10 Easy Better Computer Maintenance Tips :

1) Remove Junk Files : Important when talking about computer maintenance. Over the course of time, your computer accumulates unwanted and un-removed junk files that are no longer necessary. These junk files remain unused by the operating system, but occupy much disk space. 

2) Defragment Every Month : When software is installed many files are installed onto your computer in all sorts of places. So, when that software is opened or a particular file is opened the computer has to search all over the hard drive to find all of the necessary parts to open. Defragmenting your hard drive will get all of those pieces and put them in some sort of a logical order increasing the speed at which your computer can work.

Defragmenting your hard drive is a very simple process, follow the steps below for XP 

• Open "My Computer" & Right-clicking the Local Disk (C:) & Select Properties
• Click the Tools tab at the top of the window & Select "Defragment Now" button

Windows Vista is pretty much the same steps.

3) Update your Antivirus Regularly : Anti-Virus Software for computer maintenance is really only as good as the last time you updated it. New viruses, worms, and other threats are created by cyber terrorists and discovered everyday. If you updated your antivirus software yesterday, and a new virus is found today, your software won’t protect you. 

4) Have a Firewall Installed – A firewall is a program or software that prevents malicious attacks coming from the internet from penetrating your computer or network. There are millions of "zombie computers" in the net that are all the time scanning for other computers connected to the internet that have security holes. Without a firewall, a computer that is connected to the internet is highly vulnerable to attacks and can be infected within twenty minutes. 

5) Remove Uninstall Unwanted Programs : This procedure will ensure you are utilizing smaller amounts of area on your hard disk and your computer will run faster and smoother. This type of computer maintenance will ensure that your PC is running at its highest performance!

• Click on your start button and click on your control panel.
• Go to add/remove programs.

6) Keep Off Dust & Dirt from the CPU Cabinet : Open up the back of your CPU. Use a can of compressed air and an anti-static cloth to clean the dust. Hold the can vertically and spray air such that dust is not sprayed on other parts of the CPU and the circuits. Now use the anti-static cloth to clean off the dust.

7) Keep it Cool : A computer’s components produce large amounts of heat during a PC’s normal operation. Always try to keep your CPU in a place in the room where the flow of air is always maintained. This will make the system breathe the fresh air. This is so in order to keep your system cool and a bit down in temperature.

8) Improving Hardware (RAM) : Sometimes, its the most smartest option for computer maintenance is hardware upgrade. Since a RAM upgrade costs very less but the results are good. The performance of a PC highly Increases when you have 2GB of RAM along with a Good Processor. 

9) Computer Maintenance for Self : We all know that every one like to stay several hours in front of the computer. For this reason we must get used to maintain proper posture and pausing to relax the body and mind. One should know How to Avoid Cramps from Keyboard Typing & the Correct Methods of Using It

10) Look For more Resources about Computer Maintenance Tips : There are various suggestions and computer maintenance tips posted in many blogs and site. Be sure to read them too.