Proper Computer Care and Maintenance

You will note that most of my blogs to this point have generally been of a less than serious vein and in regards to my actual vocation, I normally only reference to it with true anecdotes of amusing user mishaps.

Do to a lack of writing material for the last couple of weeks however, I've decided to post a serious (for the most part... I still use amusing anecdotes and comments to emphasize my points) article on proper computer care and maintenance.

I hope you techies will find it amusing... everyone else, I hope you read it, take it to heart and apply it (thus potentially making your IT support staff a little happier).

So, without further ado:

Proper Computer Care and Maintenance (or how I learned to love my computer)

Maintaining your computer by observing proper home computer care will ensure that your computer is at optimum operating condition and provide you with many years of trouble free (for the most part) computing!

The simple fact is that most people tend to ignore computer maintenance and only start to worry when the computer will no longer boot up. Your computer is as important as maintaining your car if you wish to get the most “miles” out of it. During my years of experience, I have observed a number of bad habits that have shortened the life of many a computer.

Here are some points to keep in mind that can prevent problems from occurring and help extend that lifetime: 

Keep it Clean and Cool 

Heat is the enemy of all sensitive electronics. Failure to keep your system clean of dust will reduce the machines ability to move heat out of the system and will result in the damage or destruction of key components, which are costly to replace. Dust and hair (and incidentally, dead insects and spiders) will build up in your machine over time (pet fur is a particularly nice insulator), so check the intakes and fans regularly for dust buildup. Try to keep your computer in as well ventilated an area as possible. If there is dust building up on the intakes and fans, approach a qualified technician about having your system blown out.

• If you are going to blow the system out yourself, use a can of air and keep the nozzel at least a foot away from the electronics while blowing it out (and use a gentle sweeping motion). Ground yourself by touching a metal part of the case to elimante the potential for static discharge (even small shocks can irreperably damage your computers components). Do not use a standard vacuum cleaner to suck out the dust and do not touch the components inside.
  
• Do not block intake and outake vents with stickers or other obstructions. 

I've lost count of how many systems I've worked on that were literally caked in layers of thick dust, generations of dead spiders (sometimes not so dead) and their homes, and clumps of pet fur. It's a paticularly nasty if the person is a smoker as the tobacco smoke turns the whole mixture into one goozey, messy, almost impossible to clean mass.

One user I know brought me a system so bad (cached in all of the above materials) that it had caught fire. The user was mystified as to why I wouldn't work on it.

Additionally:

• If you smoke, don't smoke around your computer!

• Also, try to place your computer on a desk top or above the floor at least by a few inches. Dust, debris, dirt and creepy crawlies looking for a warm home more easily make their way inside a computer when it is on the floor than if it is raised. Additionally, should your home or place of work end up flooded, that couple of inches could prove vital in keeping your computer dry and un-fried. 

• If you own a laptop, make sure to place it on a hard surface. Many people like to curl up in bed with their laptop on a fluffy comforter… unfortunately blankets tend to smother the heat vents of a laptop very effectively causing overheating. A recent study has also found that the heat from laptops on exposed skin can cause some rather nasty rashes and skin discolouring from repeated exposure, so try not to keep it on your lap!

• Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway), keep your computer away from other sources of heat, like fireplaces, portable heaters and most importantly, cats. 

Liquids and Food Don't Improve Your Computer's Performance

As mentioned above, keeping your computer off the floor will potentially save it in the event of a flood. 

If you do however keep your desktop on the floor, do not use it as a foot rest. In addition to the constant banging and jostling it will receive (which can knock components loose or worse), your feet or shoes can be carrying damaging material that can make it's way into the computer. 

I once worked at a place where all the computers were under the desks. Users would regardless of the of the weather, use their desktops as foot rests resulting in all sorts of water, snow and salt being sloshed all over the poor systems. Strangely, people couldn't understand why this would make me angry and why the computers "mysteriously" stopped working.

Also, many people spend time eating at their computer and it is important to take care to protect it. Your keyboard is not a placemat. Food debris can build up in your mouse and keyboard causing damage… and besides, who wants to use a keyboard that has an old cheese sandwich embedded in it?

• Try to keep your food and drinks away from any computer equipment as much as possible. While coffee may improve your performance, it doesn't improve your computers! If you have liquids near a computer, keep them in a sealable cup or glass. Accidents can happen to anyone and a sealable mug will mitigate the amount of liquid splashing about your desk. 

• There is nothing worse than the sinking feeling you get when you realize that the pint of milk you’ve just spilled on your laptop has turned it into a thousand dollar paper weight. Personally, I just don’t bring food and drinks anywhere near my computers (I’ve banned them from my home office entirely). I don’t expect everyone to follow such draconian rules, but three of my 20+ year old computers will attest to my extreme brand of care.

• Keeping your workstation clean is also a point of maintaining a healthy work environment. Excess buildup of food debris in your keyboard creates the perfect warm environment for all sorts of germs and bacteria, which in turn can make you ill or worse. If you share a computer with someone, wash your hands after use and help stop the spread of germs, bacteria and viruses. 

I've had the misfortune of having to work at other users workstations that by most accounts probably should have required a hazmat suit. Old food, unidentified grime, slimy surfaces, splatered liquids... Surprisingly I've even encountered a user who had coffee stains all over his printer.

Be Careful with the Hardware

• If you have a wireless keyboard and mouse, you should take note as to what kind of batteries it uses. Some devices take standard removable or rechargeable batteries, while others may come with a charging cradle. If it is a rechargeable device, recharge it regularly and do not replace the batteries with non-rechargeable batteries. It would not be the first time someone has destroyed wireless equipment because they have attempted to re-charge a mouse in a charging cradle after they installed it with non-rechargeable batteries. Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway) this is a fire hazard.

• The inside of the computer is extremely sensitive to moisture, magnetic fields, and static electrical buildup. Only qualified service technicians should operate on the inside of a computer (and we do so with the power off and well grounded). Additionally there are capacitors and powers supplies inside the machine that carry a charge high enough to kill you even if the machine has been sitting unplugged for an extended period of time. If you need to do some dusting or install new hardware, seek the assistance of a qualified technician if you're unsure how to proceed safely. 

• Do not keep magnets on your computer no matter how cute or cool they are.  Most are probably harmless, but I know one person who thought it would be “awesome” to stick a couple of industrial magnets to the side of his computer and then wondered why his operating system wouldn’t boot. Why tempt fate, right?

• You may wish to invest in a UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) for your home computer. Drops, surges or unexpected blackouts to your computer can cause extreme wear and eventual failure of its electrical components. It will also keep your machine running long enough in a blackout to safely shut down your system. You can purchase a UPS for as little as $80 and it’s well worth the investment. 

• Use the right tool for the right job, and do not force media or cables into ports. If it won’t fit, there’s a reason it won’t fit! I've seen users insert floppies (unsuccessfully) into DVD-ROM drives, insert CD between the spaces between drive spacers, USB drives jammed into serial ports and I once saw an individual try to insert a CD into a 3 ½ Floppy drive… for five minutes. I stopped her when it became obvious she was going to end up with CD-ROM fragments embedded in her wrists.

• Try not to touch the monitor with your fingers. Other than mucking up the monitor with finger prints (which is one of my biggest computer related pet peeves), you can potentially damage your monitor. While the older CRT type monitors are fairly durable (unless you've tried cleaning them with nail polish remover), the new LCD displays have a soft surface that is more prone to scratching and damage.

• Be careful when cleaning your monitors. CRTs can be wiped down with a damp cloth or Windex; however LCD displays should only be cleaned with specific LCD cleaners as they can be damaged easily. You can find these cleaners at most computer outlets.

• If you own or use a laptop, make sure to carry it in a good quality bag. Cheap bags don’t have enough padding in the right spots and won’t protect your laptop as well should you drop your bag. When you purchase a bag, make sure there is padding on all edges and sides, and that the bag is the correct size for your laptop. I personally recommend Swiss Army laptop bags. They are very well constructed with heavy stitching and straps that are not prone to ripping or tearing. I've had users cry me a river of tears when I say I can't fix the shattered remains of their laptop because they've dropped it in a tattered old shopping bag. 

• Don’t leave your laptop or other portable electronic devices in a cold environment (say for example in your car overnight during the winter). Extended exposure to the cold will damage rechargeable batteries, shortening their charge capability and lifespan significantly.

• If your computer has been exposed to the cold for more than a couple of minutes, wait until the computer warms up to room temperature before turning it on. This could take some time if it’s been in sitting your car for a couple of hours during the winter months. If you do not allow your computer to warm up before turning it on, you can potentially damage or destroy critical components. For example, if the computer has been left in your vehicle, its internal components will be the same temperature as their environment (and on a cold Canadian winter’s day, that could be as low as -20°!) A computer’s processor can reach temperatures upwards of 70° Celsius after it has been turned on and running for a few minutes. A dramatic shift in temperatures like this can cause elements of your computers components to expand or contract too quickly causing ruptures and breakages, ultimately turning your lovely new laptop into an overpriced paperweight.

Look After your Operating System

Just as important as your hardware is your systems software. A computer isn’t much good without an operating system, and there’s nothing worse than working on a computer that’s slow and buggy. The following are some suggestions on how to keep your operating system running smoothly:

Anti-Virus

Make sure your computer has Antivirus and Antispyware software installed on your system and is up to date with the most recent virus and spyware definitions. Regularly scan, or setup these tools to automatically scan for you to keep your system clean of infections… unless of course you want your own digital zoo of insidious exotic bugs. Personally my life is exciting enough already without having to deal with identity theft or credit card fraud. I've seen systems so badly infested that, well, to quote Roy from the IT Crowd: "If it were a human being, I'd shoot it in the face."

Microsoft Security Essentials

Microsoft has a free antivirus product which is as effective (or more so) than many of the other free or paid for products that are available. It isn't heavy on resources and has an incredibly smooth and easy to use interface. It can be installed on Windows XP, Vista ,and Windows 7. Windows 8 comes with it installed by default, although for some reason, they decided to make things confusing and call it Windows Defender (which was the name of Microsoft's anti-malware product until Windows 8.)

Windows Defender will happily step aside and turn itself off should you choose to install another anti-virus product on your Windows 8 system. If you've purchased a new system with Windows 8, many computer retailers install Symantec, Norton or McAffee Antivirus. I find these products to be bloated and about as effective as prayer when battling Ebola. Once you uninstall these products, Windows Defender (after a reboot) will turn itself back on.

I MSE/Defender on my own systems almost exclusively.

One last note... do not install multiple anti-virus products on one system. Two products will invariably cause conflicts, corruptions and will turn your computer into a flaky, poorly functioning mess... at best (this is why Defender turns itself off when it detects another product).

Anti-Spyware/Malware

Unlike antivirus systems, it's generally okay to install more than one antimalware program on your computer. I usually have these two.

Spybot 

An excellent little tool to help remove bugs and it's free.

Malwarebytes

Malwarebytes is the best malware removal tool I've found yet. It comes in both free and purchasable versions, although the free version requires you to update and scan manually.

General Care

• Make sure your system at home has the most recent Windows Updates. Windows Updates usually include all the most recent security patches to help secure potential vulnerabilities in your system.

• Perform a defrag and other general maintenance on your computer from time to time. CCleaner is an excellent tool to assist in this process.

• Backup, Backup, Backup! Do backups of your important files regularly. Computers and hardware are replaceable... data is not. There’s nothing more heartbreaking than learning that all your family pictures from the last ten years are gone forever because your hard drive died and you didn’t have any of them backed up. 

My Computer is Broken! 

Ok, so you've followed all my advice. Regardless at some point you're going to have to be prepared for the fact that your system is either going to seriously malfunction or appear for all intents and purposes to have died. So what do you do?

1.  Don't despair. Don't get angry, excited or panic. And don't even try to troubleshoot your system if you're in any of the just mentioned emotional states. Nothing has ever been fixed by screaming at it, and punching it (I know, I've already tried that on multiple occasions!) 
2. Have you tried turning it off and on again? Seriously, this fixes 90 percent of most problems... it's the other 10 percent you need to worry about. 
3. Google is your best friend. Get on another computer and google the symptoms and be persistent. The internet can often provide the answers and solutions you seek. 
4. Most people probably know an IT guy either directly or through someone else. If you're polite enough, buy them a big case of beer, and can handle all of the sarcastic remarks, they may just help you fix your problem. 
5. Always (and I can't stress this enough, which is why I'm repeating myself) keep a backup of your important files and pictures. Ideally you should do this BEFORE your computer dies. Many a tearful user has brought me a dead system and asked me to recover the files. I always ask: "did you back up your files?" and the response is almost always: "I was going to." Aww gee, and I just ran out of plutonium for my time machine. I guess there's always prayer.