Low-cost ways to maintain and protect your computers

Paul Broadwith, Managing Director, Blue Ivy Limited Paul Broadwith is managing director and founder of Blue Ivy Limited, a Microsoft Small Business Specialist providing IT services to organisations throughout the Highlands - from its office in Wick, Caithness.

Question: In these tough economic times, we don't have the budget to invest in new hardware or software, but I'm conscious our computers are less efficient than they used to be. How can we extend their lifespan and keep them up-to-date and protected without it costing much? - Fraser, Edinburgh

Answer: Hi Fraser. Sluggish computers are a problem for many small businesses. This is generally due to the amount of software installed on each machine, a lack of in-house know-how, and the fact that one’s focus is (quite rightly) more on growing the business than worrying about IT.

Lots of things people do to their computers adversely affect their performance, most of which involve installing new programs or hardware. But even if you don't install programs or tinker with your machines in other ways, over time their performance is likely to sag. That's because they start to build up clutter, files get split up and spread out on your hard drive, so they take longer to load.

Simple maintenance tasks
Yet slow machines don’t necessarily need to be replaced: a bit of regular maintenance and protection (just as you would with your company cars) will keep them running just fine. In fact, there are many free and easy ways to keep your PCs safe and up to scratch:

Routine maintenance tasks like this take just a few minutes, but they’ll help keep your machines up to speed. Defragmenting can take a little more time – run the Defragmenter overnight.

The same goes for protecting your computers from threats to your business - there are plenty of remedies that don’t cost any money – or very little - in these tough economic times.

Free protection from online threats
Let’s start with Windows Defender, a security package that comes free with all versions of Windows Vista and is also available to download for genuine copies of Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later. It will protect your computers from ‘pop-ups’, slow performance and security threats by detecting and removing ‘spyware’ and ‘malware’ – in other words, programs installed surreptitiously on your machines to poach information about you and your internet browsing habits.

To combat these programs, a dedicated team of Microsoft researchers constantly searches the Internet for new threats and develops methods to counteract it using Windows Defender. By continually monitoring your systems, Defender finds unwelcome programs that slow down your computer, and recommends actions to minimise interruptions and help you stay productive.

‘Patching’ fixes problems
Another way to keep your computers secure is by installing software updates as they become available. It’s what IT pros call ‘patching’ - a techie term for plugging the holes in your systems to make them run smoothly. Patches are simply small pieces of software that fix problems which come to light and update your programs. You may well have heard of patching for anti-virus programs; but software manufacturers actually release patches for almost all programs now and then.

As well as repairing software ‘bugs’ and eradicating viruses that get onto your computers via the internet, patching helps improve the overall performance of your machines. Unfortunately, most businesses don’t realise the benefits of patching, or simply ignore it because they don't know what to do.

Applying patches used to be tedious, but Microsoft has made it much simpler thanks to automated tools that keep your laptops, desktops and servers current with latest product updates and security patches. Even if you don’t have an in-house IT person, you’re more than capable of installing and maintaining patches.

Get protected
The king of patches is Windows Update; a free service that downloads updates for Windows, Office and other Microsoft programs as they become available; boosting the security and reliability of your machines. If you hadn’t previously discovered Windows Update, you can check for updates at any time by clicking Windows Update from the Control Panel. If your computers are linked to a server, you can also install the software on the server and save time by downloading updates centrally to each machine on your network.

A perfect supplement to Windows Update is the Windows Security Center, where you’ll find all your security settings in one place (Start, Control Panel, Security, Security Center). It helps make your computers safer by alerting you when your security software is out of date or when the settings need strengthening.

Your computers really need a reliable firewall in place, too. We recommend a hardware firewall for perimeter network security; but you can also firewall your machines with software – free if you use Microsoft Vista! Security Center will tell you if you have a firewall installed, and whether it's the Windows Firewall or one from another company. Vista and Windows 7 both come with an in-built firewall. Make sure it’s switched on, and it will stop 90% of viruses, spyware, spam and other threats reaching any of your machines.

Assess yourself
If you’re not sure exactly what state your computers are in, there’s a very good self-assessment tool on the Microsoft Small Business website that identifies ways to protect your IT. It’s free and only takes about 15 minutes to assess your IT and recommend improvements.

Another useful tool worth exploring is the free Software Inspector available from Secunia. This scans your computers for vulnerable programs, detects missing security patches and end-of-life programs, then provides links to appropriate patches for thousands of third-party programs. These are usually free to download from the program vendors.

Lastly, look out for an exciting new – and free - security product from Microsoft code-named Morro, that will be available soon as a download for Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems. It will protect your machines against the majority of online threats and provide similar protection from malware to that already enjoyed by Microsoft’s large corporate customers.

Outside expertise
Above all, remember that however busy you are handling customers, it’s still important to maintain and protect your computers; and there are solutions out there to help without breaking the bank – indeed many are totally free. Those I’ve mentioned will get you off to a good start.

It’s also worth making your employees aware of the need for regular maintenance and security. If you haven’t the right experience yourself, then perhaps ask your nearest Microsoft Small Business Specialist to give them some training. By using their computers sensibly, your colleagues will not only be more productive, but also avoid exposing the company to unnecessary risks.

Best of luck,

--Paul

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