Newslines: Keep your computer healthy

Spend some time taking care of your PC and it will reward you with years of trouble-free use.

Here are our top ten tips to get the best from your PC or laptop:

Don’t expose your computer to extremes of temperature (for instance, by placing it directly under a window or in front of a radiator). Make sure it has access to fresh air so the fan can keep the electronics cool.
Don’t block air vents by stacking books or magazines at the back of the computer.
Don’t eat or drink while using your computer. Tobacco smoke can also damage delicate contacts and circuits.
Always shut down the computer by systematically closing the applications you have opened. Never turn it off with the power switch whilst applications are still running. The only exception to this rule is when your computer locks up.
Never unplug peripherals (such as printer, monitor, keyboard) from the computer when it is powered up.
Always back-up your important files on a regular basis onto an external media such as floppy disks, USB memory sticks or rewritable CDs/DVDs. Alternatively, get a second hard drive (either internal or external) and back up onto that.
Make sure your antivirus software is up-to-date. Anti-spyware is also important to protect you from unauthorized programs downloaded from the internet. Most routers come fitted with a hardware firewall but you should have a software firewall as well.
Keep your hard-drive clean by running Disk Cleanup once a month to delete unnecessary files and Disk Defragmenter once a month to organize your files better and improve performance. You'll find them both in Start>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools, then click on Disk Defragmenter or Disk Cleanup.
Clean the casing with lint-free wipes and keep dust away from ventilation ports. Always unplug your computer from the mains before cleaning and never remove the computer case without checking first with the manufacturer. It can invalidate your warranty or you may inadvertently do some damage.
Clean laptop screens or flat-screen monitors once a month with a damp lint-free cloth. Wipe the screen gently in one direction, never in a circle. A special LCD cleaning cloth is well worth the investment.

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