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Maintenance lengthens life of computers
We'll talk about ways to keep your computer working efficiently as long as possible. And just as is true with cars, preventive maintenance is how you dramatically increase the life span of your computer.
So here are some common-sense ways to keep that computer of yours around as long as possible.
Eat healthfully The food that keeps your computer running is, of course, electricity. So a healthy diet of dependable electricity is a big deal. An uninterruptible power supply - a UPS - can supply that. It's basically a large battery that can provide power when the lights go out at your home.
In some ways that's just the icing on the cake. During everyday operation, the UPS furnishes filtered electricity without nasty voltage drops and spikes. Those big swings in voltage can kill your computer.
But protecting your computers with a UPS isn't cheap. Now that many homes have two or more computers, buying a UPS for each machine can be significant. To make things worse, the battery in a UPS eventually will die. Once a UPS is about 2 years old, the battery can go at any time. There's nothing you can do about that, but you can save money on the replacement cost.
Let me explain. A UPS that has enough oomph to power a modern computer system (usually 650 or more volt amps) will cost about $130. But there's really no need to buy a new UPS if the only problem is a dead battery. Instead, just replace the battery. The cost difference is significant - about $40 compared with $130 - and unless there are other problems with your UPS, it'll be good as new with the replacement battery.
I favor the UPS systems made by APC. Besides selling the UPS systems at its Web site, the company also has a handy section that allows you to find replacement batteries at http://tinyurl.com/4voev.
Stay cool Over time, the innards of a computer get covered with a blanket of dust. Like the blankets on your bed, that dust blanket holds in heat. The added heat can severely shorten the life span of a computer.
So, every six months or so, you should clean that dust off the circuit boards inside the computer. I use a can of compressed air. Some technicians use special vacuums.
Whatever you use, make sure you carefully touch the inside of the chassis to avoid component-killing static electricity. Also keep the metal nozzle of the compressed air container a few inches away from electronic components to avoid jolts or a static discharge. Static really can kill, so keep this step in mind anytime you are working inside your computer.
Some readers have told me the real trick is figuring out how to open the computer's case in the first place. It seems each manufacturer has its own method. So consult your computer's manual. If you've lost the manual, you'll find a downloadable version on the manufacturer's Web site.
Once the case is open, the actual cleaning is simple. But if you don't want to do it yourself, take your machine to a repair shop at least once a year to have it done for you.
Check the cards Don't hurry to close the case once you've finished cleaning the dust away. This is a perfect time to take care of a few other things.
Especially if your computer is more than 2 years old, it's smart to check the expansion cards, such as video and sound cards, that are plugged into the motherboard. Over time, they can work loose, or even get a bit dirty.
So remove each one, clean the contacts (the gold-colored strips on the part of the card that slides into the socket) with isopropyl alcohol and firmly reseat them. You also can check the various connectors that attach to the hard disks. They just snap into place, and reseating them for a good fit is easy.
Because opening the case is a bit of a hassle, there's one more task to consider. Desktop computers have a small battery - usually a thin silver circle about the size of a quarter - that helps preserve basic settings when the power is off. These batteries should last at least three years, so if your computer is relatively new, don't bother.
But with older computers, it's smart to take care of this now, while you're already working inside the machine. Again, the manual that came with your computer will show you where the battery is located. You'll easily find a replacement battery at a store such as Radio Shack.
tecbud@bellsouth.net Bill Husted writes for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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