Your PC will last longer if you keep it in good shape both internally and externally. Computer problems like a buggy operating system, an overheating CPU, or a rapidly depleting battery are preventable and might be defended against with little routine maintenance. Let's look at these 10 crucial upkeep hints so your PC can continue to work powerfully and appear stylish for many more years.
1. Cushion With Protection.
Everyone has experienced aesthetic dings caused by falls, bumps, and slides that make your computer appear less-than-loved. If you're like most PC travellers, protecting against mishaps when stowing your PC away in a carry-on may seem nearly impossible. All of the elements of travel that you probably want to protect your laptop from can damage an unprotected laptop.
Protecting your PC from the elements begins with a protective cover, whether you're flying business class or visiting a course across campus. There are a few distinct types of protection that provide varying degrees of utility and armour. These consist of:
SKINS.
Work as a full-body laptop sticker for your computer, and they're perfect for shielding the chassis from minor dings and scratches.
SNAP-ON HARDSHELL COVERS.
Hard shell laptop coverings made of polycarbonate, plastic, or rubberized material protect your computer while yet allowing for simple access to ports, buttons, lights, and fans.
SLEEVES.
Sleeves for laptops are a straightforward, supple envelope-style pouch that are often constructed of soft materials like nylon, polyester, suede, or microfiber.
TRANSMITTER BAG.
The dedicated laptop messenger bag, a shoulder bag made especially to fit your laptop and its accessories, provides the greatest padding protection.
2. Cord Organisation.
The only thing more annoying than dealing with lengthy, complex cords is having to untangle them afterwards. It is essential to maintain connectivity in your digital life, therefore doing away with the wires is not an option. For both desktop and laptop users, decluttering and organising the snake-like tangle of wires protruding from your power strip and PC ports is an excellent starting step. Try these wire management suggestions:
AN OPERATOR'S POWER STRIP.
A single line or panel of surge inputs are available on conventional power strips. You have the flexibility to move about the placement of your numerous chargers, monitors, and docks with a rotating power strip.
CABLES FOR COLOR CODING.
Typically, computer wires come in black and white. Using labels in recognisable colours or color-coding your mess of wires with reds, blues, yellows, and greens could help you organise it.
COAX CLIPS.
By fastening cable clips to your desk, wall, or floor, managing your wires is made simple. These tiny clamps are made to accommodate cables of all diameters.
SET UP A PANEL.
A wire organiser panel accommodates numerous cables by acting as a panel of cable clamps. When using a weighted panel, stick it in place with adhesive or keep it nearby on the desk.
A word of advice: Make sure your cables aren't near any pathways. Your equipment could fall over if you trip over wires, causing more damage in a split second than years of use ever could.
3. Upgrade Your Working System.
One of the simplest options for basic computer maintenance is to maintain your operating system current. No matter if you're a Windows, Mac, or Linux aficionado, updating your PC whenever new patches become available guarantees that it maintains the highest level of performance.
With daily update checks, Windows 10 is renowned for keeping users up to date. This automatic check runs in the background and alerts you whenever any critical operating system or software patches are required. The ultimate goal is to maximise the performance of your PC, therefore whenever Windows proposes an update, you ought to accept it.
4. Disconnect To Prevent Overcharging.
With a greater reliance on wireless technology, many people place a high focus on optimising battery life. When you still have hours of work and pleasure ahead of you, there are few things more miserable than a dying battery. When your PC's battery life drops below 50%, it's best to avoid the urge to plug it in.
Unnecessary charging can result in overcharging, which in turn causes a decline in the ability to regenerate. This frequently has the appearance of a laptop that can't maintain a charge as efficiently as it formerly could.
The wireless portability of a laptop is defeated by being bound by the weight of a charger. When your device has reached 100% charge, unplug it. Don't plug it back in again until the power is actually low.
5. Delete Useless Apps And Files From Your Computer.
The amount of useless files that a computer has stored on its hard disc is usually where it first reveals its age. More space is probably being used than you know by useless apps and outdated garbage files. Your PC is bound to have its fair share of digital trash festering on your desktop or in your start menu, from retired versions of software to old versions of your CV. If they keep piling up, these programmes and files might easily become performance drainers.
Use these PC purge strategies to free up your system before your computer reaches the point where it begs for extra storage space.
- Remove trial software
- Use disc cleanup utilities
- Clean out the recycle bin.
- Get rid of temporary files
- Delete offline web pages from cache
6. Conduct Routine Antivirus Checks.
Malware attacks can happen to you at any time, and if they do, having a knowledgeable antivirus on your computer will shield you from the harm viruses cause. Weekly antivirus scans guarantee that no harmful software infections are ever present on your PC. A quick scan will check your computer for any obvious threats or unusual behaviour.
Consider performing a virus scan twice weekly if you often browse the web and download software and files. Always err on the side of caution, especially when your personal information may be at danger.
Infections with malware can impair your computer's functionality and make your private data accessible to outside cybercriminals. A virus might also: Depending on the kind of malware you have running on your computer,
- slow web browser performance
- disconnect from networks
- freeze or cause a system crash
- Change the computer's settings
- Permit unauthorised use of system resources
Regular antivirus scans will ensure that nothing escapes detection. Make sure the antivirus scan provider you select checks all of your downloads as well.
7. Wipe The Casing And Keyboard.
You might be shocked to learn how much dust and other dirt are present beneath the keys on your keyboard. A variety of filthy objects, including food crumbs, dog hair, dust, grime, and anything else that can fit between the keys, might block your keyboard. Typically, this causes buttons to be sticky or challenging to press.
The most convenient way to clean up these difficult-to-reach areas of your laptop or desktop setup is with a compressed air canister, which is readily accessible at office supply, computer, and hardware stores.
RELATED TO EXTERNAL KEYBOARDS.
Remove the keyboard's USB plug or, if it's wireless, turn it off. Shake out any stray material by tilting the keyboard upside down. Spray pressurised air in a slanted pattern about a half-inch from the keys. Finish the task by wiping away any remaining dust or grime with a damp microfiber cloth.
FOR LAPTOP END USERS.
Turn off the laptop's power and remove any USB cables or power supply inputs. To get rid of any loose particles, turn the laptop on its side and lightly touch it. Spray between the keys of the laptop when it is in its usual posture, about an inch away. Spray from one side of the keyboard to the other in brief bursts.
Use a cotton ball dipped in isopropyl alcohol as an excellent option if you discover that some areas are more difficult to clean than others. Alcohol is the ideal solvent for hardened debris since it evaporates more quickly than water.
8. Change All Of Your Passwords.
Unbelievably, storing up your data and upgrading your passwords are both essential tasks. Alarmingly, according to Verizon's 2017 Data Breach Investigations Report, 81% of hacking-related breaches used either stolen or weak passwords [1]. Using the same password across all of your accounts is considered bad password behaviour, as is using obvious passwords like "password" or "123456."
Protecting your digital environment from cybercriminals should always be at the top of your work list when it comes to basic computer upkeep. No security system is perfect, and consumers are increasingly recognising this on a broad scale today more than ever before.
If you need to update your password, think about applying these advice for creating strong passwords:
- Use ten characters or more.
- Make use of both capital and lowercase letters.
- Include both numeric and symbolic elements.
- If at all feasible, add emoticons (:O,:(,:D,:), T.T).
The reason a strong password is such an important component of computer upkeep is that it protects all of your data from prospective third-party hackers.
9. Sort Your Data.
When your work and play schedule doesn't offer much time for thoughtful file management, it's simple to let your computer's data arrangement go astray. Your PC's numerous folders can become crowded as a result of outdated music files from your garage band days or downloaded add-ons for your preferred simulation game.
You probably need to pay a visit if you can't recall the last time you looked through your downloads folder. The rest of your default directories operate in a similar manner (documents, photos, etc.).
It may seem overwhelming to deal with a cluttered desktop or overflowing computer folders, but with these pointers and tactics, you'll be well on your way to a useful system of files and folders.
FORM BIG, MAIN FOLDERS.
Everyone has a distinct primary usage for their computer. A freelance writer's major folder duties will probably be entirely different from those of a professional gamer or business owner. To make your initial round of organising simple and your subsequent rounds even simpler, it's critical to condense your digital world into simple folder divisions.
MAKE TINY SUB-FOLDERS.
Smaller sub-folders within your main, larger folders help your organisation run even more smoothly. You will have easier access to your files whenever you need them if you can organise them according to their functionality or content. No search bar is required.
CLEAN OUT THE DOWNLOADS FOLDER.
Recently downloaded files should be temporarily stored in your downloads folder. Make it a practise to move recent downloads into the appropriate directories or to delete them after they've completed their task.
CLEAN UP YOUR DESK.
You want to be able to use your computer stress-free when you turn it on and buckle up for your day's work or some light social media browsing. Remove anything from your desktop that you don't need to have open at every power-up, including files, folders, and programmes.
SELECT CONSCIOUS FILENAMES.
If you routinely save photos, PDFs, and other common files, you are aware of how simple it is to use gibberish when attempting to "Save As." Spend some time creating thoughtful file names rather than hurrying through it so you always know what's on your hard disc and where it is.
10. Make A Data Backup.
Having a contemporary computer includes being ready for unforeseen circumstances. Data stored on your PC may be harmed by unexpected hardware failure, untimely malfunctions, and sudden crashes. One of the most important computer maintenance tasks that PC users may perform for themselves is backing up their files. This is the reason it is in last place on our list. Your information cannot be replaced if you don't have a backup of it, but your computer can.
The cloud and storage-intensive external hard drives are typically used for full backups. Your essential data is stored on your computer as well as on an external drive or in the cloud because you made multiple copies of everything on your PC (keeping your data in three places is actually the safest practise).
For a thorough overview on how to perform a full backup on your Windows 10 or Windows 8 PC, refer to our Knowledge Base reference.