Like any high-performance machine, your hard disk drive needs occasional tuneups to keep it running at peak efficiency. And when something goes wrong (which will undoubtedly happen some day), you'll need a repair kit. Luckily, this doesn't always mean opening up the computer: There are dozens of programs -- some packaged with your operating system -- that can keep your drive in shape and make minor repairs. To keep your hard drive running smoothly, you should:
Defragment your hard drive regularly. Your drive's free space gets broken up -- or fragmented -- by chunks of software once you've used your drive for a while. After repeated additions and deletions, computer disks no longer store data in a continuous line the way music is recorded on a vinyl record. When you install a new program or create a new data file, one piece may be stored on one section of the hard disk, and another piece may be stored in a different area. It takes longer to find these scattered pieces, and your computer will slow down considerably. As your hard drive fills up, the problem gets worse.
A disk defragmenter (also called an optimizer) takes those scattered files and reorganizes them so that each file is stored in one piece. The better programs will even let you decide where to put each file. Your computer may come with a basic defragmenter, and that may be all you need. Or you can purchase a better one.
Buy a good disk tune-up utility. Besides optimizing your drive, these handy tool kits will find trouble spots on your hard disk and fix them before they turn into disasters. These utilities are not foolproof, but they can often recover lost, deleted or damaged files. If a disaster does strike, and your disk really gets scrambled, they may be able to bail you out.
Use disk utilities to prepare an emergency startup disk or a restore disk. If something goes wrong with your hard drive, the emergency disk will get your computer running and give you a shot at fixing things. You'll find many good disk utility programs for both PCs and Macintoshes on the shelves of your software store.
Get a virus checker. Viruses are malicious programs that hide on your hard disk and strike when you least expect it. At best, viruses are annoying. At worst, they can turn your hard drive into a blob of electronic jelly. Software companies offer dozens of programs that scan your hard disk for viruses and remove them. Find one and use it.
Back up your hard drive regularly. You can't afford to lose your business records, tax information and other important data. With today's huge hard drives and complex software installations, you also can't afford the time it would take to restore all your programs from the original disks. One good bet is a tape backup unit. Get one big enough to back up your entire hard disk on one cartridge. That way, you'll be more likely to use it.
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