mastering computers.

COMPUTER maintenance & repair; PERSONAL computers; COMPUTER security; COMPUTER software; BACKUP processing alternatives in electronic data processing

This article discusses about computer maintenance. Normally we think of maintenance as a chore, something we have to do to keep things running smoothly and prevent problems down the road, whether with our car, house, or computer. But with a personal computer, maintenance can actually be fun--if you approach it from the right perspective. The joy of computer maintenance takes many forms. These days, automation is the byword. Operating systems like Microsoft Windows and utility suites like Symantec's Norton Internet Security let you automatically keep crucial parts of your computer system up to date. You can keep your other software up to date by periodically checking the web sites of the respective manufacturers. With today's large and fast hard drives and more efficient operating systems, one maintenance task that is no longer as necessary is disk defragmenting. One maintenance task that is still crucial is backing up your data using rewritable CD or DVD disc or automated backup tools. Another interesting maintenance task is checking to see who is spying on you. If you download a lot of software, one or more programs may be peeping at your web surfing habits, which could slow you down.