<img src="//bat.bing.com/action/0?ti=5794969&amp;Ver=2" height="0" width="0" style="display:none; visibility: hidden;">

6 Steps to Keep Your Computer Running Like New

[fa icon="long-arrow-left"] Back to all posts

[fa icon="pencil'] Posted by Heidi Van Anderson [fa icon="calendar"] April 17, 2018

No matter what industry you work in, there is probably a good chance you spend a lot of your day on a computer or laptop. The last thing you need is to have an issue with it right before an important deadline or even just during a regular busy work day.

While we love hearing from our customers when they call in to our help desk with computer problems, we know calling IT – whether your internal team or an outsourced solution like Lewan’s managed services – to troubleshoot an issue takes valuable time out of your day.

With a little preventative care you can minimize issues and downtime.

Here are 6 simple steps we share with our clients that you can also use to keep your computer performing at its peak.

1. Restart Your Computer Daily

This sounds easy right? You’d be surprised how many people leave systems running constantly without giving them a break. Restarting gives your computer a clean slate and can improve speed by clearing up software or programs that might be draining your computer’s memory.

2. Be Wary of Unwanted Install Software

When you are downloading software, files or apps online be aware of the extra program bloat these installs can come with that can slow your computer down. Also be aware of potentially malicious software. Only allow install programs to run from trusted sites.

3. Keep Food and Drink Away from Your Computer

We all do it. Whether it’s eating lunch at your desk, drinking your morning coffee while checking emails or carry your computer at a glass of water in the same armload. To maybe state the obvious – water and crumbs are really bad for the internal components of your computer. Use eating and drinking time as a reason to get up and take a break from your computer screen.

4. Remove Dust from Vents and Fans

The fans and vents keep your computer from getting too hot. When dust gets inside them, or clogs the vents, your fans will run slower and your computer will be at risk of overheating. If your computer can’t cool down efficiently, it can cause hardware damage, drain your battery and slow down performance. Compressed air works great to clean the dust out of your computer, but if you haven’t done this before, consult your IT department first or ask them to do it for you.

5. Don’t Expose Your Computer to Extreme Temperature

Moderate temperatures of 68 to 71 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal temperatures for computers. Avoid leaving your laptop in a hot or cold car. Exposing your computer to heat is bad for the same reasons we talked about in Tip #4. A cold computer could die altogether if left in freezing temperatures too long. Also, warming up a cold computer too quickly can cause condensation to form inside which can damage the hardware.

6. Use a Protective Case

If you bring your computer back and forth from home to work, make sure that you transport it in a padded carrying case. Throwing it in your purse or briefcase doesn’t cut it, sorry. Storing it in its own case will prevent your computer from getting dust and debris inside the vents and protect from scratches and physical damage.

When you take care of your computer, it will reward you with less issues and a longer lifespan. A little TLC goes a long way!

Topics: Managed Services, How To Guide, Managed Infrastructure & Helpdesk, IT Solutions

Heidi Van Anderson
Written by Heidi Van Anderson

Heidi manages Lewan's client success team. She is responsible for the success of the Lewan PM organization and Lewan client engagements ranging from business/IT assessments, complex IT project management for multi-national corporations, and many infrastructure deployment projects within the Lewan portfolio.

  • View & Submit Comments

[fa icon="envelope"] Subscribe to Email Updates



[fa icon="comments-o"] Follow us

Get even more great content, photos, event info and industry news.



[fa icon="calendar"] Recent Posts