How To Keep Your Hardware Healthy

By Author: Gregg Housh
Total Articles: 18
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Just like your automobile, home, or anything else, computers can become run-down over time. With the lighting quick pace at which new technology becomes yesterday's news, many of us never see the effects of time on our machines before they are relegated to the scrap heap. Unfortunately, this often leads users to neglect the physical needs of their machines, which can lead to hardware failure. With computer owners feeling the squeeze in this economy, it's good to know that there are simple things we all can do to help increase the lifetime of our machines.

Overheating is one of the most dangerous converns for hardware, fortunately it's also one of the simpler ones to minimize or prevent entirely. Between the small moving parts and electrical currents running through everything, the inside of your computer can heat up quite a bit, causing damage to everything inside. The first thing to do is to monitor your computer's temperature. If it feels hot to the touch (being slightly warm is normal) or the temperature rises significantly after it's been running for a while, you may need to intervene. All computers have small fans ...
... to help disperse the heat generated inside the case. In a computer that's suffering from heat problems, these may be broken or just not powerful enough. You can replace these fans (called heat sinks) yourself, or hire a professional tech to do it for you. You can also cut down on overheating issues by never pushing your desktop past its published capabilities (overclocking) and making sure that the vents are not blocked by anything.

Another straightforward issue for users to resolve may come as a surprise: dust bunnies. Just as dust finds its way into the strangest places in your car, it also winds up inside your computer case where it can accumulate. While most of the time this is harmless, large accumulations of dust can damage moving parts or block the vents (leading to overheating). The best solution is to periodically open up the case of your computer and use “canned air” to blow away the dust inside. Remember, make sure that the computer is turned off and unplugged from the socket before you attempt to open it to prevent damage or injury.

While keyboards and mice are fairly inexpensive parts, it's still wise not to waste money replacing them when you could just as easily keep them in working order for much longer. Keyboards are commonly damaged when food and other bits of debris get in the spaces between and beneath the keys. To reduce the risk don't eat at the computer, or put your keyboard away when you do. Standard mice, with a ball built into the bottom to track movement, should be used on a clean surface such as a mouse pad. You should clean this off periodically and keep it away from food just as you would a keyboard. In the event that liquid spills on either item, unplug it immediately and allow it to dry completely before checking if it is still in working order (this will cut down on the risk of damage).

One of the best ways to protect the components of your computer involves a little bit of an investment, but it literally can mean life or death for your system. Instead of plugging directly into a wall socket or standard power strip, you can use a surge protector or a universal power supply to protect your hardware from outages and spikes. Both of these issues cause a enormous amount of hardware failure and data loss every year. It's vital to get a universal power supply that has enough voltage to run your entire system in order to get the full benefit. It may be wise to consult with a professional about your power needs if you choose that product. A surge protector does not provide the same protection for your data in the event of a power outage, but is more budget-friendly and provides needed protection for your hardware from power spikes.
Gregg Housh holds the position of Technician Manager at Geek Choice. At Geek Choice we fix computer problems like: Slow Computer, Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, Computer startup problems, Printer not printing, Not connecting to the Internet, Scanner not working, or the "blue screen of death."