You should regularly perform housekeeping functions on your computer to keep it running efficiently.

1. Install and run anti-virus software and maintain a firewall. There are many products available, such as Norton and McAfee, which will help protect your computer and your data. You should check for and apply updates on a daily basis. There is often an option to have updates automatically downloaded and applied.

2. Install and run anti-spyware software. There are many products available, such as Ad-aware, Pest Patrol and Spybot, which will help protect your computer and your data. You should check for and apply updates on a daily basis. There may be an option to have updates automatically downloaded and applied.

3. Microsoft issues regular upgrades. If your computer is using a Windows operating system, you should ensure that your security fixes and upgrades are upto date. There is an option to have security fixes and upgrades automatically downloaded, or downloaded and applied.

4. Backup the data on your computer on a regular basis. Ideally, this data should be backed up to an external storage device, such as CD(s) or an external hard drive.

5. Compact and backup the WorkingArtist data file and application file on a regular basis. Click on Start/ Programs/ WorkingArtist30/ Compact and Backup. Make sure that both the data file and application file paths are populated, and then compact each file. Here is a link to a Knowledge Base article on backing up WorkingArtist 3.0. You should ensure that your WorkingArtist data file, artdat30.mdb, is regularly backed up to an external storage device, such as a CD or an external hard drive. Here is a link to the Knowledge Base article on burning to CD.

6. Run the Disk Defragmenter utility. This utility will defragment your hard drive so that it utilizes space more efficiently. It is usually found in Programs/ Accessories/ System Tools.

7. Run Disk Cleanup utility. There may be lost files on your hard drive that are not attached to anything but are taking up space. This utility will remove such unnecessary files. It is usually found in Programs/ Accessories/ System Tools.

8. Run the Check Disk utility. This will check for errors on your hard drive and fix them.
-- Double-Click on My Computer;
-- Right click on Local Disc C (or whichever disc is to be checked);
-- Click on Properties;
-- Click on Tools;
-- Select Check Now in the “Error Checking” section;
-- In the Check Disk screen, select the desired options and click Start.
-- Note: Check Disc requires exclusive access to the disc. If another program is accessing the disc, you will receive a message asking if you wish to schedule Check Disk for the next time that you open your computer.

9. Clear out tmp file from your hard drive. These files are created when either an application or the computer unexpectedly closes down. To find all tmp files:
-- Click on the Start button;
-- Click on the Search button;
-- Type *.tmp into the find files field and search your hard drive(s) for tmp files.
-- Once you find them, delete them and then clear out your recycle bin.

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