How to look after & Maintain your New Computer
10 Top Tips to Consider
After you have purchased your new computer system you will need to keep it in tip top shape in order to get the most use out your new asset. It is important to treat your new computer as you would any other new device making sure its clean, in good physical condition & free from any defects by avoiding breakages. Computers need more than just “physical maintenance” however, computer systems require software maintenance also, which can be a little more difficult to apply. Below we have listed the most common computer maintenance points to help you get the most out of your new computer.
Documentation
Keeping all your Documentation in one place may seem obvious, you would probably be surprised at how many people don't! Any disks, books, invoices, manuals etc. related to your new computer system should be stored in the one location, this will help when you need to access them in a hurry & lessens the likelihood of losing anything.
Keep your New Computer Clean
Although this should go without saying most people don't even consider the physical aspect of their computer. Dust is a major contributer to the degradation of your computer. Over time your computer case fan will gather a lot of dust. You can simply & easily remove this dust by wiping it away with a cloth or paint brush. You can do this without having to open the computer case although it is recommended that the computer fans be cleaned from inside the computer case so that access to the fans can be easily obtained. Being careful not to void any warranties, open your case from time to time (once a year is OK) & clean out any dust or debris. You can use a computer vacuum or can of compressed air. Pay special attention to the computer case fans & other fans like the CPU fan. You can use a Paint brush or similar soft bristled brush, however make sure you are very careful not to damage any of the equipment, it is recommended that you have anti static strap & ground yourself before attempting anything inside the computer case. If you feel dubious about such a task most computer outlets will take care of it for you. Keeping your computer cooling fan clean will increase the fan's effectiveness thus keeping your computer cooler. Overheating can lead to breakdowns.
Position your Computer properly
Do not block any air vents on your computer system. Make sure your computer system is situated slightly back from any obstacles that may block the air flow or obstruct the case fans. Keep any hanging objects away from the rear of the computer system, eg. Curtains. Keep the computer out of the sun & keep the computer system away from direct heat
Surge Protection
You new personal computer is vulnerable to being spiked with electricity if you do not have it connected to a surge protection outlet. Although they don't protect against direct lightning strikes, they will give you piece of mind knowing that you have done all you can to make sure your computer is protected.
How to Turn the Computer On & Off
Do not turn your computer off with the power switch, always use the Windows shut down method.
The one exception to this rule is when your computer locks up or for some reason stops working (freezes) and your hard drive is not running. In this situation, you can turn the power off without harmful effects to the hard drive. Cutting the power can lead to data loss.
Connecting & Disconnecting Devices
It is always important to shut down your computer before you connect & disconnect any of the various devices. The exception to this rule is when the device is what's called “Hot Swappable”. Hot Swappable devices are any device that is connected through your USB or Firewire ports.
Internet Usage
The more time you spend on the Internet the more temporary Internet files you accumulate. These files can congest your Internet & put a lag on your general computer usage. You should delete these files from time to time, to do this follow these three simple steps below;
1. Right click on your Internet Explorer icon & choose “Internet Properties”.
2. Under the heading “temporary Internet properties” click on the “Delete files” button.
3. You now have the option to delete all offline content which will further free up your system.
Hard Drive Health
Don't ever to move your computer while it is on especially during start up or shutdown, you may damage your hard drive. Run Scandisk and Disk Defragmenter at least once a month. This will keep your hard drive healthy and prevent system crashes. Alternatively, you can purchase other software such as Norton Utilities which also does a good at keeping your system running efficiently.
Do You Have Enough Room?
From time to time keep an eye on just how much room you have left on your hard drive, you can do this by clicking the my computer icon, then right click on the C: drive, then from the drop down menu click properties. It's a good idea to keep at least 15% of your hard drive free. When your hard drive gets too full it can cause problems with your computer system.
Programs of Necessity!
Maintaining your new computer can be a hard enough task without something totally unexpected going wrong. Today viruses are bigger & nastier than ever! You need to protect yourself against them, especially if you are intending on use your new computer system over the Internet. We do not recommend that anyone even attempt to access the Internet without an up-to-date anti virus program & just as important a firewall program. Most of us know what an anti virus program is, however not everyone is as informed in regard to firewalls. The firewall is the prevention & the anti virus is the cure, Prevention is always better than cure so make sure you have a firewall program installed. The firewall will protect your computer from hackers, email viruses & other Internet threats. There are many different types of anti virus & firewall programs available today, some of the more popular ones include: Norton Anti Virus, Norton Internet Security, Norton SystemWorks, Norton Personal Firewall, Vet Anti Virus.
If you follow the above maintenance procedures, you will enjoy have hassle free computing for many years to come.
10 Top Tips to Consider
After you have purchased your new computer system you will need to keep it in tip top shape in order to get the most use out your new asset. It is important to treat your new computer as you would any other new device making sure its clean, in good physical condition & free from any defects by avoiding breakages. Computers need more than just “physical maintenance” however, computer systems require software maintenance also, which can be a little more difficult to apply. Below we have listed the most common computer maintenance points to help you get the most out of your new computer.
Documentation
Keeping all your Documentation in one place may seem obvious, you would probably be surprised at how many people don't! Any disks, books, invoices, manuals etc. related to your new computer system should be stored in the one location, this will help when you need to access them in a hurry & lessens the likelihood of losing anything.
Keep your New Computer Clean
Although this should go without saying most people don't even consider the physical aspect of their computer. Dust is a major contributer to the degradation of your computer. Over time your computer case fan will gather a lot of dust. You can simply & easily remove this dust by wiping it away with a cloth or paint brush. You can do this without having to open the computer case although it is recommended that the computer fans be cleaned from inside the computer case so that access to the fans can be easily obtained. Being careful not to void any warranties, open your case from time to time (once a year is OK) & clean out any dust or debris. You can use a computer vacuum or can of compressed air. Pay special attention to the computer case fans & other fans like the CPU fan. You can use a Paint brush or similar soft bristled brush, however make sure you are very careful not to damage any of the equipment, it is recommended that you have anti static strap & ground yourself before attempting anything inside the computer case. If you feel dubious about such a task most computer outlets will take care of it for you. Keeping your computer cooling fan clean will increase the fan's effectiveness thus keeping your computer cooler. Overheating can lead to breakdowns.
Position your Computer properly
Do not block any air vents on your computer system. Make sure your computer system is situated slightly back from any obstacles that may block the air flow or obstruct the case fans. Keep any hanging objects away from the rear of the computer system, eg. Curtains. Keep the computer out of the sun & keep the computer system away from direct heat
Surge Protection
You new personal computer is vulnerable to being spiked with electricity if you do not have it connected to a surge protection outlet. Although they don't protect against direct lightning strikes, they will give you piece of mind knowing that you have done all you can to make sure your computer is protected.
How to Turn the Computer On & Off
Do not turn your computer off with the power switch, always use the Windows shut down method.
The one exception to this rule is when your computer locks up or for some reason stops working (freezes) and your hard drive is not running. In this situation, you can turn the power off without harmful effects to the hard drive. Cutting the power can lead to data loss.
Connecting & Disconnecting Devices
It is always important to shut down your computer before you connect & disconnect any of the various devices. The exception to this rule is when the device is what's called “Hot Swappable”. Hot Swappable devices are any device that is connected through your USB or Firewire ports.
Internet Usage
The more time you spend on the Internet the more temporary Internet files you accumulate. These files can congest your Internet & put a lag on your general computer usage. You should delete these files from time to time, to do this follow these three simple steps below;
1. Right click on your Internet Explorer icon & choose “Internet Properties”.
2. Under the heading “temporary Internet properties” click on the “Delete files” button.
3. You now have the option to delete all offline content which will further free up your system.
Hard Drive Health
Don't ever to move your computer while it is on especially during start up or shutdown, you may damage your hard drive. Run Scandisk and Disk Defragmenter at least once a month. This will keep your hard drive healthy and prevent system crashes. Alternatively, you can purchase other software such as Norton Utilities which also does a good at keeping your system running efficiently.
Do You Have Enough Room?
From time to time keep an eye on just how much room you have left on your hard drive, you can do this by clicking the my computer icon, then right click on the C: drive, then from the drop down menu click properties. It's a good idea to keep at least 15% of your hard drive free. When your hard drive gets too full it can cause problems with your computer system.
Programs of Necessity!
Maintaining your new computer can be a hard enough task without something totally unexpected going wrong. Today viruses are bigger & nastier than ever! You need to protect yourself against them, especially if you are intending on use your new computer system over the Internet. We do not recommend that anyone even attempt to access the Internet without an up-to-date anti virus program & just as important a firewall program. Most of us know what an anti virus program is, however not everyone is as informed in regard to firewalls. The firewall is the prevention & the anti virus is the cure, Prevention is always better than cure so make sure you have a firewall program installed. The firewall will protect your computer from hackers, email viruses & other Internet threats. There are many different types of anti virus & firewall programs available today, some of the more popular ones include: Norton Anti Virus, Norton Internet Security, Norton SystemWorks, Norton Personal Firewall, Vet Anti Virus.
If you follow the above maintenance procedures, you will enjoy have hassle free computing for many years to come.
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