Physical Maintenance
Don’t touch the screen.
The oils from your fingers will
leave fingerprints that are hard to remove. Avoid touching the screen if you
can. To clean an LCD screen try a dry cloth for dust or a moist cloth for
stuck-on stains. If the dirt is persistent, pick up an LCD cleaner or cleaning
cloths sold at most computer and electronics stores. Don’t spray anything
directly on the screen, and do NOT use regular surface cleaners. Make sure you
only press gently, as pressing too hard may damage the screen.
Keep drinks and food away from the
computer.
This is tough, but one cup of
coffee or can of pop can ruin your keyboard. Also crumbs can be a problem. To
clean a keyboard, use compressed air, or a small clean paint brush to brush out
lint and other debris.
Keep magnets away from your hard
drive.
This isn’t housekeeping, but a
magnet can ruin your hard drive, so don’t put any around the computer.
Clean the CPU and Monitor.
Dust and clean your case, paying
particular attention to any air intake slots and the power supply fan located
at the back of the units. A soft lint-free towel will do the job, or you can
use used dryer sheets, "Swipe It" type dusting products, or other
cleaning wipes.
You may even want to dust the
inside of your computer as dust build-up can cause your computer to overheat.
Make sure your computer is off and unplugged before you begin. Unscrew the back
or side and remove it. Use a can of compressed air to spray out the dust. Don’t
overdo it! A few quick sprays are sufficient.
Make sure the CPU has room to
breathe.
The greatest enemy to your computer
is heat. It causes the internal components and chips to wear out. Heat also
lowers the performance of your system.
The first thing to check is the
ventilation around your system. Many of the standard computer desks force you
to place your computer in an enclosed cabinet. If your system is in an enclosed
space, cut a hole in the back of the cabinet behind your cooling fan. This will
allow it to draw cool air into the system. Your system should have at least 4in
of space to the rear, with no clutter, loose paper, etc., to block the flow of
air into the computer.
Make sure the top and rear of your
monitor are also kept clean and clear of debris. Do not put paper, books,
boxes, etc. on top of your monitor. You will notice ventilation slots in the
monitor case. This allows the excess heat to escape. If that heat is not
released, you can cause excess wear to your monitor’s internal electronics.
This can create color shifting, screen flicker, and failure.
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