5 Common Mistakes That Shorten The Life Of Your Laptop Computer

By Author: Johann Taylor
Total Articles: 2
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A laptop computer can be a pretty big investment.Even with prices falling dramatically,replacing a laptop can be quite expensive.Laptop computer repair isn’t any cheaper unfortunately.Here is a list of 5 of the most common mistakes that can send your laptop to an early grave.

1) Using your laptop near liquids - This is self explanatory, but regularly overlooked.Don’t set liquids near your computer.If you ignore this rule, drink only water and keep the lid on when you aren’t drinking.If you do spill, water is easier to recover from than your toddler’s favorite juice.

2) Closing the lid and immediately shoving the laptop into a backpack/briefcase - Most laptop computers are set-up to auto-hibernate when the lid is closed.Shutting your computer down properly is best, but if you are rushed, atleast wait for the computer to turn-off before you move it.The platters in your hard drive spin at ~7200 RPM and the heads hover less than a hair’s width from the surface.Even the slightest shock or bump can cause the drive heads to crash into the platters destroying the drive along with all of your data.  Even if you ...
... don’t cause a head-crash, you can significantly shorten the life of the drive.  

3) Leaving the AC Adapter (Power Cord) plugged in while storing/carrying your laptop - Power jacks in cheap but popular laptops are not soldered well and break very easily.This type of laptop computer repair is difficult, therefore not cheap.DC jack repair usually runs ~$150 depending on the computer repair shop.The best way prevent this problem is to unplug the cord while you are not using it in order to avoid any unneeded stress on the jack.

4) Using after-market/generic power cords - If you don’t follow the advice in 3, and are lucky enough to break your power cord but not your computer, you may be tempted to buy a $3 generic power cord on Ebay.This is not a good idea because inexpensive AC adapters tend to not run at the exact voltage that your computer requires.This incorrect power source can damage and/or wear out components completely destroying the computer.Don’t end up replacing a $600 computer early because you tried to save $30 on a power cord.  Stick to genuine OEM parts and avoid costly laptop repairs.

5) Using your laptop on your lap (or other soft surfaces) - Heat kills electronics, and your laptop computer needs to “breathe” in order to cool itself.Most laptops “breathe” through the bottom.  When you use a laptop on your lap, bed, or carpet, you cover up the vents that your laptop needs to cool itself.You can also develop a nasty problem known as Toasted Flesh Syndrome from using a laptop on your lap.Always set a notebook computer on a hard surface that will leave the air vents unobstructed.Consider buying a cooling pad for your laptop as well.

Johann Taylor is the Head Technician at CompuClinic LLC in Provo, UT. For more details on Computer Repair Provo UT and Laptop Repair Provo UT than please visit our website.