan horse:

A Trojan horse program has the appearance of having a useful and desired function. While it may
advertise its activity after launching, this information is not apparent to the user beforehand. Secretly
the program performs other, undesired functions. A Trojan horse neither replicates nor copies itself, but
causes damage or compromises the security of the computer. A Trojan horse must be sent by someone
or carried by another program and may arrive in the form of a joke program or software of some sort.
The malicious functionality of a Trojan horse may be anything undesirable for a computer user,
including data destruction or compromising a system by providing a means for another computer to
gain access, thus bypassing normal access controls.

Worms:
A worm is a program that makes and facilitates the distribution of copies of itself; for example, from
one disk drive to another, or by copying itself using email or another transport mechanism. The worm
may do damage and compromise the security of the computer. It may arrive via exploitation of a system
vulnerability or by clicking on an infected e-mail.

Boot sector Virus:

A virus which attaches itself to the first part of the hard disk that is read by the computer upon bootup.
These are normally spread by floppy disks.

Macro Virus:
Macro viruses are viruses that use another application's macro programming language to distribute
themselves. They infect documents such as MS Word or MS Excel and are typically spread to other
similar documents.

Page- 391
Chapter Fifteen Computer Maintenance

Memory Resident Viruses:

Memory Resident Viruses reside in a computers volatile memory (RAM). They are initiated from a
virus which runs on the computer and they stay in memory after its initiating program closes.

Root kit Virus:

A root kit virus is an undetectable virus which attempts to allow someone to gain control of a computer
system. The term root kit comes from the Linux administrator root user. These viruses are usually
installed by Trojans and are normally disguised as operating system files.

Polymorphic Viruses:
A polymorphic virus not only replicates itself by creating multiple files of itself, but it also changes it's
digital signature every time it replicates. This makes it difficult for less sophisticated antivirus software
to detect.

Logic Bombs/Time Bombs:

These are viruses which are programmed to initiate at a specific date or when a specific event occurs.
Some examples are a virus which deletes your photos on Halloween, or a virus which deletes a database
table if a certain employee gets fired.

Virus infected Computer

Symptoms that may be the result of ordinary Windows functions.
A computer virus infection may cause the following problems: 
Note: These problems may also occur because of ordinary Windows functions or problems in Windows
that are not caused by a computer virus.
 Windows does not start even though you have not made any system changes or even though
you have not installed or removed any programs.
 Windows does not start because certain important system files are missing. Additionally, you
receive an error message that lists the missing files.
 The computer sometimes starts as expected. However, at other times, the computer stops
responding before the desktop icons and the taskbar appear.
 The computer runs very slowly. Additionally, the computer takes longer than expected to start.
 You receive out-of-memory error messages even though the computer has sufficient RAM.
 New programs are installed incorrectly.
 Windows spontaneously restarts unexpectedly.
 Programs that used to run stop responding frequently. Even if you remove and reinstall the
programs, the issue continues to occur.
 A disk utility such as Scandisk reports multiple serious disk errors.
 A partition disappears.
 The computer always stops responding when you try to use Microsoft Office products.
 You cannot start Windows Task Manager.
 Antivirus software indicates that a computer virus is present.

Page- 392
Chapter Fifteen Computer Maintenance

Symptoms of a Computer Virus

If you suspect or confirm that your computer is infected with a computer virus, obtain the current
antivirus software. The following are some primary indicators that a computer may be infected: 
 The computer runs slower than usual.
 The computer stops responding, or it locks up frequently.
 The computer crashes, and then it restarts every few minutes.
 The computer restarts on its own. Additionally, the computer does not run as usual.
 Applications on the computer do not work correctly.
 Disks or disk drives are inaccessible.
 You cannot print items correctly.
 You see unusual error messages.
 You see distorted menus and dialog boxes.
 There is a double extension on an attachment that you recently opened, such as a .jpg, .vbs,
.gif, or .exe. extension.
 An antivirus program is disabled for no reason. Additionally, the antivirus program cannot be
restarted.
 An antivirus program cannot be installed on the computer, or the antivirus program will not
run.
 New icons appear on the desktop that you did not put there, or the icons are not associated with
any recently installed programs.
 Strange sounds or music plays from the speakers unexpectedly.
 A program disappears from the computer even though you did not intentionally remove the
program.
Symptoms of worms and Trojan horse viruses in e-mail messages
When a computer virus infects e-mail messages or infects other files on a computer, you may notice
the following symptoms:
 The infected file may make copies of itself. This behavior may use up all the free space on the
hard disk.
 A copy of the infected file may be sent to all the addresses in an e-mail address list.
 The computer virus may reformat the hard disk. This behavior will delete files and programs.
 The computer virus may install hidden programs, such as pirated software. This pirated
software may then be distributed and sold from the computer.
 The computer virus may reduce security. This could enable intruders to remotely access the
computer or the network.
 You receive an e-mail message that has a strange attachment. When you open the attachment,
dialog boxes appear, or a sudden degradation in system performance occurs.
 Someone tells you that they have recently received e-mail messages from you that contained
attached files that you did not send. The files that are attached to the e-mail messages have
extensions such as .exe, .bat, .scr, and .vbs extensions.

Spyware
Spyware can install on your computer without your knowledge. These programs can change your
computer’s configuration or collect advertising data and personal information. Spyware can track

Page- 393
Chapter Fifteen Computer Maintenance

internet searching habits and possibly redirect web site activity.

Symptoms of Spyware
When a computer becomes affected by Spyware, the following may result:
 Slow internet connection.
 Changing your web browser’s home page.
 Loss of internet connectivity.
 Failure to open some programs, including security software.
 Unable to visit specific websites, which may include redirecting you to another one.

Process to remove a Computer Virus and Spyware

Even for an expert, removing a computer virus or spyware can be a difficult task without the help of
computer malicious software removal tools. Some computer viruses and other unwanted software
reinstall themselves after the viruses and spyware have been detected and removed. Fortunately, by
updating the computer and by using malicious software removal tools, you can help permanently
remove unwanted software.
To remove a computer virus and other malicious software, follow these steps:
Install the latest updates from Microsoft Update:
1. For Windows Vista and Windows 7:
a. Click the Pearl (Start) button, then type Windows Update in the search box.
b. In the results area, click Windows Update.
c. Click Check for Updates.
d. Follow the instructions to download and install the latest Windows Updates.
2. For Windows XP:
a. Click Start, then click Run.
b. Type sysdm.cpl and press the Enter key.
c. Click the Automatic Updates tab and choose the Automatic (recommended)
option.
d. Click OK.

Use the Microsoft Safety Scanner

Microsoft offers a free online tool that will scan and remove potential threats from your computer. To
perform the scan, visit: http://www.microsoft.com/security/scanner/
(http://www.microsoft.com/security/scanner/)

Install and run Microsoft Security Essentials

Microsoft offers a free malicious removal program; Microsoft Security Essentials that will also help
protect your computer from being infected. To install Microsoft Security Essentials, follow the steps
below:
1. Go to the Microsoft Security Essentials website at:
http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/
(http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/)
2. Click Download Now.
3. If your browser prompts you to save or run the file, click Run.
Page- 394
Chapter Fifteen Computer Maintenance

4. Follow the steps to install Microsoft Security Essentials.

5. After installation, restart your computer and open Microsoft Security Essentials.
6. On the Home tab, choose the Full scan option, and then click Scan now.

Names of Anti Virus

This is a list of anti-virus software that is available as online detection.

Bit Defender Online Scanner Free online virus scan.

ESET Online Scanner Free online virus scanner.

F-Secure Online Scanner Free online virus scanner.

Kaspersky Online Scanner Free online virus scan. (currently unavailable)

Microsoft Safety Scanner Free online malware scan with clean-up possibility.

Panda Security Active Scan Free online anti-virus for disinfection of viruses, worms and
Trojans.

Trend Micro House Call Free online virus scan.

TTLivescan Free malware scanner.

The following is a list of the available online file scanners.

 avast! Online Scanner with a file-size limit of 16 MB.
 Comodo Instant Malware Analysis
 Jotti's malware scan with a file-size limit of 20 MB, which uses several anti-virus programs.
 Kaspersky Virus File Scanner with a file-size limit of 1 MB.
 OPSWAT's Filterbit Online Virus Scanner with a file-size limit of 20 MB, which uses multiple
anti-virus programs.
 ThreatExpert Online File Scanner with a file-size limit of 5 MB.
 VirSCAN.org Free Multi-Engine Online Virus Scanner with a file-size limit of 20 MB.
 VirusChief Online Virus Scan that uses several anti-virus online virus scan engines.
 VirusTotal Free Online Virus, Malware and URL Scanner with a file-size limit of 20 MB.

Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)

An uninterruptible power supply, also
uninterruptible power source, UPS or
battery/flywheel backup, is an electrical apparatus
that provides emergency power to a load when the
input power source, typically the utility mains, fails.
A UPS differs from an auxiliary or emergency power
system or standby generator in that it will provide
instantaneous or near-instantaneous protection from
input power interruptions by means of one or more
attached batteries and associated electronic circuitry
for low power users, and or by means of diesel

Page- 395
Chapter Fifteen Computer Maintenance

generators and flywheels for high power users. The on-battery runtime of most uninterruptible power
Fig 15.1: Picture of an UPS

sources is relatively short—5–15 minutes being typical for smaller units—but sufficient to allow time to
bring an auxiliary power source on line, or to properly shut down the protected equipment. While not
limited to protecting any particular type of equipment, a UPS is typically used to protect computers,
data centers, telecommunication equipment or other electrical equipment where an unexpected power
disruption could cause injuries, fatalities, serious business disruption or data loss. UPS units range in
size from units designed to protect a single computer without a video monitor (around 200 VA rating)
to large units powering entire data centers, buildings, or even cities.

Hardware maintenance tips

Some simple ideas that will help keep your hardware alive and healthy.
 Shutdown, then power off the system before changing any part or plug (exceptions: serial port
devices and Ethernet interfaces)
 Use anti-static mat and/or wrist strap
 Be firm but gentle when seating boards, chips, connectors, etc.
 Keep it clean, especially air filters & ventilation paths
 Leave it powered up all the time (exception: video display)
 Don't drink anything around your machinery
 Put a power surge suppressor on the power line
 Avoid vibrations and shocks (e.g., avoid stacking components)

Software maintenance
Software Maintenance in software engineering is the modification of a software product after delivery
to correct faults, to improve performance or other attributes.
A common perception of maintenance is that it merely involves fixing bugs. However, studies and
surveys over the years have indicated that the majority, over 80%, of the maintenance effort is used for
non-corrective actions (Pigosky 1997). This perception is perpetuated by users submitting problem
reports that in reality are functionality enhancements to the system.
Software maintenance and evolution of systems was first addressed by Meir M. Lehman in 1969. Over
a period of twenty years, his research led to the formulation of eight Laws of Evolution (Lehman 1997).
Key findings of his research include that maintenance is really evolutionary development and that
maintenance decisions are aided by understanding what happens to systems (and software) over time.
Lehman demonstrated that systems continue to evolve over time. As they evolve, they grow more
complex unless some action such as code refactoring is taken to reduce the complexity.
The key software maintenance issues are both managerial and technical. Key management issues are:
alignment with customer priorities, staffing, which organization does maintenance, estimating costs.
Key technical issues are: limited understanding, impact analysis, testing, and maintainability
measurement.

The importance of software maintenance

In the late 1970s, a famous and widely cited survey study by Lientz and Swanson, exposed the very
high fraction of life-cycle costs that were being expended on maintenance. They categorized
maintenance activities into four classes:
Page- 396
Chapter Fifteen Computer Maintenance

 Adaptive – dealing with changes and adapting in the software environment

 Perfective – accommodating with new or changed user requirements which concern functional
enhancements to the software
 Corrective – dealing with errors found and fixing it
 Preventive – concerns activities aiming on increasing software maintainability and prevent
problems in the future

Computer Maintenance Tips

Eleven Tips to Keep your Computer Running Smoothly
1. Never, never, turn your computer off with the power switch until Windows has shut down. The
one exception to this rule is when your computer locks up and your hard drive is not running (hard drive
light is not blinking). In this situation, you can turn the power off without harmful effects to the hard
drive. As cutting the power can also result in lost data or Windows files, you should only do this when
you have to.

Following this rule will prevent permanent hard drive defects caused by the hard drive heads contacting
the surface of the drive disc, and it will prevent a host of Windows problems.
Whenever possible, recover from crashes by pressing the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys at the same time.
Press them again to reboot your computer.

2. I highly recommend that you purchase an UPS (uninterruptible power supply) for your computer.
This will keep your computer from crashing during power outages, and will protect your computer from
low and high voltage occurrences.

An UPS is far superior to a surge protector and will save your computer from almost any type of power
disaster. (See #1 above for what happens when your computer crashes.)

3. Backup, backup, backup, any data you cannot afford to lose to at least two separate physical drives.
So backup data to external hard drives, USB/thumb drives, CD-RW's etc.
The time to backup is when you create something you can't afford to lose. Don't wait until tomorrow.

4. Run Scandisk and Defragment at least once a month. This will keep your hard drive healthy and
prevent crashes. Alternatively, purchase a disk utility program and use it to keep your hard drive
healthy. These programs are part of Windows and can be found at Start/Computer then Right click on
the drive you want to fix. Choose Scandisk or Defragment from the menu.

5. Never unplug peripherals from the computer when it is powered up. Unplugging with the power
on can short out the connector socket or the motherboard. The only exception to this rule is if you know
a peripheral is "hot pluggable". If you do not know what "hot pluggable" means then ignore this
exception.

6. Do keep at least 300 MBs of your C: drive free for Windows to use. If you use Windows XP,
Vista, or WIndows 7 then you should have 400-600 MBs of free space on your C: drive.
If you do not have enough free space you will choke Windows and it will start dumping data to your
hard drive (or designated virtual drive), or it will just get really, really, slow (you will see your hard
drive light on all the time and your computer will be locked up until the drive stops spinning).

Page- 397
Chapter Fifteen Computer Maintenance

Use the ADD/Delete tool in the Windows Control Panel to delete unneeded programs from your drive.
You can also use disk/utility cleaning programs to get rid of clutter on your hard drive and to speed up
your system, we recommend using a PC speed up program like PC Cleaner.

7. Do not let a lot of programs load up when you start your computer . They use valuable memory
and Windows Resources (Windows internal workspace).
All programs in your Windows System Tray (in the lower left of your screen) are running on your
computer. Close them if you don't need them or run them and configure them not to load when you boot
up. Other programs running in the background can be found by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete at the same
time.

8. Do use an antivirus checker regularly. Everyone should have an antivirus checker that boots up
when their computer starts. The best type of protection is continuous monitoring from a dedicated anti-
virus program (for example Ad Aware Pro, Panda AntiVirus Pro, BitDefender Total Security, Spyware
Doctor with AntiVirus). Also, make sure the anti-virus program is set to update automatically. These
programs must regularly update their virus definitions to provide the best defense against new viruses
and other malware..

9. If you have a high speed Internet connection, you need a firewall program. A firewall program
keeps those who want to hijack your computer from gaining access to your system. You really do not
want someone else running your computer.

All current versions of Windows come with a built in firewall program. You can access the Windows
firewall at Start/Control Panel/Internet Connections/Windows Firewall. This program should always be
running unless you choose to use a different firewall program.

For additional protection, you should consider Internet security software that has firewall programs and
other web security tools built-in e.g. PC Tools Internet Security, Panda AntiVirus Pro, and BitDefender
Total Security have firewall, antivirus, and other security programs bundled together in one package.
Case in point: When I am online 10 hours or more with my DSL connection, my computer is usually
attacked by a hacker at least once.

Do not think you are safe from hackers!! Hackers use search programs to seek out computers at
random. Get a firewall program and use it.

10. Keep track of the software disks you receive with your computer and new peripherals. These
disks contain valuable software drivers and programs for Windows and are needed when Windows
must be reloaded. Keep these disks and your Windows software disks in a safe, dry, place -- you never
know when you will need them.

11. Make sure Windows Update is set to Automatically Update your computer. Windows is
frequently updated by Microsoft to prevent virus and malware attacks, to improve Windows
performance, and to provide new features. Access Windows Update at Start/Control Panel/System/
Security/Windows Update.

Keeping these computer maintenance tips in mind will keep your PC in top shape and keep you from
having an expensive repair bill.

Page- 398
Chapter Fifteen Computer Maintenance

Page- 399
Chapter Fifteen Computer Maintenance

General Computer Maintenance Tips:

 Keep all of your working files in one folder. The My Documents folder is offered by
Windows expressly for this purpose. The benefits of keeping all your files in one place are
multiple. One, you know where all your files are, two, it's easy to back them all up at once, and
three, your machine will run faster.
 Don't put your personal files on the root of the C: drive. If you store a large number of files
in the root folder, you could corrupt your disk file table which could lead to a "NTLDR is
missing" error message when you boot the computer. Very bad. If you have personal files on
the C: drive now, move them to the My Documents folder.
 Uninstall programs that you are not using. But don’t just delete the program. Remove it
correctly so you won’t cause Windows errors. Go to Start, Control Panel, Add or Remove
Programs. Find the program you want to remove in the list, and click the Remove button.
 If you download a zip file and expand it, delete the original zip file when you are done.
 Store your hardware drivers and purchased software installer files off your hard drive. A
flash drive works great for this purpose.
 If you aren’t already using one, get a good surge protector and plug your computer and
peripherals into it. If you live in an area with bad lightening storms, unplug you computer and
peripherals during the storm.
 Practice safe computing. Don't accept software or downloads for which you didn’t ask.
Delete any suspicious email without opening it. And even if the email came from your best
friend, don't open any email attachments with the following extensions: * .exe, .com, .vbs, .bat,
.mdb, .reg, and .js

Scheduled Computer Maintenance Tips

Daily computer maintenance tips

 Update your anti-virus scan and anti-spyware definitions, if they aren’t being done
automatically.
 Back up any critical files that you have changed today to your flash drive.

Weekly computer maintenance tips:

 Make sure your anti-virus and anti-spyware programs have been updated with the latest
definitions, and run a full scan from both programs.
 Reboot your computer. (If you shutdown your computer each night, disregard this tip). If you
leave your computer on all the time, definitely do this. It will reset the RAM, and your
computer will run much better and faster.

Page- 400
Chapter Fifteen Computer Maintenance

Monthly computer maintenance tips:

 Clean up your temp files, your temporary internet files, and other junk files about once a
month. To do this easily, you can either download my favorite program for cleaning, CCleaner.
Or you can run the built-in Windows Disk Cleanup tool for XP or the Disk Cleanup for
Windows 7.
 Ensure you have the latest Windows updates installed. Go to Internet Explorer, Tools,
Windows Update. Click on the Custom button. (I always use the Custom button so I can check
what’s going to be installed before it gets installed). Windows update may ask you to
download and install the latest version of itself. Go ahead and do that, then click Close when
it’s finished, and then Continue. It will then check again for real updates and offer those.
Choose which updates you want to install. Uncheck the ones you don’t want to install.
 Clean out your email, paying special attention to your Inbox and Sent box. The easiest way
I’ve found is to sort your email box by size of the message, and delete the largest unneeded
emails first.

Exercise
1. What do you mean by Computer Maintenance?
2. Define Computer Virus and write about the types of virus.
3. What do you mean by Virus infected computer?
4. What are the Symptoms of a Computer Virus?
5. What is Spyware? What are the Symptoms of Spyware?
6. Write the process to remove a Computer Virus and Spyware
7. Write the names of Anti Virus.
8. Describe Uninterruptible power supply.
9. What are Hardware maintenance tips and Software maintenance?
10. Write the importance of Software maintenance.
11. Write about the tips of Computer Maintenance.

Page- 401