Computer Maintenance Tips & Checklist - Make Your Device Health Better
Computer maintenance entails regularly cleaning, hard drive updates, and virus prevention on your PCs and laptops. Creating a computer maintenance checklist makes it easy to track the process. When properly maintained, computers can survive five to eight years, but if the user does not take precautions to protect the hardware, that lifespan can be cut short fast. Cleaning your devices will help them last longer and help you access the web more safely. This is why computer upkeep is so critical.
The entire procedure can be divided into four stages.
Cleaning the hardware
Cleaning your keyboard at least once a week can help keep it in good shape. Wipe your keyboard down with a wet, lint-free cloth, but don't soak it in water. Wipe down your monitor once a week with a dry lint-free cloth to keep it looking fresh and clean. Turn your mouse upside down after unplugging it. After that, detach the bottom panel and use a lint-free cloth to clean the ball. Before reassembling the mouse for a more thorough clean, soak the cloth in rubbing alcohol, allowing the ball to dry.
Proper Malware Protection
For personal Computer Maintenance, run an antivirus program update the same day it becomes available to remove viruses. These updates can provide new software features or improve existing ones. Changing your password four times a year keeps you safer without causing too much trouble. Firmware is a little piece of software that keeps your computer's hardware running smoothly. These upgrades are sometimes included in significant computer updates, but you can also manually check for firmware updates on many devices. In addition to program updates, you'll want to update your signatures. This guarantees that your computer is free of new viruses.
Maintenance of the hard drive
You should regularly monitor the startup applications. Disk cleanup will help you free up space on your hard drive. This will erase large attachments, temporary files, and extra language files, among other things.
- Check for significant computer upgrades at least once a month to keep your apps functioning safely and efficiently.
- Keep your files safe. Keeping files on your desktop can make your computer run slower. Instead, group comparable files into folders so they're easy to find.
- Remove unneeded programs from your device to free up more RAM. If you sort your apps by size, you can discover which ones consume the most memory and select what to delete.
- Remove temporary internet files and clean your cache to help your system run faster.
Safely Turn Off Your Computer
First, do not switch off your computer directly from the main switch or by unplugging it. Always close all the programs and then shut down properly. The only time when it is okay to shut the computer off directly is if the screen freezes and the hard drive is unresponsive. If your computer hangs too often though, get it seen to by a professional. There is a risk of irreparable damage to your computer each time you shut it down directly.
UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply)
One of the simplest tips for people who own a computer is to have a UPS. A UPS supplies power to your PC in case of a sudden power cut and this ensures your data isn’t lost and that your system doesn’t crash. It even protects your computer against low voltage or when there are fluctuations in voltage.
Task Manager
If your system freezes, try restoring operation by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del together before anything else. This will take you to the task manager from where you can end the faulty programs without doing any damage to your computer.
Data Backup
Simple computer maintenance also includes the storage of data. In order to ensure your data is stored securely, you should always have a backup hard drive. You can even set your computer to take automatic backups so that you don’t have to bother yourself with this all the time. A better option would be to get an external hard drive. Create backups for all your files and folders regularly and you will never have to worry about data loss if your system crashes.
Scan Disk and Defragmentation
Running scan disks and defragmenting your drive is something you should do on a monthly basis. If you’re too lazy to do this on your own, you could install a program that does it for you. This is a very simple step that goes a long way in keeping your computer in good running condition.
Dust
Ensure dust doesn’t get into the back of the computer and cover the fan. If air isn’t allowed to flow freely through your computer, it will heat up and this slows down performance.
Programs
If you are short on space and feel it is affecting the performance of your computer then try running only important programs and the programs you are working on instead of having everything open simultaneously. This will help free up system resources and make your computer run faster until you can free up some space.
These simple computer maintenance tips will go a long way in ensuring your computer is in top condition for the foreseeable future.
