A Complete System Preventive Maintenance Guide

Tech geeks recommend ensuring regular PC maintenance to avoid heavy tech repair bills and major computer faults. Have you ever thought why that is so? It is just because taking good care of your device(s) can help to avoid severe computer problems and also protect PC parts from frequent damages. Conducting regular computer maintenance session prevents a device from crashing, losing your data, and costing you your hard-earned dollars too frequently. Many computer manufacturing companies have started adopting CPU cases with more spaces for heat and moisture outlet as these two factors are the prime enemies of your device. Excessive accumulation of heat accelerates the device temperatures and may result in complete or partial damage of computer components while dust and dirt clogs can potentially close the air vents. Therefore, it is important to conduct a complete system preventive maintenance session, at least once in a month to avoid frequent crashing, damages, and data loss.

 Follow this strategy along with some other preventive measures to stop tech problems and learn how to clean a PC, before it stops your computing operations:

 

The External Care

The most important and effective factors, which result in ensuring optimal PC speed and performance, are cleaning and accurate temperature setting. You will need to check around your PC and remove all the possible products, devices and factors that might raise its temperature. Additionally, try to keep your computers away from doors, windows and other open areas, from where dirt can easily fall on it. Always remember to switch off and unplug the system before you begin cleaning any of its components or computer hardware.

1.       Clean the Case

 

You can easily wipe the case with a moistened damp, wet cloth and clear the ventilation ports to remove any obstructions. If you're not budget conscious, then buying a compressed air can is a great option for clearing out dust from the vents.

2.       Cleaning a mechanical mouse

 

A non-optical mouse gets dirty and stops responding too frequently. You can clean the same, by unscrewing the ring on the bottom and removing the ball. Additionally, you should also scrap the accumulated junk from the two plastic rollers, located inside the ball's housing.

3.       Removing Dirt and Dust from Keyboard

 

Remove the connector cable, turn the keyboard upside down and shake it well to clear out the accumulated crumbs stuck between the keys. You can either use the compressed air to blow out the dirt/dust particles from its deck or use special tools for removing keys and then clean the base.

4.       Check Power Cables

It is highly important for optimal PC maintenance to ensure that all the power cables get plugged into your surge protector before you switch on the device. It is recommended to check the unit's warning indicator to avoid voltage spike that may cause serious damage to hardware/software.

5.       Clean CD and DVD media

Since these sections can’t get detached easily, users will have to wipe each disc with a moistened and a soft cloth. Try to rotate your hand in a way that starts cleaning the section from the center and moves outward toward its edges. Prevent yourself from wiping a disc into a circular motion as it may damage all the PC parts. 

The Inside Care

The above-mentioned tips will help you in cleaning the PC externally, but this section will deal with opening the external case and performing some internal cleaning. Ensure that you’ve turned off the power and unplugged your PC, before, you begin the inside cleaning process.

1.       Clean Motherboard to Remove Dust 

 

First of all, you should avoid touching any circuit-board surfaces as it may cause serious issues with inter PC parts and may cost you heavy repair bills. Observe the power-supply fan closely and spray a blast of compressed air to loosen dust. If your PC is years old, then unplug the expansion cards mounted on its motherboard and clean it with isopropyl alcohol, before re-seating it. Tech geeks recommend checking power connectors, EIDE connectors, and other internal cables to ensure optimal connection with computer hardware, before putting back the case.

2.       Install Good Hardware Diagnostic Utility

Many geeks recommend Sandra Standard from SiSoftware and TuffTest-Lite from PC Diagnostics to maintain optimal hardware performance. You can download full versions of these utilities by paying a minimal cost and enjoy a trouble-free computing experience. 

3.       Clean Windows Registry

 

Whenever you add and remove system components, the Windows Registry records the actions with some entries, and they may stay there, even if you have uninstalled the program/utility. These orphaned entries clutter the Windows database and impact its normal functioning. If you’re facing delayed boot, slow PC performance, and frequent freezes, then take help from the shareware utilities to clean the Registry.

4.       Run Windows' Disk Defragmenter

Running Disk Defragmenter at regular intervals ensures optimal speed and enhances hard-disk performance tremendously. Undoubtedly, defragging may take hours, but it will clear out all the clutter and unwanted files that are of no use. It is the best option for managing overflow data from system memory, and it can give your PC a performance boost.

5.       Hard-Drive Checkup

 

It is highly important to evaluate your hard disk's health by using any error-checking utility as it prevents a lot of computer problems, performance flaws and uncertain damages to PC parts. The checkup process will closely monitor hard-drive performance and send warning to the users about the impending disaster that may occur in the near future.

 Conclusion 

All of the above-mentioned steps can help you ensure complete computer maintenance, and you can practice them once/twice in a month to confirm excellent PC functioning. Many geeks recommend keeping your PC in a smoke-free environment as smoke can potentially damage delicate computer components, circuits, and contacts. Avoid powering up your system's components or simply switch to Windows’ Power Management settings to ensure no damage associated with power and computer circuits. Always put your machine into hibernate mode, if you’ll be right back in a few minutes or hours, rather than completely shutting it down. You can easily extend your display's life by turning it off, when not in use. Hopefully, these basic PC maintenance tips will help you avoid some of the serious computer hardware or software problems with optimal comfort!