Top 10 TIPS ON COMPUTER MAINTEANCE AND HOW TO PROTECT YOUR DEVICE

Properly maintained computers can last five to eight years, but neglect can quickly shorten their lifespan. That's why computer maintenance is crucial.

Maintaining your computers and laptops involves regular cleanings, hard drive updates, and virus prevention. This not only extends their lifespan but also ensures safer web browsing.

This article outlines daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly maintenance steps to keep your device running smoothly.

Tip 1 : Dust your Keyboard using Compressed Air

Regularly cleaning your computer can significantly extend its lifespan, saving you both time and money on repairs and replacements. Computers are especially susceptible to dust accumulation and overheating, so these maintenance steps can help mitigate risks and keep your device running efficiently.

It's surprising, but studies have shown that the average desktop and keyboard can be dirtier than a toilet seat. Therefore, it's essential to dust your keyboard at least once a week to maintain cleanliness and reduce health risks. Wipe down your keyboard with a damp, lint-free cloth—just be careful not to soak it in water.. For those hard-to-reach areas between the keys, a canister of compressed air works wonders.

Tip 2 : Wipe down your monitor

Fingerprints and stains frequently appear on your monitor, so it's important to keep it clean. To maintain a clear view, wipe down your monitor once a week with a dry, lint-free cloth. Use gentle, long strokes to avoid damaging your device.

Often, your computer purchase includes a microfiber cleaning cloth. If not, consider buying one for the best cleaning results.

Tip 3: Get rid of your mouse’s dust and particles

Just like your keyboard, your mouse requires regular dusting to ensure it functions properly. Start by unplugging the mouse and turning it upside down. Remove the bottom panel and use a lint-free cloth to clean the ball.

For a deeper clean, you can add rubbing alcohol to the cloth. Be sure to let the ball dry completely before reassembling the mouse

Tip 4: Clean your device throughly

Every three to six months, it's essential to thoroughly clean your entire hardware system. There are various methods to achieve this, including using a computer vacuum. Ensure you save and close any active files before unplugging your device to start cleaning.

Next, remove the screws to open the casing. Avoid vacuuming the inside of the computer; instead, use a compressed air canister to prevent damage.

Tip 5: Reboot your computer regularly

While it's not necessary to power down your device every night with newer computers, regularly rebooting helps refresh system resources.

For older computers, it’s advisable to power down properly every night to prevent overheating. For newer devices, consider rebooting once a day and using sleep mode when not in use.

Tip 6: Backup your data

Whilst most data is backed up to the cloud, you should least back up your work locally on your computer once a week. Backing up your data saves important files in the event of hard drive failing or if your computer crashes.

Tip 7 : Determine what load applications load automatically when your computer starts up

When a computer starts up, certain applications load automatically. These applications tend to slow your computer down. From the settings tab on your computer, you should be able to navigate to the startup to control the behaviour of these applications.

Tip 8: Run Disk Clean up

You can conserve disk space on your hard drive by running a system disk clean up. This will clean up any temporary files and language files on your computer and will delete large attachements.

Tip 9: Install Major Computer Updates

To ensure your applications run safely and efficiently, it's important to check for major computer updates at least once a month. These updates are crucial for maintaining long-term health as they fix critical security vulnerabilities and remove outdated features. You may also have the option to set your system to update automatically, which can simplify this process.

Tip 10: Update Antivirus Software

When an antivirus software update becomes available, it’s important to run it the same day to ensure malware removal. These updates often introduce new features or enhance existing ones. Usually, you can configure your system for automatic updates, but if you receive a notification from your antivirus software, it's crucial to complete the update promptly.