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Protecting Your Computer and Files

The main part of the computer that needs protection is your hard disk, or hard drive. This is where all you information is stored, so it is very key that you keep it in tip-top form. Here are some simple things you can do to keep your hard drive running smoothly:

• Optimize Your Hard Drive - A hard drive stores parts of files in numerous areas of the hard disk. To retrieve a file, the computer must search the entire disk to find all the pieces. Once it finds all the pieces it has to figure out how to put them back together again. This can seriously degrade your system's performance. You can use a defragmentation program to reorganize your hard disk so all the files are stored together. Deframenting your drive as often as once a month could really help speed up loading files. Windows 95 includes a defragmentation program called Defragmenter.

• Repair Your Drive - It is also good practice to get into the habit of running the Windows 95 program Scandisk. This program scans your hard drive for errors and corrects them. You should check your drive for errors at least once a month.