Solved How often do you maintain your computers?

Haydon · Dec 26, 2021

Me: weekly for my main work computer, doing at least manual malware scans, manual backups, and restore functionality testing (merely deleting some unimportant files and doing the restore) plus whatever needs to be done. Chores done an as needed basis for the other computers (not on a calendar schedule)

I'd like to compare notes on how others keep their horses running, thanks!

The-Hive · Dec 26, 2021

Most of mine are done automatically with Norton, I do a weekly clean with C Cleaner and back up registry and new restore point. I also create an image with Macrium as and when needed and back up my important files Monthly with a manual "drag and drop" to external drive and a backup with Aomei Backupper more often if needed

Fabler2 · Dec 26, 2021

Image backup once a week. Clean temp files now and again. Run a AV scan also now and again.

barman58 · Dec 26, 2021

Mine is fully automatic, except for the occasional clean out, that is performed when I see the temporary areas looking untidy.

Malware definitions are updated hourly, 24/7 (the system is always on).

The backups are done overnight spread across the Five weekdays leaving me the weekend overnights for specialist support tasks - software updates are set to inform me when updates are available, and are then updated either when I have the time after checking other users experiences. or overnight at the weekend for major updates, (one off bespoke scheduled tasks are used where needed)

flashh4 · Dec 26, 2021

I wait for Windows Defender to run/scan then post a report ! Then i run Farbar to see if i have picked up anything helping clean Malware from clients (which is very few lately) !!
Chuck

OldMainframeGuy · Dec 26, 2021

Macrium scheduled nightly backup of data drive plus scheduled weekly backup of system drive; Defender and Malwarebytes doing their scans. Clean up temp files "when I think of it".

I let Macrium shut down the computer after the backups; I used to leave it running 24x7 but I really don't see a point to that at 4:00AM.

Rob

Dch48 · Dec 26, 2021

Whatever, whenever basically. No schedules. Image backup when I feel like it. System Restore is always turned off so no restore points. Occasional cleanup with CCleaner, including the registry. Infrequent Malwarebytes scans. I never have problems so I don't worry a lot. In 22 years of Windows use, I have never had a hard drive failure. The only things that have ever failed have been 2 power supplies and one DVD drive. That's all folks. Actually, on my personal computers, I have only had the one power supply failure. The other power supply and the DVD drive were on family members' systems.

RD Mercer · Dec 26, 2021

Backup with Acronis usually once a week, use Glary Utilities for clean up, use separate drive with no personal files on it for internet use, been doing it this way for years, and it's still working for me.

TheMystic · Dec 26, 2021

I run these pretty much everyday:

1. Disk cleanup
2. CCleaner Portable (only specific things selected)
3. Emptying Temp folder

Scans usually when Defender shows the exclamation mark in Taskbar.

Windows is always up-to-date. I never understood why there are many complaints against updates.

I use Browser Compartmentalization. I have all the major browsers installed: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Brave & Vivaldi. All of them have been configured with maximum security. Each browser is used for a very specific task, and I also use multiple profiles within each browser to minimize tracking as much as possible.

Everyone is collecting data these days. So Windows Firewall BLOCKS everything by default. Only the programs that need internet access for core functionality is allowed in the firewall. I don't mind running programs that are not up-to-date, as long as they function properly. I manually update them as and when needed.

Disks are trimmed/ defragged weekly.

Backups once in a while using Personal Backup. The important documents are all in the cloud, so they are always backed up.

I have a dual boot setup. The primary setup is on Windows 10 and I have only the most essential programs installed. The 2nd boot is Windows 11 and that is where all the fun and experimentation happens.

All data are stored in a separate disk, away from the operating systems.

Rest of the setup is explained in comment #2 here.

Wisewiz · Dec 26, 2021

I'm really pleased to see a bunch of us taking this question seriously. Back when I was serving clients, I often started out with this: "Tell me a little about your maintenance routine for this computer." The response was often (too often) something like this: "My what?"

Twice a week, Sunday and Wednesday, I run through this five-minute exercise:
CC: Run (selected entries)
Disk Cleanup
0 Image
F: Copy latest image to external

glasskuter · Dec 26, 2021

Ccleaner- every week. I don't use smart cleaning feature.
MWB Pro and Defender-only do manual scans if I have an issue.
Defrag my HDD storage drives once a month.
Organize files as I make them and delete what I don't need as I go along. I'm a stickler for organized file management, almost to the point of being obsessive about it. I wish my house was as clean and organized as my computer
Do full Macrium backups once a week of system drive or whenever I or Windows update makes a major change.
Do full backups of storage drives every 3 months
blow out case, fans, and cooler every 3 months.
Once a year-apply new thermal paste.

Haydon · Dec 26, 2021

Is there anyone here who has tightened up the settings in the Windows Security control panel?

I rely on Windows Security, the shield icon is always visible somewhere in the taskbar in every one of my computers. If the warning sign lights up, then of course, I'll react to it. And if the warning sign does not light up, then I am happy that the MS algorithm considers me practicing safe computing, and everything is hunky dory.

Except when the warning sign lights up VERY infrequently which can be something like once or twice a year. This is so infrequent that I sometimes ask myself 'does the green shield icon in the taskbar still work or is it a false negative?' Hence, I feel the need and actually do the weekly manual malware scans (quick, full, offline) at least on my main work computer.

I left the settings in the Windows Security control panel at their default values (not just 'Virus & threat protection', but also 'Account protection', 'Firewall & network protection', 'App & browser control', etc.)

So again, has anyone here tightened up the settings in the Windows Security control panel?

(this is different from the settings in your browser)

TairikuOkami · Dec 26, 2021

I turn off PC with a computer cleanup and settings reset. I backup twice a month, after windows updates.
I do not believe in malware, so I do not care about those. I do not use AV and I do not scan for malware.

Ghot · Dec 26, 2021

Maintenance wise, I don't do much.

I make a full backup with Macrium, before patch Tuesday, or w/e I'm gonna try something possibly disastrous.
After patch Tuesday I run sfc /scannow and Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup
Before I make a full backup (the only kind I make), I run CCleaner (plus registry cleaner).
I have Bitdefender Internet Security (AV and firewall), which takes care of itself.
I clean the dust filters about once a month.
Once a year I use the oil-less compressor to blow the dust out.
Every now and then I flip out and "think" there's something wrong, but alas, there never is or it's easy to fix.

Best problem I had was this, and it was an easy fix... Most exciting problem!
That's about it.

Computer runs, pretty much 24/7.

Slavic · Dec 26, 2021

I perform the maintenance noticeably rarely than most of people above; it's merely not a laziness but attempt to avoid excessive SSD operations which shorten its lifecycle. So:
Manual cleaning the %userprofile%\AppData\Local\Temp\ and %windir%\Temp ~ once a two weeks;
CCleaner ~ once a month;
Full system backup using Macrium Reflect ~ once a two months, usually after Tuesday update or before relatively big installations;
Defrag of SSD = never;
Backup of my work to external drive (docs, code when I do some programming) = as regularly as need, at least at the end of day.

Cleaning dust inside PC with vacuum cleaner ~ once a 3...4 months.
(I would add the cleaning a mouse and keyboard, but usually people do this well on their own without advices)

Bree · Dec 26, 2021

Monthly. Each Patch Tuesday I follow installing the cumulative the update with a thorough Disk clean up, run DISM /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup to clean up the component store, CCleaner to delete all browser cached files, and delete the contents of the C:\Windows\servicing\LCU folder. Then, while it is as lean and clean as possible, I make a Macrium image of the system.

Edwin · Dec 26, 2021

Apply a Swiffer Duster to my screens once a month..., that's about it!!! :lie:

hsehestedt · Dec 26, 2021

Haydon said:
BTW, it is at times like this when I wished I could RDP my computers from my phone but no worry, it will come, it's just a matter of time :)

What kind of phone do you have? I have, and regularly use, Microsoft Remote Desktop on my Android phone. I don't know if that is available for iPhone.

hsehestedt · Dec 26, 2021

I have mainly automated processes. My backups happen every single night, at least for any drives on which important data is stored. For less important things like my Plex Server, once a week is enough.

Haydon · Dec 27, 2021

hsehestedt said:
What kind of phone do you have? I have, and regularly use, Microsoft Remote Desktop on my Android phone. I don't know if that is available for iPhone.

Wow, thanks! I found a whole bunch of Android to Windows RDP apps/clients that I yet have to try out, but it's a start :)

Which one do you use?

I seem to remember that I tried out a few options many, many years ago, but found that none was really usable.

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