Whether you’re a local or online business owner – you use a computer. If your computer crashes on you one day, you’ll be screwed because your business depends on it. Here are 14 ways to take better care of your computer so you can ensure it lasts.

#1: Keep Your Computer Clean and Tidy

Dirt and dust really take a damper on your computer. It can clog up gears and limit the PC’s functioning, and therefore, it is vital to clean away dust and debris from your computer on a regular basis. This will effectively prevent the dust and dirt from reaching the inner compartments.

Ensure you clean the monitor and wipe down the screen from time to time too. Also, remember to never eat food or drink while sitting at a computer. One spillage could break your whole computer forever!

#2: Try Not to Keep Switching Your Computer One and Off

Turning your computer off when it’s not in use is important for saving costs on your electricity bill. However, repeatedly switching the PC on and off multiple times throughout the day will just result in stressed internal components which in turn causes the hardware to contract and expand. Try to avoid turning the computer off a lot during the day. If you’re going on a quick lunch break – leave it on. If you’re ending your work on a Friday and won’t be returning until Monday – switch it off.

#3: Purchase a Surge Protector

A voltage spike can cause your hard drive to fry. You can avoid this by buying a surge protector. This will protect your computer during storms.

#4: Move Your Computer Less

Avoid moving your computer unnecessarily. When you need to, do it with care. One drop or bump can cause severe damage to the internal components, and your computer will be dead. If picking up a laptop, hold the base not the screen.

#5: Clean Your Hard Drive

If you’ve got a MAC and the startup disk has reached its limit, you can count on running out of space entirely and having a slow deteriorating computer. You can check how much disk space you have by simply clicking on the apple icon, selecting ‘about this mac’, and clicking storage. If it’s almost full you’ll need to start deleting data. There’s also system junk to worry about, especially since this cannot be cleaned as easily as old photos. Learn more about system junk and how it can be resolved here.

#6: Protect Your Laptop

Invest in a laptop sleeve, case, or book bag to use when you are transporting your laptop. This will not only make you look more professional but it provides the necessary protection for your device. In the event that you drop the laptop, the padded protection is going to lessen the damage (if any occurs at all).

#7: Look After Your Battery

The battery of your computer or laptop comes to an end eventually – usually in a few years. To make the most of it, try not to leave your PC charging all the time. Once fully charged, unplug the power cable or take out the battery. Make sure the battery is fully charged before unplugging. Use most of the battery before recharging.

#8: Protect Your PC From Viruses

You can’t protect yourself from viruses but you sure can protect your PC. Buy up-to-date antivirus software to protect all your confidential information and to avoid being hacked.

#9: Get Your Hard Drive Defragmented

If you’re using a Mac, the hard drive automatically defragments itself. However, if you’re on any other PC you’ll need to defragment manually. Not doing this will result in a slow computer.

Here’s how you can defragment your hard drive:

• Click start
• Select Programs
• Enter Accessories
• Go into System tools
• Then access the disk defragmenter

#10: Decluttering

Delete old files you don’t require. Use the disk cleanup to get rid of temporary files, files already in your recycle bin and any other useless files.

Here’s how you can access disk cleanup:

• Press start
• Click all programs
• Select accessories
• Choose system tools
• Then you’ll be able to access disk cleanup

An alternative way to access disk cleanup (works for Mozilla Firefox)

• click tools
• clear recent history

If on google chrome, do this:

• Select settings icon
• Go to history
• Edit items
• Press clear all browsing data

#11: Reformat

If you’ve noticed your computer is on the decline, think about backing up all your important files and then reinstalling the operating system.

#12: Delete Programs Not in Use

Having too many programmes is often a cause of slow loading time for computers and laptops. Determine which programs you don’t need anymore and disable them to speed up your computer.

To do this, you’ll need to enter the system configuration:

• Press start
• Run
• Type MSConfig
• Press startup
• Deselect the programs you don’t want anymore
• Click apply
• Press ok
• If your computer restarts, it’s normal

#13: Maintain a Cool Temperature

Try not to keep your computer on a soft surface (like your couch) since it stops air flowing out of the device and this leads to overheating. Instead, place your PC on a cool hard surface like a desk. This will promote good airflow which will help keep the computer cool. Consider investing in a cooling pad or fan to avoid overheating.

#14: Don’t Overdo It

Running too many programs at once will strain your CPU. Try to be patient and run only one program at a time. Also, don’t jump straight to hitting the power button every time your computer freezes. Give it some time to catch up rather than rebooting the whole system. Remember to keep tabs clear and to close programs you aren’t currently using.

In Summary

There are 14 ways to take care of and make your computer last longer. These include: keeping it tidy by removing dirt and dust, avoiding switching it on and off repeatedly, using a surge protector, not moving your computer around a lot, protecting your device with a padded sleeve or bookbag, cleaning your hard drive, looking after your battery, getting anti-virus software, defragmenting your hard drive, decluttering, reformating, deleting programs you don’t use, and keeping your computer or laptop cool.