If something in Windows is already broken, hop ahead to Article 17 for the fix. But if your computer seems to be running reasonably well, stay right here. This article explains how to keep it running that way for the longest time possible. This article is a checklist of sorts, with each section explaining a fairly simple and necessary task to keep Windows running at its best. There’s no need to call in a techie because much of this upkeep takes place using either Windows’ built-in maintenance tools or standard household cleaners. For example, you run Vista’s built-in Disk Cleanup program to free up space on a crowded hard drive. This article also helps you fix the annoying and ubiquitous “bad driver” problem by explaining how to put a fresh driver behind the wheel. Finally, you discover a quick way to clean your mouse — a necessary but oft-overlooked task that keeps the pointer on target. (Feel free to grab the vacuum cleaner and suck all the cookie crumbs out of your keyboard during the same cleaning spree.) In addition to the checklist this article offers, make sure that Vista’s Windows Update and Windows Defender programs are running on auto-pilot, as I describe in Article 10. They both go a long way to keep your computer running safely and securely. Creating a Restore Point When your computer’s ailing, System Restore provides a magical way to go back in time to when your computer was feeling better. Although System Restore creates restore points automatically, feel free to create your own. A restore point lets you return to a spot when you know your PC was working.

1. Click the Start menu’s All Programs menu, click Accessories, click System Tools, and click System Restore. The System Restore window appears.

2. Choose Open System Protection and click the Create button. Found near the bottom of the System Restore window, the Open System Protection option fetches the System Protection page.

3. Click Create, type a name for your new Restore Point and then click Create to save the Restore Point. Windows Vista creates a restore point with that name, leaving you with a bunch of open windows to close. By creating your own restore points on good days, you’ll know immediately which ones to use on bad days. I describe how to resuscitate your computer with System Restore in Article 17. Tuning Up Windows Vista with Built-In Maintenance Tools Vista contains a slew of tools for keeping Vista running smoothly. Several run automatically, limiting your work to checking their On switches. Others help you prepare for global warming by backing up your PC’s files. To check them out, click the Start menu, choose Control Panel, and select the System and Maintenance category. You’ll need these tools most often:

- Backup and Restore Center: Windows Vista comes with an awkward backup program. But it’s free, leaving you no excuse not to back up your files. All hard drives eventually die, and you’ve stored lots of memories on yours.

- System: Technical support people thrive in here. The System area lists your version of Vista, your PC’s horsepower and networking status, and a scorecard rating of what Vista thinks of your PC’s performance.

- Windows Update: This tool lets Microsoft automatically siphon security fixes into your PC through the Internet, usually a good thing. Here’s where you can turn Windows Update back on, if necessary.

- Power Options: Not sure whether your PC or laptop is sleeping, hibernating, or just plain turned off? Article 2 explains the difference, and this section lets you decide your PC’s degree of lethargy when you press its Off button. (Or, for you laptop owners, when you close its lid.)

- Administrative Tools: One gem lives here: Freeing up space on your hard drive by deleting your PC’s garbage. I describe these tasks more fully in this article’s next five sections. Backing up your computer Your hard drive will eventually die, unfortunately, and it will take everything with it: years of digital photos, songs, letters, financial records, scanned items, and anything else you’ve created or stored on your PC. That’s why you must back up your files on a regular basis. That backup copy lets you pick up the pieces gracefully when your hard drive suddenly walks off the stage. Windows Vista’s solution, its bundled Backup program, offers a rare combination: It’s basic and awkward to use. But if you have more time than money, here’s how to make Windows Vista’s built-in Backup program back up your important files. If you prefer something a little easier to use, ask your computer retailer to recommend a third-party backup program. Before you can use Windows Vista’s Backup program, you need three things:

- A CD burner, DVD burner, or external hard drive: Windows’ free Backup program can write to CDs and DVDs — if you’re willing to sit there and feed those discs to your PC. But for dependable, automatic backups, nothing beats an external hard drive. Buy one that simply plugs into your computer’s FireWire or USB 2.0 port; Vista recognizes it on the spot.

- An Administrator account: You must be logged on to the computer with an Administrator account. I explain passwords and User accounts in Article 13.

- Windows Vista’s Backup program: The Backup program comes for free in every version of Windows Vista. Unfortunately, the Backup program doesn’t run automatically in Windows Home Basic — you must remember to run it every evening. (That’s one of the reasons that version costs less than the Home Premium and Ultimate versions of Vista.) When you take care of those three things, follow these steps to make your computer back up your work automatically each month (good), week (better), or night (best):

1. Open Vista’s Backup and Restore Center. Click the Start button, choose Control Panel, select the System and Maintenance category, and click Backup and Restore Center.

2. Choose Backup Files. If you’re using Vista’s Ultimate or Business version, the Backup and Restore Center offers two slightly different ways to back up your PC, both described in the sidebar. But you want to click the Backup Files button. The thoughtful program asks where you want to save the files.

3. Choose where to save your backup and click Next. Vista lets you save your backup nearly anywhere: CDs, DVDs, USB drives, portable hard drives, or even a drive on a networked computer Although your choice depends on the amount of information you’re backing up, the best solution is a portable hard drive: A hard drive in a box that plugs into one of your PC’s USB or FireWire ports, allowing for unattended backups. If you can’t afford a portable hard drive, then CDs or DVDs are the next best thing. If you try to save to a networked drive on another PC, Vista will ask for an Administrator account’s username and password on the other PC. If Vista asks which disks you want to include in the backup, choose Local Disk (C:) (System).

4. Choose the types of files you want to back up and click Next. Although Windows asks what types of files you want to back up, it’s already selected every type of file on the list. If you have a very good reason for not backing up some of them, remove the check marks next to those files. If you don’t remove any check marks, Vista backs up all the files in every User account on the PC. What Vista doesn’t back up, though, are programs. But because you’ve saved their installation discs, you can simply reinstall them as necessary. Vista saves every file and folder in each user’s user account folder. To be precise, that’s the C:\Users folder, including all the folders inside it.

5. Choose how often to back up, and click the Save Settings and Start Backup button. For the most convenient backups, choose a daily backup taking place in the wee hours of the morning. If you turn off your PC at night, choose a daytime schedule. When you click the Save Settings and Start Backup button, Vista immediately starts its backup — even if one’s not scheduled yet. That’s because the ever-vigilant Vista wants to make sure that it grabs everything right now — before something goes wrong.

6. Restore a few files to test your backup. Now it’s time to make sure that everything worked. Repeat the first step, but choose Restore Files. Follow Vista’s menus until you can browse the list of backed-up files. Restore a test file to make sure that it’s copied back to its original place.