If you want to make sure that your laptop works without a hitch for five or six years after purchasing, you will need to take care of it, like a pet. If you don’t, your laptop can get “sick”, or malfunction, which will cost a fortune to fix.
Taking good care of your laptop can even make it work past its usual due date. So, here are several useful tips for taking care of the most important electronic device in your life:
Service It Every Six Months
Like cars, laptops need “servicing”. By this, geeks mostly mean cleaning out the dust and debris that gather on the machine’s fan. When our laptop is working, the processor generates a massive amount of heat. The fan system keeps this heat out so your laptop doesn’t blow up.
It’s common for dust to gather in the fan during everyday use, and if it’s clogged too much, your computer will have to exert itself extensively to keep the processing system cold, which could lead to serious overheating issues. Therefore, take your laptop to a repair centre to have the dust cleaned up, or buy the right tools to do it at home.
Some PCs come equipped with a computer liquid cooling system, which is an advanced method to keep the system from getting overheated. Laptops do not come with such technology, so it’s recommended to buy a laptop cooling pad at least.
Pet owners: Beware that your pet’s fur can get inside the vents and cause internal damage. Therefore, train your pets, especially cats, to stay away from your laptop. If you have pets, clean your laptop fan more often.
Keep Drinks Far Away
Keep all liquids, and ideally all food, as far away from your laptop as possible. No one can predict accidental spills, and if they do happen, you could lose all your documents, photos, music, and basically your life’s work that not backed up to a cloud drive or an external hard disk.
Therefore, do not eat or drink in front of your laptop. If you eat popcorn while watching a movie, keep the popcorn at least a feet from your laptop.
Install Antivirus Software
Just like physical safety, it’s important to ensure the safety of the insides of the laptop as well. If you browse the internet, which you of course do, your laptop is at risk for contracting viruses and other malware.
Some operating systems, like Windows, come pre-installed with security guards, like Firewall, to keep the system safe. However, you should also consider installing a special malware protection program to ensure complete safety.
Protect the Monitor
The LCD monitor in your laptop cannot be easily replaced if broken, unlike with a desktop computer.
Therefore, make sure you don’t lift your laptop from the screen. Also, when shutting the lid, make sure there’s nothing obstructing the space between the keyboard and the screen, such as pencils.
Type with Clean Fingers
Don’t use your laptop with dirty hands. The dirt could get between the keyboard keys and cause physical damage. Wash your hands especially if you have eaten sugary food. Sugar seriously damages the metal used in motherboards and cannot be removed even by specialists.
If you have a laptop that is dear to you, follow the above suggestions to keep it safe from harm, physically and internally.
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