So the New Year has come around again. If you’re anything like me, it’s a great opportunity to use this time to get all your things in order – clean the garage, clear those gutters, and do all the housekeeping chores you put off till the holidays. But, did you remember to give your computer a ‘dusting’?

Here’s a few quick tips to keep your PC in tip top shape – and keep your precious data safe.

1. Check your antivirus/antispyware.

It’s easy to let this one slip. Most new PCs come with 90 days free antivirus. However, after this, you need to pay the supplier to keep your definitions up to date and protect yourself against new viruses. You don’t, however, have to pay for this – AVG Antivirus (www.grisoft.com), Avast! Antivirus (www.avast.com) and Avira Antivir (www.free-av.com) all have free versions for home use.

2. Uninstall old software.

It’s easy to end up with a whole lot of stuff on your PC that you don’t need – when was the last time you played that game you got last Christmas? Use Add/Remove Programs (in Control Panel on Windows PCs) and uninstall what you’re not using anymore. You’ll free up disk space and make your PC run a little bit faster.

3. Backup your data.

Take a couple of hours to burn some CDs or DVDs of all your important data – word documents, photos, emails etc. Computers have a nasty habit of failing just when you don’t need them to, and they tend to take all your data with them when they do. So make sure you have a backup of anything you don’t want to lose. Bonus tip – subscribe to a service like Fickr (www.flickr.com) or SmugMug (www.smugmug.com) and you can upload your photos to the Internet – providing both an online backup and a way to share them with friends and family!

Take half a day (give or take) to get your PC in order, and start the year off right!

So the New Year has come around again. If you’re anything like me, it’s a great opportunity to use this time to get all your things in order – clean the garage, clear those gutters, and do all the housekeeping chores you put off till the holidays. But, did you remember to give your computer a ‘dusting’?

Here’s a few quick tips to keep your PC in tip top shape – and keep your precious data safe.

1. Check your antivirus/antispyware.

It’s easy to let this one slip. Most new PCs come with 90 days free antivirus. However, after this, you need to pay the supplier to keep your definitions up to date and protect yourself against new viruses. You don’t, however, have to pay for this – AVG Antivirus (www.grisoft.com), Avast! Antivirus (www.avast.com) and Avira Antivir (www.free-av.com) all have free versions for home use.

2. Uninstall old software.

It’s easy to end up with a whole lot of stuff on your PC that you don’t need – when was the last time you played that game you got last Christmas? Use Add/Remove Programs (in Control Panel on Windows PCs) and uninstall what you’re not using anymore. You’ll free up disk space and make your PC run a little bit faster.

3. Backup your data.

Take a couple of hours to burn some CDs or DVDs of all your important data – word documents, photos, emails etc. Computers have a nasty habit of failing just when you don’t need them to, and they tend to take all your data with them when they do. So make sure you have a backup of anything you don’t want to lose. Bonus tip – subscribe to a service like Fickr (www.flickr.com) or SmugMug (www.smugmug.com) and you can upload your photos to the Internet – providing both an online backup and a way to share them with friends and family!

Take half a day (give or take) to get your PC in order, and start the year off right!