LO6. Maintain Computer Equipment and Systems

Information Sheet 6.1: Computer equipment/system basic maintenance procedures

10 Essential Computer Maintenance Tips

1. Fight the Dust

Dust and debris slow down your PC and may lead to hardware malfunction. If you have an assembled desktop computer, you have to open it up and clean the parts where you notice accumulated dust: look at the fan-cooling areas, check the RAM slots, processor and motherboard. Using a computer cleaning kit (compressed air cans) is unlikely to harm those parts. (If you’re a laptop user, you shouldn’t open the shell, but clean the keyboard with compressed air or a gentle vacuum.)

2. Unplug Your Laptop

Most laptop users are not aware that overcharging leads to shorter battery life. If you want your laptop to stay portable for a long time, charge it to 100 percent, unplug it and resist the temptation to keep charging it. Another good rule of thumb is to keep the battery level between 40 and 80 percent. Fortunately, battery replacement is not a complicated task for services like Mobile PC Medics. Still, if you want a long battery life for your mobile device, try not to let a complete discharge shorten its lifespan.

3. Avoid Overheating

Heavy performance tasks generate a lot of heat in desktop computers and laptops. The problem is keeping your laptop on the desk where the heat can’t circulate. Fortunately, you can invest in a laptop cooler stand with a USB-powered fan to avoid overheating. Desktops don’t have the same issue, but in their case, the fan-cooling areas have to be kept clean to prevent the CPU or GPU from overheating. You can also help your computer by closing unnecessary processes and browser tabs and running only the tasks you need for your work.

4. Perform Virus Scans

When it comes to software, regular virus scanning is the single most important thing you can do to keep your computer secure. Use your default Windows antivirus software and trusted third-party applications like Norton, Kaspersky, and Avast. These suites protect your device from most viruses and malware and even help with other PC maintenance tasks, such as deleting unwanted files. If you’re unsure which software to choose, Mobile PC Medics can advise you on the one suitable for your needs.

5. Get Rid of the Junk

Clutter is the number one reason for PCs losing performance; that’s why you have to keep junk files in check. Software like CCleaner can easily remove temporary files and other miscellaneous items.

In addition, clean your desktop and neatly organize your folders to have an overview of the files you need. Then delete internet files, including cache files and cookies, which slow down your browsing experience.

6. Use Cloud Storage

If you haven’t already done so, consider moving to cloud storage. There are free services or paid options to take advantage of a few extra GB. You can use the cloud just like an external drive to back up your data. A great advantage of cloud storage is accessing your files from any device with a working internet connection.

7. Update Your Software

Keeping your operating system and other programs up to date is the easiest thing you can do for your PC. The latest software versions ensure that your system is equipped against digital threats such as malware attacks. In addition, software running smoothly and free of bugs will give you a better overall experience with your PC. The same applies to device drivers, though Windows should send you reminders about necessary updates that you should run.

8. Use Windows Task Manager

One of our favorite computer maintenance tips is using Windows Task Manager. Once you start working with this tool, you’ll find it easier to spot unusual activities on your computer. It will teach you about the inner workings of your PC, the performance, disk usage, and network usage. Using Windows Task Manager will make you understand which programs use up a lot of RAM and help you identify unwanted processes, giving an instant boost to your computer’s speed.

9. Backup Your Data

We cannot stress enough the importance of regular data backups. After all, you can always replace a machine, but it isn’t easy to restore your data without a backup. That’s why it’s a good idea to get into the habit of weekly backups or to use a tool that will automatically do the job for you.

10. Reset Your PC

If there is nothing else to try, you can always reset your computer! If you regularly back up your data, nothing important will be lost in the process. Instead, you’ll have a system that runs fast and smoothly. Then just follow the computer maintenance checklist above to keep your computer a reliable companion for a long time. At this point, of course, you can invest in extra RAM and other upgrades to boost its performance even further. Computer hardware and software maintenance is not everybody’s favorite task, but it’s necessary to keep your computer running smoothly. 

Information Sheet 6.2: Viruses

A computer virus is a type of malicious software, or malware that spreads between computers and causes damage to data and software. 

Computer viruses aim to disrupt systems, cause major operational issues, and result in data loss and leakage. A key thing to know about computer viruses is that they are designed to spread across programs and systems. Computer viruses typically attach to an executable host file, which results in their viral codes executing when a file is opened. The code then spreads from the document or software it is attached to via networks, drives, file-sharing programs, or infected email attachments.

Common Signs of Computer Viruses

Chances are you’ve heard how important it is to keep viruses out, but what is a computer virus exactly? A computer virus will more than likely have an adverse effect on the device it resides on and may be discoverable through common signs of performance loss, including:

  • Speed of System. A computer system running slower than usual is one of the most common signs that the device has a virus. This includes the system itself running slowly, as well as applications and internet speed suffering. If a computer does not have powerful applications or programs installed and is running slowly, then it may be a sign it is infected with a virus.
  • Pop-up Windows. Unwanted pop-up windows appearing on a computer or in a web browser are a telltale sign of a computer virus. Unwanted pop-ups are a sign of malware, viruses, or spyware affecting a device.
  • Programs Self-executing. If computer programs unexpectedly close by themselves, then it is highly likely that the software has been infected with some form of virus or malware. Another indicator of a virus is when applications fail to load when selected from the Start menu or their desktop icon. Every time that happens, your next step should be to perform a virus scan and remove any files on programs that might not be safe to use.
  • Accounts Being Logged Out. Some viruses are designed to affect specific applications, which will either cause them to crash or force the user to automatically log out of the service.
  • Crashing of the Device. System crashes and the computer itself unexpectedly closing down are common indicators of a virus. Computer viruses cause computers to act in a variety of strange ways, which may include opening files by themselves, displaying unusual error messages, or clicking keys at random.
  • Mass Emails Being Sent from Your Email Account. Computer viruses are commonly spread via email. Hackers can use other people’s email accounts to spread malware and carry out wider cyber attacks. Therefore, if an email account has sent emails in the outbox that a user did not send, then this could be a sign of a computer virus.
  • Changes to Your Homepage. Any unexpected changes to a computer—such as your system’s homepage being amended or any browser settings being updated—are signs that a computer virus may be present on the device.

How Do Computer Viruses Attack and Spread?

In the early days of computers, viruses were spread between devices using floppy disks. Nowadays, viruses can still be spread via hard disks and Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices, but they are more likely to be passed between devices through the internet. 

Computer viruses can be spread via email, with some even capable of hijacking email software to spread themselves. Others may attach to legitimate software, within software packs, or infect code, and other viruses can be downloaded from compromised application stores and infected code repositories. A key feature of any computer virus is it requires a victim to execute its code or payload, which means the host application should be running.

Types of Computer Viruses

There are several types of computer viruses that can infect devices. This section will cover computer virus protections and how to get rid of computer viruses.

  • Resident Virus – Viruses propagate themselves by infecting applications on a host computer. A resident virus achieves this by infecting applications as they are opened by a user. A non-resident virus is capable of infecting executable files when programs are not running.
  • Multipartite Virus – A multipartite virus uses multiple methods to infect and spread across computers. It will typically remain in the computer’s memory to infect the hard disk, then spread through and infect more drives by altering the content of applications. This results in performance lag and application memory running low. 

Multipartite viruses can be avoided by not opening attachments from untrusted sources and by installing trusted antivirus software. It can also be prevented by cleaning the boot sector and the computer’s entire disk.

  • Direct Action – A direct action virus accesses a computer’s main memory and infects all programs, files, and folders located in the autoexec.bat path, before deleting itself. This virus typically alters the performance of a system but is capable of destroying all data on the computer’s hard disk and any USB device attached to it. Direct action viruses can be avoided through the use of antivirus scanners. They are easy to detect, as is restoring infected files.
  • Browser Hijacker – A browser hijacker manually changes the settings of web browsers, such as replacing the homepage, editing the new tab page, and changing the default search engine. Technically, it is not a virus because it cannot infect files but can be hugely damaging to computer users, who often will not  be able to restore their homepage or search engine. It can also contain adware that causes unwanted pop-ups and advertisements.

Browser hijackers typically attach to free software and malicious applications from unverified websites or app stores, so only use trusted software and reliable antivirus software.

  • Overwrite Virus – Overwrite viruses are extremely dangerous. They can delete data and replace it with their own file content or code. Once files get infected, they cannot be replaced, and the virus can affect Windows, DOS, Linux, and Apple systems. The only way this virus can be removed is by deleting all of the files it has infected, which could be devastating. The best way to protect against the overwrite virus is to use a trusted antivirus solution and keep it updated.
  • Web Scripting Virus – A web scripting virus attacks web browser security, enabling a hacker to inject web-pages with malicious code, or client-side scripting. This allows cyber criminals to attack major websites, such as social networking sites, email providers, and any site that enables user input or reviews. Attackers can use the virus to send spam, commit fraudulent activity, and damage server files.

Protecting against web scripting is reliant on deploying real-time web browser protection software, using cookie security, disabling scripts, and using malicious software removal tools.

  • File Infector – A file infector is one of the most common computer viruses. It overwrites files when they are opened and can quickly spread across systems and networks. It largely affects files with .exe or .com extensions. The best way to avoid file infector viruses is to only download official software and deploy an antivirus solution.
  • Network Virus – Network viruses are extremely dangerous because they can completely cripple entire computer networks. They are often difficult to discover, as the virus could be hidden within any computer on an infected network. These viruses can easily replicate and spread by using the internet to transfer to devices connected to the network. Trusted, robust antivirus solutions and advanced firewalls are crucial to protecting against network viruses.
  • Boot Sector Virus – A boot sector virus targets a computer’s master boot record (MBR). The virus injects its code into a hard disk’s partition table, then moves into the main memory when a computer restarts. The presence of the virus is signified by boot-up problems, poor system performance, and the hard disk becoming unable to locate. Most modern computers come with boot sector safeguards that restrict the potential of this type of virus. 

Steps to protecting against a boot sector virus include ensuring disks are write-protected and not starting up a computer with untrusted external drives connected.

Know More about Computer Viruses through Examples

There are common examples of what computer and internet users believe to be viruses, but are technically incorrect.

Is Trojan a Virus?

A Trojan horse is a type of program that pretends to be something it is not to get onto a device and infect it with malware. Therefore, a Trojan horse virus is a virus disguised to look like something it is not. For example, viruses can be hidden within unofficial games, applications, file-sharing sites, and bootlegged movies.

Is a Worm a Virus?

A computer worm is not a virus. Worms do not need a host system and can spread between systems and networks without user action, whereas a virus requires users to execute its code.

Is Ransomware a Virus?

Ransomware is when attackers lock victims out of their system or files and demand a ransom to unlock access. Viruses can be used to carry out ransomware attacks.

Is Rootkit a Virus?

A rootkit is not a virus. Rootkits are software packages that give attackers access to systems. They cannot self-replicate or spread across systems. 

Is a Software Bug a Virus?

“Bug” is a common word used to describe problems with computers, but a software bug is not a virus. A bug is a flaw or mistake in software code, which hackers can exploit to launch a cyberattack or spread malware.

How to Prevent Your Computer from Viruses

There are several ways to protect your computer from viruses, including:

  • Use a Trusted Antivirus Product. Trusted computer antivirus products are crucial to stop malware attacks and prevent computers from being infected with viruses. These antivirus concepts will protect devices from being infected through regular scans and identifying and blocking malware.
  • Avoid Clicking Pop-up Advertisements. Unwanted pop-up advertisements are more than likely to be linked to computer viruses and malware. Never click on pop-up advertisements because this can lead to inadvertently downloading viruses onto a computer.
  • Scan Your Email Attachments. A popular way to protect your device from computer viruses is to avoid suspicious email attachments, which are commonly used to spread malware. Computer antivirus solutions can be used to scan email attachments for potential viruses.
  • Scan the Files That You Download Using File-sharing Programs. File-sharing programs, particularly unofficial sites, are also popular resources for attackers to spread computer viruses. Avoid downloading applications, games, or software from unofficial sites, and always scan files that have been downloaded from any file-sharing program.

Information Sheet 6.3: OH & S Principles and Responsibilities

OH & S Principles and Responsibilities

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) focuses primarily on protecting employees in the workplace from accidents, injuries, and exposure to harmful substances. While accidents can happen at any time, it is still the employer’s responsibility to ensure that they take steps to reduce the risk of incidents and maintain a safe working environment. Prioritizing OHS at your business has several key benefits, including:

  • Reduced risk or accidents or injuries by identifying and mitigating hazards
  • Improved efficiency and productivity due to fewer employees missing work from illness or injury
  • Improved employee relations and morale (a safer work environment is a less stressful work environment)
  • Reduced costs associated with accidents or injuries (healthcare and rehabilitative costs, losses in productivity, impact on employees’ well-being)
  • Lower insurance premiums resulting from fewer workplace incidents and workers’ compensation claims

It’s no secret that all industries have safety hazards of some sort. The most important aspect of a good Occupational Health and Safety policy is identifying these hazards and ensuring that employees have the training, safety equipment, and other resources needed to work safely. Failure to implement effective policies and precautions can lead to injuries, reduced productivity due to the absence or loss of skilled labor, workers’ compensation claims, and possible penalties from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

There are several types of hazards employees may be exposed to depending on their industry

  • Physical hazards are environmental factors that can lead to injuries. These include exposed electrical wiring, falling objects, wet floors, and other conditions that can cause slips, falls, cuts, or other injuries. Some physical hazards don’t necessarily need to make physical contact to cause harm, such as excessive noise levels, heat, and pressure.
  • Biological hazards can lead to diseases, infections, and other serious health conditions. Mold and fungi, blood and other bodily fluids, bacteria, viruses, sewage, and vermin are all examples of biological hazards. Using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is vital to preventing exposure to biological hazards and protecting your health.
  • Chemical hazards can be inhaled as gases or vapors, or come in contact with skin as a liquid or solid. They can cause skin irritation, burns, respiratory problems, blindness, or other serious health complications. Chemicals such as cleaning products, acids, pesticides, and petroleum products need to be handled responsibly with proper PPE to prevent exposure.
  • Ergonomic hazards put strain on muscles, tendons, and other connective tissues of the body. They can result from bad posture, not using dollies other mechanical assistance, and repetitive or awkward lifting/movement. They can lead to musculoskeletal injuries such as muscle sprains, ruptured or herniated discs, and carpal tunnel.
  • Psychological hazards can lead to depression, concentration problems, inattention, or negligence. This type of hazard includes work-related stress, fatigue, harassment, and violence. These conditions can, in turn, lead to morale issues, reduced productivity and quality of work, and increased risk of injury.

How to Promote Occupational Health and Safety in Your Workplace

  1. Make sure that your OHS policies comply with all federal and/or state laws and regulations
  2. Ensure that your staff is properly trained on all machinery and equipment they may use in the workplace and are certified to operate them if required
  3. Keep Safety Data Sheets (SDS or MSDS) for all chemical products in use at your workplace, and make sure that they are easily accessible by your employees
  4. Have all necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as hard hats, eye protection, and respirators readily available to all employees
  5. Use tools and other equipment correctly and only for their intended purpose
  6. Use mechanical assistance such as carts, dollies, or pallet jacks when lifting or moving heavy objects
  7. Maintain good posture when sitting, standing, or lifting, especially when doing so for extended periods of time

Information Sheet 6.4: Calculating computer capacity

Introduction to Hard Drive Capacity and Its Calculation Way

Hard drive is a kind of ordinary data storage device, and many people are caring about its capacity when buying it. From this article, you can get some information about the unit and calculation method of hard drive capacity and so on.

Introduction to Hard Drive

As a kind of common data storage device, the hard drive is used to store and retrieve different kinds of digital data by using one or more rigid rapidly rotating disks coated with magnetic material.

The platters paired with magnetic heads are arranged on a moving actuator arm, and the moving actuator arm will read and write data to the platter surfaces.

The hard drive is a kind of non-volatile storage, which can retain stored data in powered off situations. And in the early 1960s, for general-purpose PCs, hard drives were the primary secondary storage device. And until now, Toshiba, Western Digital and Seagate are still rolling out new hard drives.

The prominent features of the hard drive are capacity and performance. The largest hard drive capacity is pretty larger than SSD capacity. So do you know the unit of hard drive size and the calculation method of it? Next, you can get some information about them which can help you make full use of hard drive in your daily life and work.

Hard Drive Capacity Calculation Method

In general, the hard drive capacity size which is reported by an operating system is smaller than the amount stated by manufacturers. But why?

There are some possible reasons: the operating system occupying some space, some space for data redundancy or file system structures. In addition, the difference between SI decimal prefixes units and binary prefixes can also cause the capacity difference.

Let us take a 120GB hard drive as an example:

The hard drive capacity calculation method of Manufacturer is: 120GB=120,000MB=120,000,000KB=120,000,000,000 bytes; while the hard drive capacity calculation method of is: 120,000,000,000 bytes/1024=117,187,500KB/1024=114, 440.9MB/1024=111.8GB.

Modern HDDs appear as a sequential set of logical blocks in their host controller and the hard drive capacity calculation method is to multiply the number of blocks by the block size. You can get the information from the product specification of manufacture, as well as from the drive itself by using an operating system function that calls a low-level drive command.

The total capacity of the old HDD is calculated as the number of cylinders per recording area, the product of the number of bytes per sector (the most common 512) and the number of zones of the drive.

The total published capacity of the modern HDD excludes the spare capacity for defect management; however, in many early hard drives, there were a certain number of sectors saved as spares, which reduced the capacity for the operating system to use.

The Unit of Hard Drive Capacity

MB (megabytes) was mainly used when the hard disk was produced at the beginning of 1956. As time goes by, MB is too small to meet the demand for calculating the hard drive capacity. Now, the main units of the hard drive are GB (gigabytes) and TB (terabytes).

Usually, manufacturers use these SI-based units to indicate the total capacity of the hard drive. For example, a hard drive can be 100 GB, 1 TB, 12 TB, or even bigger.

The external hard disk is also widely used all over the world which is typically connected to your computer via USB. When you are using the external hard drive, you may encounter an “external hard drive not recognized” issue. This issue may be caused by different reasons, and you need to use different methods to deal with it. 

Information Sheet 6.5: System Software

System software is a type of computer program that is designed to run a computer’s hardware and application programs. If we think of the computer system as a layered model, the system software is the interface between the hardware and user applications. The operating system is the best-known example of system software. The OS manages all the other programs in a computer.

System software is used to manage the computer itself. It runs in the background, maintaining the computer’s basic functions so users can run higher-level application software to perform certain tasks. Essentially, system software provides a platform for application software to be run on top of.

Important features of system software

Computer manufacturers usually develop the system software as an integral part of the computer. The primary responsibility of this software is to create an interface between the computer hardware they manufacture and the end user.

System software generally includes the following features:

  1. High speed. System software must be as efficient as possible to provide an effective platform for higher-level software in the computer system.
  2. Hard to manipulate. It often requires the use of a programming language, which is more difficult to use than a more intuitive user interface (UI).
  3. Written in a low-level computer language. System software must be written in a computer language the central processing unit (CPU) and other computer hardware can read.
  4. Close to the system. It connects directly to the hardware that enables the computer to run.
  5. Versatile. System software must communicate with both the specialized hardware it runs on and the higher-level application software that is usually hardware-agnostic and often has no direct connection to the hardware it runs on. System software also must support other programs that depend on it as they evolve and change.

Types of system software

System software manages the computer’s basic functions, including the disk operating system, file management utility software and operating systems.

Other examples of system software include the following:

  • The BIOS (basic input/output system) gets the computer system started after it’s turned on and manages the data flow between the OS and attached devices, such as the hard drive, video adapter, keyboard, mouse and printer.
  • The boot program loads the OS into the computer’s main memory or random access memory (RAM).
  • An assembler takes basic computer instructions and converts them into a pattern of bits that the computer’s processor can use to perform its basic operations.
  • A device driver controls a particular type of device that is attached to your computer, such as a keyboard or mouse. The driver program converts the more general I/O instructions of the OS to messages that the device type can understand.

Additionally, system software can also include system utilities, such as the disk defragmenter and System Restore, and development tools, such as compilers and debuggers.

Operating systems

The computer’s OS is a well-known example of system software. Widely used operating systems include Microsoft Windows, macOS and Linux. Unlike other system software types, the average computer user regularly interacts with the computer OS through its graphical UI (GUI) and, with some operating systems, a less complex command-line interface (CLI).

Because a GUI is a program that sits on top of the OS, it may be referred to as application software, not system software. In other words, the GUI is application software that makes it possible for the user to manipulate parts of the OS.

Important tasks performed by the operating system

The main responsibility of the operating system is to manage a computer’s software and hardware resources. It is the computer’s main control program. The OS controls and maintains a record of all other programs on the computer, including both application and system software. The OS creates an environment that all other computer programs run within and provides service to those other applications.

Operating systems perform tasks. Five of the most important ones are the following:

  1. File management and process scheduling. The OS allocates resources and prioritizes which programs should receive the resources and in what order. For example, a digital audio workstation application may require a certain level of processing power when being used. The OS decides how much power the application gets from the CPU and manages the effects of that allocation on other applications. If a more critical process is happening elsewhere on the computer, the OS might sacrifice some of the power the digital audio workstation has requested, for example, to ensure the other process can be completed.
  2. Processor and memory management. The OS allocates the computer’s memory to a process when needed and deallocates it when the process is finished.
  3. Error detection. The OS detects, tracks and debugs an error in the computer’s other programs.
  4. Security. The OS uses passwords to protect the computer’s programs and data from unauthorized access.
  5. Control and management. The OS uses compilers, assemblers and interpreters to control and manage other programs on the computer. These language processers are pieces of system software that translate the high-level languages — Java, Python and C++ — that many computer programs are written in into low-level machine code instructions, which is essentially a series of 1s and 0s that the computer’s CPU can read.

Difference between system software and application software

System software and application programs are the two main types of computer software. Unlike system software, application software — often just called an application or app — performs a particular function for the end user. Some examples of application software include the following:

  • web browsers
  • email clients
  • word processors
  • spreadsheets

Application software and system software are coded differently. System software is written in system programming languages — such as Executive Systems Problem Oriented Language (ESPOL) — designed to provide easy access to the underlying computer hardware. Application programs are written in general-purpose languages, such as Pascal, that enable the program to use the same code on different platforms. Some languages, such as C, are used for both system and application software.

System software and application software are also triggered differently. System software is generally triggered when a computer or device is turned on, and it remains on until the device is powered down. Application software is triggered by an end user after the computer is turned on. Application software needs system software to function, whereas system software can run independently of application software.

In most cases, end users do not interact with system software because it runs in the background. By contrast, end users do interact with application software — installing it, booting it up, using it to perform certain tasks, booting it down and uninstalling it.

Information Sheet 6.6: Basic File Maintenance Procedures

A properly maintained computer is a key in ensuring a fast and smooth computing environment. In addition, to the standard virus scanning and defragging procedures, there are additional steps that can be taken to ensure a computer is running in a optimize state. Listed below are the essential procedures for maintaining a computer.

Delete Temporary (tmp) Files

Temporary files are created on the hard disk by programs to store information while the program is in use. After the program is closed the tmp files should be deleted. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and over time, the hard drive starts to be filled with unnecessary tmp files.

Steps to Delete tmp Files:

  1. Start | Search
  2. Select All Files or Folders
  3. In the search box type *.tmp
  4. Click Search Now
  5. Edit | Select All – will select all the tmp files for deletion
  6. Press Delete key

Delete Temporary Internet Files and Cookies

When surfing the Internet sites that are visited store temporary files on the local computer in cache or as cookies. These files contain information about the site including text, graphics and personal information. Over time, the number of these files continues to grow taking up disk space, and in the case of cookies, posing possible security hazards.

NOTE! Sites that store username and password information for automatic login save the information in a cookie. Before deleting cookies make sure to have username and password information recorded.

Steps to Delete Temporary Internet Files and Cookies in Internet Explorer:

  1. Select Tools | Internet Options
  2. Under Temporary Internet Files:
    • Click Delete Cookies to remove cookies
    • Click Delete Files to remove temporary files
  3. Restart Internet Explorer

Empty Recycle Bin

When a file is deleted off a computer it is not deleted immediately but stored in the recycle bin in case it needs to be recovered later. While this feature offers great data recovery protection if not emptied can clutter the hard drive with unnecessary files.

Steps to Empty Recycle Bin:

  1. Double click on Recycle Bin icon on desktop
  2. Check to make sure there are no files that need to be restored.
    • NOTE! Once the recycle bin is emptied there is no method to retrieve the files.
  3. Click on Empty Recycle Bin or File | Empty Recycle Bin

Remove Unnecessary Software

Many systems have software installed that is no longer uses, such as preinstalled software or demo programs. Not only is the software taking disk space but also can be loading components that use memory and degrade system performance. By removing this software hard disk space is increased and system performance is boosted.

Steps to Remove Unnecessary Software:

  1. Start | Control Panel
  2. Select Add/Remove Programs
  3. Highlight program to remove
  4. Click Remove/Change
  5. Follow the instructions provided by the software for removal

It is recommended that only one software package be removed at a time. This ensures that if there is a problem with the removal of the software it can be determined which software caused the issue.

File Maintenance

Working Papers has several features to maintain your client files, ensuring that your documents are clean, accurate, up-to-date, and comply with governing standards. The four file maintenance features include:

  • Cleanup: Remove sensitive information within your client file.
  • Lockdown: Comply with established standards governing the documentation that an auditor should prepare and retain using the Lockdown feature. Lockdown creates a milestone or snapshot of the file at the time the file is locked down.
  • Maintenance: Keep client files organized and well-maintained using various maintenance procedures.
  • Year End Close: Close a file to the next year, rolling forward the current file’s closing balances to create opening balances for the new file.