The vast majority of computer maintenance mistakes arise from ignorance. The proliferation of personal computers has resulted in many owners who have very limited computer literacy. Maintenance mistakes are made regarding both software and hardware because users are afraid of doing something wrong or by plunging into things that can create problems with no idea of what is being done. To simply tell someone to do certain things to their computer without explaining to them about possible consequences is to invite trouble.
Computers need to be kept clean and safe. This means that the room where a desktop computer resides needs to be relatively free of dust and contaminants. When cleaning and vacuuming are done in this area, the computer should be turned off. The cooling fans inside the computer will pull any dust or lint that is stirred up by cleaning right into the machine. Dust is death to electronic components. The computer is filled with these.
This dust settles onto the components. With dust acting as a blanket, the components overheat and fail. Turning the computer off will keep the fans from pulling in dust while you are cleaning. Once in a while, it is a good idea to open the box and vacuum out the accumulated dust inside. Be gentle with this effort. Using a soft brush to loosen the dust will make this more profitable. Pet dander and fur can create the same problem. If you have indoor pets, clean the inside of your computer about twice per year.
The reality is that it is best to keep pets away from all electronic devices. Cats have even been known to use computers and other pieces as litter boxes. Cat urine is definitely not a good thing.
When touching the inside of your computer, make sure that you have discharged all static electricity from your body. It helps to remove your shoes if you are walking on carpet. Special bracelets are made with a wire traveling from it to an alligator clip. By attaching this clip to something that will ground you, damage from a static discharge can be avoided. Even a small static spark can wipe out numerous components on the motherboard of your computer.
Computers are happier if the temperature is cooler. Keep all computers, including laptops, from being overexposed to sunlight or heat above about 80 degrees for extended periods of time. Just taking this one piece of advice could save many computers each year.
Keeping your anti-virus software up to date is critical for keeping your hard drive from being sabotaged by trojans, worms, and other obnoxious viruses. Some of this software can be set to automatically download new virus definitions. Whether or not this is available, at least once per week download new definitions. The same is true for software updates for your operating system like Windows.
If you do a lot of adding and removing files and software, your hard drive needs to be defragmented from time to time. About once per month for heavy use is sufficient. If you only use your computer for email and surfing the web without lots of downloading, a few times a year is enough.
When cleaning your computer, use a lint-free cloth for wiping down the monitor and the rest of the computer. Alcohol is the solvent of choice. Never use water. Use compressed air to clean your keyboard along with a vacuum.
