21 tips to extend Your Laptop life
1.Be sure to plug accessory devices into their proper slots. Always look at the symbols on the laptop carefully before inserting devices. Jamming a phone line into an Ethernet port or vice versa could damage the sockets, making it impossible to use them again. It is very important to observe this step.
2.Handle any removable drives with care. CD drives that have been removed from your laptop could easily be crushed or dropped; do not be careless. If you are not putting them back into the laptop, put them straight into a storage box or case for safekeeping.
3.Insert drives into their slots carefully and at the correct angle. Pushing the drive too forcefully into its slot could jam it.
4.Check to see if labels are affixed securely before inserting media into your laptop. CDs, DVDs, or floppy disks should not have any loose labels that may jam inside the laptop. Don't attempt to use undersized CDs, as these can damage the disk player permanently.
5.Don't expose your laptop to rapid temperature changes. When bringing your laptop indoors during winter, don't turn it on immediately. Instead, let it warm to room temperature first. This will avoid any potential for damage to the disk drive from condensation forming inside the machine. Avoid heat from sunlight as well.
6.Don't leave your laptop in a car. Not only do the insides of cars experience large temperature swings that could damage a laptop, but a laptop (or laptop bag) is an inviting target for a smash and grab thief.
7.Have the unit cleaned annually to remove internal dust. Get this done by a computer professional, or do it yourself if you can. If dust accumulates, the system will not be able to cool itself correctly. Heat can destroy the motherboard.
8.Avoid placing heavy materials, such as books, on top of your laptop. This can push the LCD screen into the keyboard, and will eventually damage it. Also, the CD-ROM insert will be squished and, eventually, will break.
9.Use a properly-sized laptop case. Whatever you use to carry your laptop around, be it a case, a bag, or something you made yourself, make sure that it is large enough to hold the laptop. This will help avoid scratching, squeezing or potentially dropping it.
10.Look into getting a laptop bag. Many breaks happen because laptops are dropped or bumped. A bag greatly reduces the risk of damage.
11.Only use and store your laptop in a well-ventilated area. When you are using your laptop, do so in a place that has a constant air-circulation. Lots of people ruin their laptops by using them in enclosed areas and thus cause the laptop to overheat.
12.Use an old toothbrush to clean the area around the exhaust fan screen. If that gets plugged up, air flow is diminished and overheating can occur.
13.Try to keep the laptop on a flat, clean surface. This prevents damage to the laptop. This can be hard to do, particularly if you are outside with your laptop, but if there is a flat surface available then put your laptop on it..
14.Don't use your laptop on the bed. Repeated use of a laptop on the bed will cause the fans to suck up the dust and debris in the bed, ultimately blocking the fan.
15.Check that your laptop does not have too much software and bloatware running as they consume memory which is required for playing games or doing other high-end tasks.
16.Be wary of unwanted installers that come with downloading files online. These installers can cause extra bloat by running perpetually in the background.
17.Use a cleaning software to keep unwanted files and programs off of your computer. This will help manage bloat on your computer, leading to a faster experience.
18.Do a clean install of your operating system every 2 to 3 years. Clean installs will remove any unused programs and residual files from uninstalled programs.
19.Use Windows ReadyBoost to utilize flash drives and other removable devices as virtual RAM. Using ReadyBoost will speed up your computer even as more programs accumulate.
20.Do not try to run large or unsupported multimedia files over your computer. If your computer does not meet the specifications as it usually damages the computer in the long run.
21.Take your laptop into a computer store to get a full maintenance check. This can find problems inside your computer that can only be fixed by an experienced individual.
