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Five Often Forgotten Computer Maintenance Tips

basic-computer-maintenance Just like maintaining a car so it runs nicely, you need to maintain your computer in the same way. People often do not realize this until something goes wrong. Lack of computer maintenance can cause your computer to slow down or even not work at all.

It’s not all bad news though, as computer maintenance is relatively easy to perform yourself. There are many different things that I could list when it comes to computer maintenance; however I am just going to give you five often forgotten computer maintenance tips.

#1: Clean Inside the Case

The average computer user forgets to clean the inside of their computer and does not realize that dust is building up inside day by day. This dust buildup can block your computer’s air vents, making the computer run hotter than it usually should be.

Having dust inside your computer can make your CPU hot which in turn hampers its performance. All you have to do is take 5 min of your time, unplug your computer and open the case, and blow the dust out with a simple can of compressed air. Before you proceed I suggest that you simply search in Google for some safety suggestions from a tech professional.

#2: Check The Cords

This sounds like it is a waste of time, checking the chords on your computer. However doing this can save you a lot of hassle later on. For example if you have an external hard drive connected to your computer or backup purposes, you want to make sure it is plugged in correctly so all of the data gets sent to the device. Loose cords can also make your data transfer 50% slower.

Imagine having your monitor cable just hanging in there by a thread. I have seen loose monitor cables before and they cause bent pins and faulty display.

It will only take you a couple of minutes to check your cords and make sure they are plugged in correctly.

#3: Scan For Bad RAM

Having faulty computer RAM in your computer is one of the most common causes of computer errors. Faulty RAM can cause your computer to run slow, computer error messages, or can stop your computer’s from starting at all.

There is an easy solution to all of this that many computer users neglect this part of their computer maintenance. All you have to do is download the free memtest86 which is a RAM scanner. You do not have to be a computer technician to find out that you have bad RAM.

#4: Check the Disk

Your hard disk drive is the major component in your computer as it stores all of your files. Hard disk drives have moving parts, and we all know that moving parts eventually fail. They are not made with a lifetime guarantee.

Therefore, just like checking your memory, we also need to check the hard disk drive inside your computer. Again you will simply have to download a program such as DiskCheckup to get a report on the health of your hard drive. You can also go to the manufacturer’s website where they will also offer a diagnostic tool for your hard drive. For example if you have a Western Digital hard drive then that company will probably have a diagnostic tool for that.

#5: Fix Error Messages

Did you know that when most computer users have a major computer problem, they had already viewed error messages or warning messages prior to this? For example people might see a blue screen appear and their computer might shut down. The problem is they do not act on this because they simply restart their computer and forget about it.

An important part of computer maintenance is to act on any error messages that you see and get them repaired as soon as possible. The computer is warning you that something is wrong and you should not ignore it.

About the author

Vikram

Vikram is a Digital Media Strategy Consultant who helps small business owners grow their
business. He is passionate about blogging, digital marketing, and emerging technologies.

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