CHAPTER
9
Performing
Maintenance
Tasks and
Completing
Special Projects
After completing this chapter, you will be able to:



Perform basic maintenance tasks.
Create a routine maintenance schedule for the
computers for which you are responsible.
Create a list of special projects that help desk team
members can perform.
A help desk is formed to solve users’ computer problems, but the
prevention of problems and routine maintenance of systems and
equipment are equally important functions. Team members might also
perform a variety of special projects that enable the help desk to improve
its performance, expand its technicians’ knowledge, and gain additional
funding or technical support.
Performing Maintenance
Tasks
The maintenance of computers is the basis of a successful help desk
operation. When computers are appropriately and routinely maintained,
the help desk has fewer and less-severe problems to address.
Computer maintenance encompasses many of the preventive support
measures that you have learned about in earlier chapters. Several factors
affect the maintenance tasks and maintenance schedule that you set up
for your help desk team. These include:
 The number of computers that your help desk is responsible for.
 The resources you have available (especially the number of
people on your help desk team).
 The focus of your help desk. Are you more focused on real-time
and off-line user support, or on the maintenance of computers?
 The availability of other resources, such as a school or district
technology team that can perform maintenance.
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Performing Maintenance Tasks and Completing Special Projects
CHECK THIS OUT
Scheduled Task
Wizard
You can set many
maintenance tasks to
take place automatically
by using the Scheduled
Task Wizard. You start
the wizard by clicking
the Start menu, pointing
to All Programs,
pointing to Accessories,
pointing to System
Tools, and clicking
Scheduled Tasks. Then,
follow the wizard’s
prompts to pick the
programs or utilities to
run and when and how
often they should be run.
 The age and configuration of your computers. For example,
computers with smaller hard disk drives must be defragmented
and cleared out more frequently than those with larger hard disk
drives.
 Your computer use policies. If users are restricted from saving
files to the hard disk drives of computers, you are less likely to
run out of room.
Table 9-1 lists various maintenance tasks with descriptions, their
importance, and recommendations for the frequency with which they
should be performed. None of these tasks should be delayed until the
scheduled time if there is a need to perform them sooner.
TABLE 9-1
Maintenance tasks
Physical Maintenance Tasks
Task
Description Importance Frequency
and Steps
Cleaning
keyboards and
mice
Use a slightly
damp cloth or
compressed air;
balls in the
mouse device
might need to be
removed and
cleaned
Use approved
solution or wipes
Cleaning monitor
screens
Check cables and
power cords for
wear
Ensure that all
cables are
secure and not
stressed; check
all plugs to
ensure that they
are in good
condition, not
stressed, and
not overloading
outlets
Cleaning
equipment can
prevent damage
Once every
three months
Overall
cleanliness
prevents users
from using
unapproved
solutions
Preventing
damage to cords
or plugs can
minimize user
assistance calls
and prevent
damage to
equipment
Once every
week
Once a month
Performing Maintenance Tasks and Completing Special Projects
119
Hardware and Hard Disk Maintenance Tasks
Task
Description Importance Frequency
and Steps
Check for and
update drivers
Use the
Hardware
Update Wizard,
Windows
Update, and
manufacturer
Web sites to find
and install the
latest hardware
drivers (see
Chapter 5 for
more
information)
Use Disk
Defragmenter to
defragment the
hard disk drive
and make
access to data
faster and more
efficient (see
Chapter 5 for
more
information); you
can schedule
this task by
using the
Scheduled Task
Wizard
Use Disk
Cleanup to clear
out unused and
unnecessary
files on the hard
disk drive
Defragment hard
disks
Use Disk Cleanup
Ensures that
equipment is
using the
optimum drivers
Once every
three months
Ensures the
most efficient
use of the hard
disk
Once every
one to three
months
Eliminates
unused and
infrequently
used files
Once every
one to three
months
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Performing Maintenance Tasks and Completing Special Projects
Security Maintenance Tasks
Task
Description Importance Frequency
and Steps
Install downloaded
Windows Updates
If computers are
not configured to
automatically
install critical and
recommended
updates from
Windows Update,
then you should
do so manually
If computers are
not configured to
automatically
run scans more
frequently, you
must do so once
a week; you can
schedule this
task in most
virus software
Go to the Web
site of the your
virus protection
software
manufacturer
and download
the newest virus
definitions; you
can schedule
this task in most
virus software
Check the Web
sites of major
virus protection
software
manufacturers to
see if new
viruses have
been found, and
how critical they
are; if a critical
new virus is
found, ensure
the definition is
immediately
downloaded to
computers
Run a complete
virus scan on the
computer
Update virus
definitions
Check Web sites
for information on
new viruses
Ensures that
critical patches
are installed to
protect and
optimize
computer
Once a week
Ensures that you
find any viruses
on the computer,
provided you
have virus
definitions for
them
Once a week
Ensures that you
have the
definitions of the
latest viruses
Once every
two weeks
Helps ensure
that a new virus
does not affect
your network
before you know
the virus exists
Daily
Performing Maintenance Tasks and Completing Special Projects
121
Exercise 9-1: Create a Maintenance Schedule
In this exercise, you determine which maintenance tasks your
help desk team will perform, and when you will perform them.
You will need a calendar of the school year, an accurate
count of the computers you must maintain, and an idea of
how long each task takes.
1. List all the tasks your help desk team will be responsible
for in the Task column of the table that follows.
2. Determine how many work hours it will take to complete
the task on all computers. To determine work hours,
multiply the time it takes to do the task on one computer by
the number of computers (if the task is performed on each
computer).
3. Fill in the Frequency column for each task.
4. Fill in the Start Date for each task (the first time your team
will do it).
5. Schedule each task by writing it in the school year
calendar. Be careful not to overbook your team. Tasks that
occur once a week or once every two or three weeks will
eventually coincide, and might need to be slightly shifted. If
you have so many tasks to perform that no one has time to
help end-users, you might not be able to meet your help
desk goals.
Task
Work Hours
Frequency
Start Date
Performing Maintenance Tasks and Completing Special Projects
123
Completing Special
Projects
The help desk team can undertake a variety of special projects to
improve the level of service that the help desk offers. For example, you
might develop a project to provide more training for technicians, or one
to increase funding for the help desk. The types of projects you might
want to consider are discussed in the following sections. As a help desk
technician, you should strive to complete at least one significant special
project each school year. As a help desk team, you should look at all of
the proposals for special projects, and prioritize them in a way that gives
you the best return on your investment of resources. For example, if a
special project will take 10 technician hours, but will result in
information that saves each technician on the team 30 minutes each day,
than that project offers a high return on investment (ROI). Because each
help desk has different priorities and needs, you need to determine the
ROI of any project proposed by your help desk technicians.
Knowledge Projects
Knowledge projects are those that result in increased knowledge for the
entire team. These types of projects are usually completed by an
individual or very small group. They investigate an issue or problem and
then present their research to help desk team members. The presentation
to team members should be in one of two forms—either a
problem/solution format, or as a job aid that enables the help desk to do
something better or faster. One advantage to these projects is that they
allow the researcher to investigate a problem or technical area in which
he or she is most interested.
You might consider the following types of knowledge projects:
 Create a list of useful Web sites. Research a topic on the
Internet, such as sites that have great information about
hardware, troubleshooting, or customer relations. Compile the
list in an organized manner, with the Internet addresses, names
of the sites, and a brief description of each. You can also add
these to your Favorites in Internet Explorer, and then e-mail
links to the Web sites to other team members so they can add
them to their Favorites, if desired.
 Find out how to perform a complicated task or topic, and
create a job aid. This course covers the basic tasks and topics
you need to understand to set up and operate a help desk. There
are others that are beyond the scope of this course, but which
could be useful for your help desk to understand; for example,
detailed knowledge of the components on a motherboard, or
how to use the DiskPart.exe command to partition disks.
Research a topic or task and present the results to your
colleagues. For topics that you research, present a brief
summary. Include pictures or graphics wherever possible. For
tasks that you research, present a step-by-step job aid. You
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Performing Maintenance Tasks and Completing Special Projects
should include these in your school’s knowledge base. A
knowledge base is where you store all your help desk
information, instructions, and research. This might be an
electronic database, another type of computer file, or hard
copies in a file drawer.
TIP
Your database
documentation should
include directions on
how to run a report to
find this information. If
your help desk team has
a designated data
analyst, then you should
request the information
from him or her.
Analysis Projects
Analysis projects are those in which you analyze data to determine the
next steps to take. For example, someone probably analyzed your
school’s need for computer support, and recommended that a student
help desk be formed. Analysis projects require that you gather data and
draw conclusions from it. Therefore, they often involve documenting the
analysis, or actually following through on the next steps, such as creating
a user guide.
You might consider the following types of analysis projects:
 Analyze the top types of problems that your help desk
solves. Using your ticket tracking database, determine the three
end-user problems that generate the most calls. Then, determine
if there is a way to either educate users to avoid or solve these
problems, or a way for help desk technicians to solve them
faster.
 Analyze whether or not you are meeting your help desk
goals. At the beginning of this course, you set goals for your
help desk; for example, you might have set a goal of one hour
to respond to a ticket request. Do an analysis project to
determine if you are meeting a specific goal, and then make
recommendations on how to further improve in this area.
Research Projects
Research projects are those in which you find answers to questions, and
then use those answers as the basis for more analysis, or for
recommendations. For example, you want to determine the support areas
in which help desk team members need the most training. So, you
question team members on this, and then use their answers to determine
the type of training needed and make recommendations on appropriate
training programs.
You might consider the following research projects:
 Find out what end users think of the help desk. Create a
survey for end users to report how they feel about the service
they receive from the help desk. Distribute, collect, and analyze
the data, and present it to your team so that the team can
determine in which areas it is effective, and in which areas it
needs to improve. See Appendix B for a sample survey.
Performing Maintenance Tasks and Completing Special Projects
125
 Find out about help desk organizations. Conduct research
online and elsewhere to determine what types of help deskfocused organizations exist, and what they do. You might
research professional organizations and societies for help desk
technicians, training organizations, certification organizations,
and so forth. Create a document that summarizes this
information, and present it to your team so that they can use it
to find out more about careers in the IT field.
Funding Projects
Funding projects usually combine research, analysis, and documentation.
There are different types of funding projects. You might research
funding that is available to student organizations or help desk
organizations. You might research funding available through your school
or school district for student activities (like a help desk) or for
equipment. And you might write a request, called a grant proposal, to
receive money from a specific foundation or company. Writing a grant
proposal is a complex undertaking, so you will probably want to work
closely with your instructor, faculty adviser, or technology team to write
it. You can help present the proposal to the organization that has the
resources. Here are some tips for finding additional funding for your help
desk, or for more or newer computers in your school.
 Make a list of what makes your school unique. Include things
like the state and city you are in, the focus of school programs,
and if appropriate, demographic information. Demographic
information includes average income level of families, the
percentage of particular ethnic groups, and the ages of students.
Many grants are available only to schools or programs that fit
within particular demographic definitions.
 Find out your state, county, and school district goals related
to technology. If you know these goals, you can write
proposals that fit within them. Knowing the goals helps you to
justify why your school should receive a portion of the
allocated budget for technology.
 Find out which corporations in your area are the most
profitable. Corporations sometimes sponsor a computer lab,
and provide training or other resources. For example, Microsoft
Corporation provides schools with Windows XP Professional
and Office XP Professional at minimal costs. Start with the
profitable corporations that focus on technology fields. Then,
research other companies that might support your effort.
 Get a book about available grants. Visit the local library or
do online research to find books that list grants that are
available and their requirements. Then, determine which grants
your school or program will qualify for.
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Performing Maintenance Tasks and Completing Special Projects
Exercise 9-2: Prioritize Special Projects
1. Have each help desk member write a half-page proposal
for a special project. These proposals should include the
following information:
a. The need for the project (why do it).
b. The output of the project (a document, information,
etc.)
c. The estimated work hours to complete the project.
2. At the next help desk team meeting, put each proposal on
the wall. Determine the top three projects by having each
help desk team member write a “1” on the project they feel
should be done first, a “2” on the project they think should
be done second, and a “3” on the project they think should
be done third.
3. Have the team discuss their selections, and try to come to
agreement on which projects should be done first and why.
Your instructor or faculty adviser will facilitate the
discussion and help you prioritize the projects.
Exercise 9-3: Re-envision Your Help Desk
In Chapter 1, you completed an exercise that determined the
priorities for your help desk. Now that you have learned more
about computer support, you should reexamine those
decisions as a team. To prepare for team discussion, answer
the following questions.
1. Are your help desk resources, including technicians,
computers, training, and so forth, allocated in the most
efficient way? What would you change and why?
2. Are the goals that you established for your help desk the
goals on which you should be focused, or do they need to
change? What changes would you suggest?
3. Is the scope of support you provide too wide, too narrow,
or just right? Why do you think this?
Performing Maintenance Tasks and Completing Special Projects
127
4. If you had to narrow the scope of your support, which
support areas would you cut?
5. If you were able to widen the scope of your support, which
support areas would you add?
6. Have you performed the roles that you want to perform in
the help desk (team leader, data analyst, technician, lab
support)? If not, what role would you like to perform, and
why do you think you would be good at it?
7. What has been the best part of being a member of the
help desk team, and why?
8. What has been the worst part of being a member of the
help desk team, and why?
9. Are you getting the skills and experience you hoped to
gain by being a member of the help desk team? What
would you change so that being on the help desk would
better meet your goals and needs?
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