Proper nutrition, hygiene and other features of computer care

1. Plugging in

Voltage fluctuations, sudden power failure, impulse and high-frequency noise can lead to failure of the system unit components. It is very important to protect your computer from adverse effects.

If you don't see frequent power surges in your home network, a surge protector may be enough to keep you safe. It suppresses interference and smoothes out small power surges. Some models are equipped with a fuse that de-energizes connected devices in the event of a large surge.

Users who see surges in the network will need a voltage regulator. It is used not only at home, but also in offices and production facilities. The stabilizer equalizes the voltage by keeping it within the specified limits. In the case of a surge, the amplitude of which is higher than the permissible, the device automatically shuts down. The stabilizer differs from the surge protector by a higher level of reliability, and several computers can be connected to it.

Those who need to be able to do a number of things before the computer shuts down due to power fluctuations need an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). It is a voltage regulator equipped with a battery. Modern uninterruptible power supplies provide your computer with about half an hour of battery life.

Also, don't forget to turn off your computer and keep an eye on the wiring in your home or apartment.

2. Connect your peripherals correctly

Try to connect only headphones/speakers, a microphone, any USB devices to the switched on computer. It is recommended to use the rest of the plugs with the computer turned off beforehand.

3. Don’t kick the system unit, don’t hit anyone with the laptop

If you still use a hard drive, it is recommended not to move the computer while it is turned on, to avoid sudden shaking of the case. As for the laptop, it, too, shouldn’t be subjected to sudden mechanical impacts. This can cause loss of hard drive data. If unsuccessful, you can try to recover the lost information with the help of special programs.

4. Sleep is good!

Turning the device off and on involves transients. We don't recommend subjecting your computer to these processes too often, so don't turn it off if you're away for a while. Trust me, it won't consume a week's worth of electricity when it's in sleep mode. If you turn off your computer and immediately want to turn it on, it is recommended that you wait a couple of minutes for the transients to complete.

5. Nowhere without fresh air

When choosing a place to install the system unit, take care about the air gaps between it, the walls and other objects. This is especially true for the walls with ventilation holes. Without proper air intake for CPU cooling it may overheat and fail.

6. Cleanliness inside and out

Once every six months you should disassemble the system unit and clean it of accumulated dust. Mostly it interferes with cooling, but sometimes it causes a static charge. This phenomenon leads to component failure. To clean the system unit from dust, use a vacuum cleaner without a brush on low power, and for hard-to-reach places use a brush.
Don't forget to wipe off the dust on the outside as well. Use special wipes and liquid for the monitor.

7. Eat from a distance

We hope we don't need to remind you that eating in front of your computer is a bad idea. It's especially dangerous for laptop owners. Getting liquid into your computer keyboard is not as bad as pouring your morning coffee into your laptop. Crumbs that get inside the case can also be a problem.

8. Spare your battery

Laptop owners will need this information. Today's laptop batteries are lithium-ion. Their service life is determined by the number of discharge-discharge cycles and the period of operation. Such batteries are detrimental to a complete discharge of the battery, so it is not recommended to bring the laptop to an automatic shutdown. It also makes no sense to take the battery out of it for the time of the network: first, you will leave your computer without protection against power surges, and secondly, even unplugged battery gradually wears out.

The recommendations are very simple, it will be easy and inexpensive to follow them, especially compared to buying new components to replace those that failed due to an oversight. Also, don’t forget that it is important to protect not only the hardware part of the computer, but also the software. Don’t open suspicious emails or download files that you are not sure of the origin of. Use an antivirus program, generate complex passwords and think carefully about «million-dollar offers» on the Internet.