You know how much it costs to buy a nice computer, and the last thing you will want to do is spend even more money having to go to a computer repair service all of the time. The best way you can protect your machine is to learn how to do basic maintenance. This will save you money, ensure your computer is running properly, and avoid having problems every few months. Of course, there are times when you will need to get computer help just because issues may arise that you are not able to deal with. However, the more you understand maintenance on the machine, the better you can ensure those problems only come up rarely.
So, what exactly is computer maintenance? There are basically three different steps to it. They include maintaining the physical machine, protecting the computer, and ensuring your personal files are safe. Let’s look at each of these individually.
The Physical Machine
You do need to keep the actual physical computer clean. When dust and dirt builds up on or in it, this can lead to problems like overheating. If that happens, you end up spending big bucks to get computer repair. Here’s some tips for maintenance:
- Use compressed air to blow any dirt or debris out from inside the keyboard.
- Use a very soft, clean cloth to wipe down the computer monitor.
- Use anti-static wipes to clean the actual computer itself, and you can use compressed air to remove any dirt and dust from the intake vents.
- Make sure the compartment for the computer has enough room for airflow. Don’t push it in a corner or cover it with anything.
Whatever you do, don’t use solvents or chemicals to clean your machine. They can damage things very quickly.
Protecting the Computer
The next thing you should do is protect your computer and that means anti-malware software. There are plenty of antivirus programs you could choose, but some to consider include AVG, Avira Antivir, and Norton Antivirus. The latter of those three will cost money, so you may wish to consider one of the free versions.
Once you download quality antivirus software, be sure to set it up on a schedule so that it runs regularly. If you have the software and never use it, you could still find yourself running to computer support when you get a virus on your machine.
Safeguarding Personal Files
Finally, you need to protect your personal files and that means keeping your computer backed up. That way, you will have all of your pictures, documents, videos, etc. even if something does happen with your machine. You have a couple of options for backup, including external hard drives or online backup sites. You could choose websites like Mozy or Carbonite to back up information, but they generally do charge a yearly or monthly fee. You will need set up the backups to run on a regular schedule as well.
If you follow this advice and you do perform the regular computer maintenance, then you can avoid many of the big problems that require computer repair. However, if you do run into problems, then be sure to contact computer-help.com today.
