Just like with every piece of major hardware, maintaining your custom PC is very important. Many of us are familiar with the maintenance of a car, where we change the oil and top up the other fluids like windshield wiper fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, we rotate the tires. There is also cosmetic maintenance like car washes and interior vacuuming and dusting. Finally, there are repairs for things that break. Ideally we perform enough preventative maintenance so that major components don’t break on us, or at least we are aware of the approaching problems.
So, too with custom computers there are different kinds of maintenance: cosmetic, interior, and software. One would also do repairs and upgrades. If you have a custom PC like this http://www.avadirect.com/custom-pc-tower you know that there is lots of space for both dust and upgrades. So what do you need to do to keep your computer running? The best piece of advice is to treat your computer well and to be aware of its troubles. Knowing how to browse the web safely is also very important.
Let’s start with software maintenance. One of the first things you should do after opening a new computer is to download an antivirus. Actually this should be the first thing you do on the internet, immediately after connecting to a network. There are many free anti-virus programs available, like Avira, Malwarebytes, Avast, Panda as well as other tools like CCleaner. Regularly use these programs to scan your computer and remove viruses and other malware programs to keep your computer and your information safe.
As I’ve previously mentioned, keeping the interior of your computer free from dust is also important. This is more difficult with a laptop or an all-in-one PC but still possible. For these types of computers I suggest you get a can of compressed air from an office supply store and blow air into the exhaust ports. If you have a tower desktop you can simply take the cover off and use the compressed air to blow at the buildup of dust. Excess dust will make your computer heat up faster and could negatively impact performance or cause permanent damage. You’d feel silly replacing a part or the whole computer when some simple dusting could have saved it.
There is also cosmetic maintenance to be aware of. Mostly this is just making sure the case isn’t dusty and the screen is clear. For gamers their custom gaming PC is a source of pride so they want to keep theirs spotless. For the rest of us as we use our computers nearly every day, the cleanliness of our computer reflects our personal hygiene. No one would want to look at your gross computer!
For laptops there are some other consideration: a case. If you travel a lot or tote your computer across campus, it’ll see a lot of wear and tear. Protect your computer by keeping it in a case. For more popular models there are hard cases that are made to fit around your computer so that scratches would only affect the case and not the laptop itself. For all others you could look into soft carry cases that protect the notebook from other items in your backpack.
So, too with custom computers there are different kinds of maintenance: cosmetic, interior, and software. One would also do repairs and upgrades. If you have a custom PC like this http://www.avadirect.com/custom-pc-tower you know that there is lots of space for both dust and upgrades. So what do you need to do to keep your computer running? The best piece of advice is to treat your computer well and to be aware of its troubles. Knowing how to browse the web safely is also very important.
Let’s start with software maintenance. One of the first things you should do after opening a new computer is to download an antivirus. Actually this should be the first thing you do on the internet, immediately after connecting to a network. There are many free anti-virus programs available, like Avira, Malwarebytes, Avast, Panda as well as other tools like CCleaner. Regularly use these programs to scan your computer and remove viruses and other malware programs to keep your computer and your information safe.
As I’ve previously mentioned, keeping the interior of your computer free from dust is also important. This is more difficult with a laptop or an all-in-one PC but still possible. For these types of computers I suggest you get a can of compressed air from an office supply store and blow air into the exhaust ports. If you have a tower desktop you can simply take the cover off and use the compressed air to blow at the buildup of dust. Excess dust will make your computer heat up faster and could negatively impact performance or cause permanent damage. You’d feel silly replacing a part or the whole computer when some simple dusting could have saved it.
There is also cosmetic maintenance to be aware of. Mostly this is just making sure the case isn’t dusty and the screen is clear. For gamers their custom gaming PC is a source of pride so they want to keep theirs spotless. For the rest of us as we use our computers nearly every day, the cleanliness of our computer reflects our personal hygiene. No one would want to look at your gross computer!
For laptops there are some other consideration: a case. If you travel a lot or tote your computer across campus, it’ll see a lot of wear and tear. Protect your computer by keeping it in a case. For more popular models there are hard cases that are made to fit around your computer so that scratches would only affect the case and not the laptop itself. For all others you could look into soft carry cases that protect the notebook from other items in your backpack.