Own a laptop? Well, if you are from this century you probably do. You also most likely spent a lot of money buying it, so it’s in your absolute best interest to make sure the laptop functions without a hitch for a long time to come. You can achieve this important goal by educating yourself and knowing the following by heart:
Sugar is Poison to your Laptop
The wooden stake to the heart does it for the vampires, and, likewise, sugar will do it for your laptop’s precious hardware. Wondering how in the world anyone can get sugar in a laptop? Easy; spilled drinks. Liquid spillage is the most common cause of busted laptops, and the most common liquids spilled on motherboards are soda and coffee, which are both highly sugary beverages. Fast-thinking laptop owners in this scenario turn off the laptop, remove the battery and let all the parts dry. This can get the computer up and running once more, however, the sugar will be stuck to the metal until it eats away at the hardware and destroys it entirely. Sure, if you find a cool repair shop (Google hard for, say, IT services Gold Coast) they might be able to get rid of the sugar with ionized water, but that is bound to cost you about a thousand dollars.
There’s a Fan in your Laptop and it gets Clogged
You probably bought your laptop for the super-duper, high-functioning, latest-model processor. No matter how sci-fi your processor might be, it generates a volcanic amount of heat. Inside your laptop is a fan that rotates relentlessly to keep all this heat out so your computer does not combust. This internal cooling fan, like just any regular ceiling fan, collects dust and debris. Matters are made worse because your laptop generates static that attracts airborne particles inside. Overtime, all this grime collects into a giant heap that clogs the cooling fan. You might be able to notice this if your laptop overheats more than it used to. When this happens, you need to get your laptop serviced to get the fan rotating without impediments. You should actually get your laptop “dusted” at least once every two years. Don’t vacuum the laptop, as it will completely destroy the hardware, and instead take your device to a professional.
There’s this thing Called Bloatware
You probably purchased your laptop with some software already installed on it, like a lot of applications from the manufacturer that you never use and never will. Laptops purchased online might even come with software from the online retailer. There’s a name of all this software that you never asked for—bloatware. Meaning, programs without any practical use whatsoever that only take up precious space on your hard drive. They clog up your hard disk like dust does the cooling fan. Uninstall these at once to free up space, make your computer run faster and make it less vulnerable to malware.
Storing Large Files can be Outsourced
Do you have massive video and music files eating up space on your hard drive? The answer is most likely a yes. Storing huge files on a computer’s hard disk is not a smart idea. It can, and probably will, slow down your computer, and there’s a good chance that these important files could get damaged or entirely disappear if something happens to your hard drive. Avoid disappointment and be assured of their safety by storing your large files in a cloud drive. Basically, a cloud drive is an Internet-based file storage system that you can access anywhere from any computer with a username and a password. Prominent examples include Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Apple’s iCloud and Dropbox. You only need to upload your files to the cloud server and you’ll have forever access. You can even share these files without the hassle of uploading and downloading by sharing links with friends or family. It’s a neat way to unload big files off your hard drive safely and quickly.
Any laptop, whether it’s a Dell Latitude or the latest Alienware, requires regular maintenance to keep running past the warranty period. Your laptop is like a baby, it requires constant care and attention. Keep your laptop secure by installing all recommended security updates offered by your operating system’s manufacturer. Ensure physical safety by storing responsibly, using a laptop bag for transport and keeping all food and beverages away.
