COMPUTER MAINTENANCE TIPS

*THE BIG QUESTION...TO TURN OFF OR NOT TURN OFF YOUR COMPUTER????

The decision to turn off your PC daily is up to you. Powering off the computer causes wear and tear on hard drives, but so does leaving it on because the spindle spins all the time, even when it is idle. Heat is also a consideration. Heat buildup can also cause problems if you leave your PC on. If the location of your PC will become hot such as over the weekend when cooling systems are turned off, then you should turn off your PC. When you leave your PC on, the heat in the system builds up and the cooling fans are constantly taking in dust and dirt, which can build up heat in the system. Heat causes problems with the CPU and the memory. If you run your PC all the time you need to be sure that you keep the fan on the back clean and that the temperature in the room will not rise above 85 degrees. You should always turn off the monitor when the PC is not in use.

You should never cycle your computer off and then on again immediately. Allow at least two minutes for all the components to power down and some of the heat buildup to dissipate. You should reset your computer at least once a day so that it can rebuild its system resources. You need to be sure to logoff the server before doing this so that when your computer comes back up you can log into the network.

*COMPUTER MAINTENANCE

The more you keep dust, dirt, and pollen away from your computer, the better it will run. Excessively dirty systems will be documented and turned in to the appropriate principal for action to be taken. The debris coat the inside of your PC, which interferes with the cooling. This can cause your hard drive to crash and result in the loss of all of your data. Do not stack papers, disks or any other material on top of the monitor or computer case. If your computer is located near a window, you will want to keep off direct sunlight by using blinds or shades. You should leave at least one or two inches of space behind and on top of components for air to circulate properly. You can use a small paint brush to help remove the dust that builds up in the fan at the back of the computer. You need to clean this fan at least once a month.

*COMPUTER MONITOR

Be sure that your monitor is off and unplugged before you start cleaning it with something more than just a duster. Monitors carry a very high voltage. Clean the screen just as you would a window. Use a household spray cleaner and a paper towel. Spray the spray on the paper towel and never directly on the screen. Clean the outside casing of your monitor with a soft, moist cloth. Use caution when cleaning near the adjustment dials/buttons, and pay careful attention to the on/off button, as this will be the location of the most dirt. Monitors should be cleaned thoroughly at least every three months.

*KEYBOARD

Turn your keyboard upside down and dust with the duster to remove any dust particles. Lay your keyboard on a flat surface and use a paper towel that has been sprayed with household cleaner. Work on the frame and keys. Be sure to include the sides of the keycaps. This should be done at least every three months.

*MOUSE

Clean the outside of the mouse with a damp cloth and household cleaner. To insure good operation you also have to clean the guts. Turn the mouse over. Open the compartment where the mouse ball resides. Clean the ball using a mild soapy rinse and dry it with a paper towel. Locate and clean the three rollers inside the compartment to make sure that they are free from dust and grime. Replace the ball and the compartment door and the mouse should work as good as new again.

*PRINTER

Don't touch the gears inside the printer. Never use alcohol or thinner for cleaning as they can damage the printer components and case. Don=t get water or cleaner on the components. Dust off the case and paper tray lightly with the duster. Clean the case with a moist paper towel and dry completely. If paper becomes jammed in the printer, DO NOT try to remove it yourself. ALWAYS leave that up to the technician as you can easily damage the paper rollers. If printing labels, be sure to use ONLY the kind specified for your printer (laser for laser , inkjet for inkjet). Be sure that the sheets are wrinkle free and no labels are loose and bent. If so, do not use the sheet. A sheet of labels costs a lot less than a ruined printer. If labels become stuck, DO NOT attempt to remove them yourself, contact the technician for assistance. We have had quite a few printers in the district ruined by stuck labels and users attempting to remove them.

****TIPS****

T                   If your computer or monitor seems not to be turning on, be sure to first make sure that all the power cords are securely plugged in and all the power buttons are turned on.

T                   NEVER unplug a component (monitor, printer, scanner) while the computer is turned on. Always exit all programs and turn off your computer.

T                   Keep air moving around your computer to help keep the components cool. A computer should never be placed directly on the floor because walking around or near the computer stirs up dust that will build up in the computer.

T                   Be sure that your computer and all components are plugged into a surge protector and not just a power strip. Surge protectors and power strips are not the same. Power strips do not protect components from power surges.

T                   Shut down and restart frequently. The simple act of shutting the system down and restarting can solve a problem. Do this before reporting any potential problems to technical support.

T                   Write down all error messages. If you need to contact technical support, this will help to get your problem diagnosed.

*FILE MAINTENANCE

All users should run these two programs periodically to correct potential file problems.

 DEFRAG

You can find this program in START/PROGRAMS/ACCESSORIES/SYSTEM TOOLS/ DISK DEFRAGMENTER. This could take 30 minutes or longer and should not be interrupted. This program will organize the files on your hard drive and is very simple to run. If your system seems to be running slowly or is slow in accessing programs, you should run this utility.

SCANDISK

You can find this program in START/PROGRAMS/ACCESSORIES/SYSTEM TOOLS/ SCANDISK. This is the same program that runs when you have to turn off your computer without first shutting down. This will check your hard drive for any files with problems.

RECYCLE BIN

Just because you delete files doesn't mean that they go away. They reside on your hard drive in the Recycle Bin and taking up disk space until you go in and chose the option to empty the Recycle Bin. You can find the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop (looks like a trash can). You highlight the icon with your mouse and right click to pull down the menu choices. Choose to empty the Recycle Bin. This will clear unnecessary programs off of your hard drive. You should do this at least once a month.

EMAIL

The files that you choose to delete are also saved in your email program until you tell the program to empty your Trash. There is a Trash option on the menu to the left. You should choose EDIT/ EMPTY TRASH from the menu at the top to get rid of the email that you have deleted. This should be done at least every 30 days. Any email that you choose to Archive is stored in a directory called C:\Mail on your hard drive. You should empty this directory at least once a year...if not more often than that. Choose FILE/OPEN ARCHIVE. This opens all the mail saved in that directory. You should then print a copy of what you want to keep and then highlight the files and choose delete. These emails that are archived take up a lot of room on your hard disk.

If you try to do the things listed in this document, you will have a healthy computer and won't run the risk of losing your valuable data. If you do have a problem with your computer, be sure to fill out a maintenance form and be as specific as possible about the problem that you are having. Write down any error message that might have appeared on your screen.