Assumption – you have one active and current Antivirus and Anti Spyware program.  
WARNING: Computer must be connected to AC power. Do not do the following on battery power.
Use Google to find the following programs and download the "free" personal home version.

Every week
Clean up garbage files (temporary files, system dump files, internet temp files, etc)
For each user account on the computer, do the following-
- From the desktop, click CCleaner
- “CCleaner” click “Analyze”, and then click “Run Cleaner”
Note: Review the default selected items to clean. You may want to un-select some of the items (i.e. Windows - Recent Documents, Applications - Office 200X, etc). Also, do not use the Registry option. Registry cleaners remove more than they should.

Run Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware – Time Approx. 10 minutes
- From the desktop, click Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware
- Click ‘Update’ tab
- Click ‘Check for Updates’.  When update complete, click OK
- Click ‘Scanner’ tab
- Select ‘Perform quick scan’ and click Scan. When completed, click OK
- Click ‘Exit’ to close program

Every 30 days
Backup / copy important data to USB drive or external hard drive. What to backup? If the computer died, what would you miss? Email address books, financial data, photos, recipes, children’s school work etc

Run Windows Update (Note: Microsoft updates come out the second Tuesday of the month.)
- Start – All Programs - Windows Update
- click “xx important updates are available”
-  review selected updates and unselect update(s) you do not want
- click OK
- click Install Updates
Note: You may be requested to “Restart Computer” to finish installation – click Restart.

Defrag the hard drive
- From the desktop – click Defraggler – under Drives (at the top) select “(C:)” – click Analyze button – click Defrag button

Check for software updates
- Click Start – All Programs – Secunia PSI – under “Patch Your PC” click ‘Scan your PC’ – click ‘Start Scan’. When scan completes, click View Scan Results. Review items tagged red “end-of-life” and “Insecure”. Click Install Solution.


Every 3 months
Check Hard Drive for errors
- From the desktop – click Defraggler – click “Action” menu – click “Advanced” – click “Check Drive for Errors”.

Check for HP (Laptop) Updates
- From the desktop – HP Support Assistant – click ‘Maintain’ – click “Select to install all updates” – click “Apply”

Troubleshooting
Windows 7 Troubleshooting
- Click Start – type in the ‘Search programs and files’ box Reliability
- click “View Reliability history”  Click on Red X to show failure.  Click item listed under ‘Action’.

Windows 7 Restore Point
(Restore computer to earlier time, before problem.)
Start – Programs – Accessories – System Tools – System Restore
Select ‘Choose a different Restore point and click Next
Select appropriate Restore Point’ and click Next
Confirm your restore point and click Finish
Click Yes