Make Your Laptop Last Longer

Laptops are used frequently, misused often, and expensive to replace. The following instructions will help ensure your laptop lasts as long as you have a use for it.

Steps

Protecting the laptop

  1. Know where your laptop is at all times. Be cautious about leaving the laptop unattended. Label it well in case of loss, misplacement or theft.
    • Label all parts of the laptop with your name. Put a sticky address label on the top of the laptop, inside, under the keyboard, both parts of the power cord, CD-ROM/DVD-ROM/Floppy drives, and a USB drive.
    • Purchase a luggage tag. Attach it to the carrying case and fill it out with your name. Make sure that no flap that covers your name.
    • Attach something unique to the carrying case. This will help prevent someone else from mistaking your case for theirs.
  2. Treat the laptop with care. Dropping, jostling, or bumping may cause damage to its hard drive, sometimes permanent and irreparable.
    • Do not place drinks next to the computer. One accidental spill onto the keyboard will damage it, probably beyond repair.
    • Use two hands to hold the laptop by the bottom (keyboard half). Do NOT hold a laptop by the screen.
    • Do not store the laptop where very cold or very hot.
    • Do not place the laptop close to any electrical appliance, because it generates a magnetic field.
  3. Protect the screen and body of your laptop. Your laptop will last much longer if it doesn't get damaged.
    • Don't attempt to twist the screen on its hinges, as this could crack the screen.
    • Do NOT attempt to close the lid when a pencil or pen is left on the keyboard. This could crack the screen.
    • Don't scratch or push on the screen.
    • Don't slam the lid down.
  4. Transport with care. Purchase and use an appropriate laptop carry bag to buffer the laptop during transportation.
    • Correctly remove the wireless card (if applicable) before transporting.
    • Always transport the laptop in a padded carry case, and avoid stacking items on the lid of the laptop.
  5. Keep the laptop clean.
    • Clean the screen with a lint-free cloth. Avoid using window cleaner, such as Windex; the ammonia will dull the screen. Use a screen cleaner from a computer supply store.
    • Think twice before adding stickers. Stickers leave a residue that can cause permanent damage or an unsightly mess.

Caring for laptop parts

  1. Make sure your electrical cord helps your laptop, and doesn't hurt it. Treat your laptop's electrical cord as an extension of the laptop itself.
    • Be careful when removing the power cord. Yanking it out of the laptop from a distance will cause damage.
    • Do not wrap the cord tightly around itself. Instead, loosely wrap it in a figure eight pattern.
    • Don't attempt to turn the laptop over when it is plugged in. This could break the adapter plug at the back of the laptop.
  2. Remove disks with care. Small pieces are easy to snap off if you are not careful.
    • If you still use floppy disks, do not use damaged floppies. They will wreak havoc on the internal drive.
    • Remove disks from CD-ROM drive or floppy drive before carrying.
  3. Extend the life of your battery. Remove the fully charged battery and only put it back in when you need to use it. It's that simple.
    • Store the battery in a dry place away from direct heat or sunlight.

Software

  1. Make sure you understand your computer's software requirements. Some software can be susceptible to viruses and can inhibit performance.
    • Understand your laptop's up-time. Up-time is a measure of your operating system's reliability. Unix-like operating systems such as BSD and Linux have the longest up-time. Research and compare up-time records yourself.
    • Downloaded software and screensaver often cause conflicts and use valuable memory. Remember that laptops are tools for learning, and keeping them free of unnecessary programs will help it working quicker with less freezing.
    • Always back up all files in at least two places.
    • Virus protection is very important.
    • Beware of spyware. It is the latest computer security problem. Spyware is software designed to collect computer users' personal data without their knowledge. Spyware is secretly installed with many downloaded Internet software programs, and transmits information about computer usage and generates pop-up advertisements. Microsoft estimates that spyware is responsible for half of all PC crashes.

Routine laptop maintenance

  1. Schedule regular maintenance. Your computer, like your car, needs regular tune-ups. This will improve the laptop's ability to run smoothly.
    • Run "Disk Cleanup" and "Defragment" tools at least monthly. You can find this under "Accessories," listed with Programs. Start > Programs > Accessories. Be sure to turn off screen saver before performing maintenance.
    • Check for disk errors at least monthly. Open "My Computer." Right click on drive C, then select Properties. Click on the Tools tab. Where you see Error Checking, click on "Check now." Select "automatically fix file system errors," and then Start. You may be prompted to restart the machine.
    • Set virus protection software to download and install updates automatically and enable virus real-time protection.
    • Perform weekly virus scans.
    • Set your computer to automatically download any newly released Windows updates. To do this: Open the Control Panel (Start > Settings > Control Panel) and double-click “System.” Click on the Automatic Updates tab and make your selections. Most people prefer the option “Download updates for me, but let me choose when to install them.”
  2. Adjust your printer settings. This feature allows printers to work fast, using the least amount of ink.
    • On your PC, click Start > Settings > Printers.
    • All printers that have been installed are shown.
    • Click on a printer to select it.
    • Right-click, and then choose Properties.
    • Click on the Setup tab, and under print quality, select draft.
    • Click on the Advanced tab, and put a check in the box by "print in gray-scale." At school, we request you print in gray-scale for most assignments. For special projects when you need something printed in color, you can remove the check mark.
  3. Adjust your power settings. This will help your laptop conserve power and run efficiently.
    • Start > Settings > Control Panel.
    • Select the Power Management folder by double-clicking on it.
    • Select Portable/Laptop from the drop-down menu.
    • Click on the Alarms tab, and set the alarm to ring at 5%, and to shutdown at 1%.
    • Click on the Alarm Action button, and put a check mark next to Sound Alarm and Display Message.
    • Underclock it for the ultimate in longevity.

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Warnings

  • Failure to follow the instructions above may damage your laptop (and possibly void your warranty)!
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