Preventive Maintenance

1. Clear your Temporary Internet files

2. Run Disk Defragmenter

3. Run Disk Cleanup

4. Restart your PC

1. Clear Temporary Internet files

While you surf the Internet, your computer is constantly storing files and programs. If you don't clean them out regularly, they can negatively impact your computer's performance and the reliability of your Internet connection. This is known as clearing your browser's cache. Clearing these files will not remove your Favorites.

To clear the browser cache

1. Open the Internet [Web] Options window.

2. In the Temporary Internet Files section, click Delete Files.

3. Click OK.

Deleting your Temporary Internet files may take anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes.

2. Run Disk Defragmenter

Disk Defragmenter is a program that will consolidate all of the free space on the hard drive, and can help make programs load and run faster.

To Run Disk Defragmenter on Windows® 98, ME, 2000 and XP 1. Click Start, then click Programs, Accessories and System Tools.

2. From System Tools, click Disk Defragmenter to begin.

3. Select the drive you want to defragment and click OK.

Note: Defragmenting your hard drive may take up to several hours if you have not done it recently. If it is taking too long and you want to finish later, it is ok to exit while Disk Defragmenter is still running by clicking the Stop button.

3. Run Disk Cleanup

Disk Cleanup can clear space on your hard drive by giving you the choice to delete Temporary Internet files, empty the recycle bin, delete files in the Temp directory, etc.

To Run Disk Cleanup on Windows® 98, ME, 2000 and XP

1. Click Start, then click Programs, Accessories and System Tools.

2. From System Tools, click Disk Cleanup to begin.

3. Under the Disk Cleanup tab and in the Files to Delete window, review the options that are already checked by default. These can be safely deleted. You may also review the additional options not checked by default by highlighting each item and clicking on View Files before deciding if you can safely delete those files.

4. Once you've safely determined which files to delete, click OK.

Note: Disk Cleanup is not available on Windows 95.

4. Restart Your PC

When left on too long, your computer can act up or overheat, like a car engine. One way to help improve your connectivity experience is to regularly turn your computer off and then back on again in a process called "rebooting." At the end of your next session, shut down and turn off your computer before beginning your next session.