Laptop Life Tips
Here are some tips to help you make your laptop live longer and perform better.
Be Careful Plugging In Your Power Supply
You need to be gentle when plugging in your computer. Excessive force applied to the jack can crack the solder joints connecting the jack to the motherboard. The points of contact can quickly overheat, further damaging the motherboard and the jack. In some cases the motherboard can even catch fire.
So don’t apply too much force, don’t use a cheap after-market charger (only an original charger), and if you notice that the jack is loose, bring it to a repair shop straight away. The more you use a laptop with a loose jack, the looser it becomes and the more you risk destroying both the charger and the motherboard.
Don’t Use Your Laptop In Bed
When you put your laptop on soft material, you block the ventilation holes in the bottom and the laptop can’t suck in air for cooling. Make sure that your laptop sits on a hard surface such as a table or computer mat and that there is space between the bottom of the computer and the surface so that air can travel under the computer. If you must use your laptop in bed, then put it on a big hardcover book, tray or a lapdesk.
Don’t Drink And Surf
Don’t drink (or eat) by your computer. Keep your laptop away from all liquids (goldfish bowl, flower vase, swimming pool etc.) Spilling liquid can seriously fry your electronics and kill your laptop. If you do happen to spill something on the machine, immediately unplug it from the power supply, turn it off, take out the battery, then leave it upsidedown on a towell in the hotpress for 24 hours, giving the machine a chance to dry without causing a short on the electronic board.
Clean Your Screen Correctly
The chemicals in cleaning solutions like Windex can destroy the thin protective layer on your screen and damage the display over time. Instead, take two tissues, one with a little touch of Water and one dry. Wipe your screen with the wet one first and then the dry one, to clean completely and soak up any water drops on the screen.
Manage Your Battery Life
Most manufacturers recommend using the computer until the battery is drained completely at least once a month. Don’t keep the laptop charged all the time, as this can reduce battery life in the long run.
Get Anti-Virus Software
There are millions of viruses, malware, spyware and other really nasty software programmes designed with the intention of harming your system. So it’s vital you have good Anti-Virus softare installed and up to date with the latest virus definitions. There are a wide range of good Anti-Virus programmes which are usually sold on an annual subscription basis but there are also plenty of free anti-virus programs which are adequate for most computer users.
Download Those Windows Updates
Once a week Microsoft releases updates to its operating system, and often these fixes are critical to your machines security. In Windows 7, simply click on “Start,” type in “Windows Update” and click on the first result to be taken to the Windows Updater.
Make sure you have the latest Service Pack
Service Packs are an accumulation of all windows updates which have been issued since the Operating System has been released. These are large updates (over 300Mb) which some time to download and apply. However they are a critical factor in keeping your machine Virus free.
- Windows 7 has released Service Pack 1
- Vista has release Service Pack 2
- Windows XP release Service Pack 3
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Lapteck is a one stop shop for all your computer needs. We carry a full range of laptops, desktops and related peripherals. We offer a comprehensive computer repair service: Laptop Repair, Virus Removal, Software Installation, Data Backup & Recovery, Screen Changes, Hard Drive replacements, New laptop chargers & Problem Troubleshooting. We are located on Eyre Street in Galway. Come in and see how we can help you find the laptop that fits your needs.