subject: Follow Laptop Maintenance Tips To Improve Your Computer Experience [print this page] Laptop maintenance tips can add immensely to the life of one's equipment. Below are a number of key practices to keep in mind to insure the laptop works well and needs limited repair.
An often overlooked accessory, a carrying case, adds protection -- and possibly months or years to the computer's life. Don't just buy a case. Make sure you add information to help others contact you if it is misplaced. When out of the case, handle the equipment carefully to avoid drops and cracks. For example, avoid picking the notebook up thoughtlessly and, similarly, avoid carrying it around by the edges of the screen.
Where you use the machine is as important as how you carry it. Overheating can cause damage. Thus, it is best to keep it off your lap and soft materials like a couch or a bed. It is also good to keep the equipment away from electrical appliances. These generate a magnetic field that may harm the computer.
In addition, keep the surfaces, the screen and the ports clean. Before cleaning, check to see if the manufacturer recommends certain products. There may be reasons avoid some products. Food and drink can create additional problems. If one does not eat and drink at the machine, there is no need to worry about spills or crumbs under the keyboard.
Backing up on a regular basis is a life-saver, particularly with a computer that is easily lost. Using a secure web-based service will insure that your backups are off-site in the event of a fire or disaster. If using an external disk instead, move the backed up files to a separate location.
Regular defragging will offer more efficiency and help prevent crashes. While both Macs and Windows systems can crash, defragging is generally unnecessary with a Mac running on OS X.
Paying attention to what is on the hard drive is also recommended. Update current applications so that they are always running the latest security. Uninstall applications that are no longer used. Removing unwanted files regularly will also result in better performance.
Other laptop maintenance tips include insurance against loss and an extended warranty. Many believe that buying an extended warranty for a laptop is cost-effective. Even one small repair is frequently quite expensive and some extended plans include phone support. While these tips only skim the surface, what is key is that with proper attention a notebook will last longer and work better.
