Computer care at home. Proper computer care. Independent "general" cleaning of a computer keyboard
Today, computers have become an integral part of our lives, indispensable assistants in work and a home entertainment center for the whole family. Today's teenagers will not be able to imagine life without a car, near which they spend most of their free time, as it provides opportunities for learning, games, communication and much more.
During operation, various problems and malfunctions of the system occur, as a result of which the normal functioning of the computer may be disrupted, and you will have to puzzle over how to fix it, moreover, this will entail additional, often considerable costs. It is impossible to be completely safe, but in order to insure against common mistakes and extend the life of your electronic friend, we will provide some useful tips for caring for your computer.
First of all, the computer should always be kept clean. It is necessary to clean the computer both outside and inside. Before proceeding with this procedure, be sure to disconnect the computer from the mains.
Surface cleaning:
1. The monitor should be wiped only with wipes specially designed for it, which can be easily found in any computer store. But remember that you should never wipe it with wet rags or glass cleaner. This is detrimental to him.
2. The keyboard should be wiped with a slightly damp cloth daily! This is the most used part of the entire PC, and there are so many germs on it that it's hard to imagine. You can clean it with a regular brush, it will help remove the dust that you didn’t get to with a rag, but it’s best to turn the keyboard over and vacuum it from below.
3. The rest of the details on the surface also do not require special care rules. Just don't use a lot of water and chemicals. There are a huge number of computer care products.
Cleaning system block:
For this operation you will need a vacuum cleaner and a brush.
1. Open the housing cover, which is located on the left side when viewed from the front. To do this, we need a curly screwdriver. Then we remove dust from the ventilation grill and from the power supply with a vacuum cleaner.
2. Cooler and radiator. Hold the cooler with your finger (so that there is no rotation) and gently vacuum all its parts. But do not touch the details of the insides of the computer, vacuum at a short distance from them, so as not to accidentally hook on the elements that are soldered to motherboard. If, in addition to the processor, you have a cooler under the front panel, then you need to clean it too.
Such cleaning should be done a couple of times a month. But at least once a year, you need to take the computer to a service center and do a “spring cleaning”, that is, completely disassemble the entire PC and clean all its smallest details. This is best left to professionals.
Proper Computer Handling.
An important factor for the life of the computer is the correct handling of it when turning it on and off. First, you can not often turn on and off the computer, if there is no special need for it. Allow at least 30 seconds to elapse between turning the computer on and off. At this time, various transients occur in the PC, and if you ignore this rule, you can significantly reduce the life of the computer. And also when you directly turn off the computer, you must turn it off through the "Start" - "shutdown", and then, after waiting a little, turn it off from the network, if necessary.
Air circulation
Place the computer in such a way that it is not close to the wall so that the air circulation process can be carried out without problems.
The monitor should be placed so that bright light does not fall on it. Constant exposure to direct light will require changes in the contrast and brightness of the monitor, which in turn may shorten the life of the monitor and impair your eyesight. And yet, in no case should you put the monitor near heat sources. This will also have a negative impact on its operation and shorten its service life.
Use an uninterruptible power supply
When buying a new PC, we recommend that you immediately purchase an uninterruptible power supply. Power surges can seriously damage your computer. This device will help you keep your computer alive and save you from costly repairs.
Saving Information
A lot of important information of any kind is stored on your personal computer. Unfortunately, in the event of a machine failure, all information may disappear forever. Therefore, we recommend that you save everything that is important to you on an external storage medium, for example, a flash drive.
Modern man certainly prefers to work with the best devices. Thanks to the computer, it is possible to perform a huge number of manipulations. So users can simply expand the range of knowledge, read news, work with documents.
In general, with the help of devices and the connected Internet, it is possible to develop in various areas of life. Users operate devices, but many do not think about how to properly care for the computer. The duration of operation and its quality depend on this process.
Important Aspects
The computer is strictly forbidden to be moved unnecessarily if it is turned on. You must first turn off the desktop device. If you do not follow this simple rule, then in the future there may be problems associated with the loss of all information on the media.
If the user is working with a laptop, it is enough to simply move the device without any sudden movements. Masters of computer technology do not recommend disconnecting the device used from the network if there is no urgent need for this process. Even if it is necessary to interrupt the operation of the PC for several minutes, then you should not disconnect it from the network.
If there is a need to turn off the power, then it is worth doing this. You need to turn on the device no earlier than a minute later. It is imperative to comply with this condition. This is due to the components of a personal computer, in which various transient processes constantly occur. The same goes for the power supply.
The abuse of these processes, which consists in the frequent connection and disconnection of power, can lead to various kinds of malfunctions in the operation of the device.
All ventilation holes, of which there are a large number in the computer case, should not be blocked by various objects. During operation, the monitor or system unit must be located in such a way as not to block the flow of air. This is important to ensure proper air circulation.
Each user needs to be aware that there are special devices that ensure the uninterrupted supply of the necessary amount of energy for the operation of the device. This makes it possible to work with the computer without failures, even if there are voltage drops or overloads.
In general, this necessary component helps not only to extend the life of individual PC parts, but also to keep all saved files with documents in perfect order. If the user does not want to use such a device, then failures may occur in the future, due to which negative consequences may occur - the loss of files or the failure of the device.
The screen of the installed PC monitor should not be exposed to sunlight, and even light from an artificial light source. If there is too much light on the screen, you will need to constantly adjust parameters such as contrast, as well as brightness. In the course of work, you will constantly have to make them more saturated, then reduce this parameter.
Users are not aware that such frequent manipulations eventually lead to a reduction in the life of the monitor. They also negatively affect the user's vision. Also, do not install the monitor near a heat source.
Proper handling of your favorite device
Each user needs to carefully monitor the operation of all elements in order to achieve excellent device performance in the end. To prevent damage, users should avoid getting any liquid into the device components. By negligence, tea, water and other drinks may be spilled.
As a result, there will be damage. They can be so serious that the device can simply not be saved even when repairing its individual parts. So it is necessary to keep various liquids away from the workplace.
Also, do not eat while working at the computer. When crumbs disappear into the holes between the keyboard buttons, such debris accumulates, and then it can harm the operation of the device. For this reason, the workplace should be exclusively working. And all other cases must be implemented outside the working area.
It is especially easy to ruin the monitor screen. Damage on this item cannot be removed. If there are scratches and other damage, then they will continue to be located on the monitor.
To remove dust, use only natural fabrics with a soft surface. Hard sponges may scratch the surface. Also do not use alcohol-containing liquids.
To keep your personal computer clean, you will need to perform timely cleaning. To do this, a couple of times a week, it is enough to wipe all the components with a soft cloth. This applies to the monitor, the case of the system unit and other elements.
In special stores, the goods necessary for this are sold. So users can buy specialized sponges and microfiber cloths, wipes. This is the only way to clean up. You will also need to buy a special fluid.
The case of the system unit deserves special attention. It is on it that a large amount of dust accumulates. As a result, this leads to a reduction in the process of operation of the components of the system unit. In the future, failures when using a computer are not ruled out.
At least once a year, users need to completely disassemble the system unit and clean the internal components, thus getting rid of dust. This process is quite simple, so it is not necessary to turn to professionals to implement it.
Also of no small importance is the dustiness of the room in which the device is located. Wet cleaning should be done regularly. It will not be superfluous to use a humidifier. If the user has sufficient funds, then special USB humidifiers can be purchased. Such devices are suitable for all those users who spend a lot of hours at a personal computer during the day.
Keyboard cleanliness
This component is a very important part of any stationary device, netbook or laptop. It is this object that is used in working with a computer more than all the others. So a huge amount of microbes, dirt, dust and other objects accumulate on the surface.
Keyboard care instructions are quite simple. Users should wipe dust off daily using a soft and slightly damp cloth. To remove debris at home, users prefer to use a vacuum cleaner. With its help, it is possible to get rid of both small and large particles.
In addition to this, it is necessary to wash the keyboard. This process is painstaking, but it will bring excellent results. But before starting this procedure, it will be necessary to remember exactly the location of all the keys in order to insert them into the right places as a result. After we let the keyboard dry, and then we collect all the elements into a single design.
Today it is impossible to imagine at least one house in which there would be at least one computer. Now a computer is an integral part of any apartment, like a TV or a refrigerator. We use it for several hours a day and are always happy when it functions smoothly and does not give cause for concern due to any malfunctions or interruptions in the system. Therefore, the question "how to properly care for a computer" is becoming more and more relevant.
So, in order to avoid any failures and problems, you should thoroughly fulfill all the requirements for the correct and competent operation of your "iron friend". This list includes not only the optimal selection of computer components, protection of the system from viruses and other malicious objects, installation of a reliable software, as well as computer care, so to speak, its household maintenance.
It is, first of all, cleaning the computer from dust and dirt accumulated in the system unit, in addition, caring for the keyboard, mouse, printer and other devices connected to the computer. In this article, we will focus on the basic necessary simple manipulations that will help extend the life of your computer, and in some cases take care of your health.
Often, users are faced with the need to transport a computer, whether it is moving to a new place of residence, going to visit friends with their system unit, etc. Remember! The computer should never be moved while it is on. So you risk losing all the important information stored on its media. Naturally, this rule does not apply to laptops, since they can be moved even when switched on, the main thing is to avoid sudden movements.
It may surprise some, but there are also rules for properly shutting down the computer. In general, we do not recommend turning off the power of the computer unless it is absolutely necessary, especially if you want to stop working for a short time.
It is important to remember that between the moment when you turn off the power and the next turn on, at least 15 seconds should elapse, and preferably half a minute. This is due to the fact that when the computer is turned on / off, various transient processes occur in the system. Too frequent on / off negatively affects the state of the computer.
To protect against this kind of problems, there are uninterruptible power supplies. They protect the computer from large overloads, power surges, unplanned power outages. Using uninterruptible power supplies, you can not only save all important information and extend the life of your computer, but also save your wallet from unnecessary costs.
How to take care of your computer: mouse and keyboard
The biggest physical load of all parts of the computer falls on the keyboard and mouse. However, their malfunctions can hardly be called critical, since you can always buy new ones and this will not hit our wallet as hard as buying, for example, a new power supply or RAM.
Basically, manipulators do not fail immediately, at first some operations with their help begin to be unstable. On the keyboard, for example, some keys begin to fail, the response of the mouse slows down or the left button sinks, etc. In principle, these devices are inexpensive, however, if it is possible to extend their service life through simple but regular operations, then why not?
The main thing is careful and careful operation. As the advertisement said: "gentle, Victor, even more tender ...". Naturally, the keys are designed to be pressed, but this does not mean that they need to be pressed into the table and knocked with fists. Everyone knows that the average gamer (or just an emotional person whose fists are angry with each of the more than a hundred buttons on the keyboard) has a mouse and keyboard life two to three times shorter than that of a simple user.
Next, let's remember about those who like to make a mini-kitchen on their table: bring chips, seeds, cookies, put a glass of cola or a mug of tea next to it. We know what all this leads to in the end - a keyboard covered with crumbs and other debris, and on top of it all filled with a sweet drink.
As a result, the keys stick or do not press at all. To avoid this unpleasant event, we kindly ask you to eat in specially designated places. And if, nevertheless, trouble has occurred, we will tell you how to properly clean the keyboard.
First, you need to disconnect it from the computer, then drain the liquid inside, completely unwind it, and remove each of the keys. Next - a bathroom, soap, brush, hot water jet. By the way, it will be useful to take a picture of the location of the keys before you take them out, so that later there will be no problems with their correct installation. Having dried the keyboard well, twist and put the keys in place.
“How,” you ask, “do you also need to take care of him ?!”
What did you think! It's not by chance that we compared the PC with a pet. But let's hasten to reassure you, caring for the "iron beast" is much easier than for an ordinary beast. Let's say more, the computer requires attention much less often than the same hamster.
Feel better? Excellent! Let's move on to the details.
The main enemy to fight is dust. Again, let us recall the working fans, which, along with cold air, also suck in dust. At the same time, dust is blown out less readily with hot air. We are not talking about the ability of dust to get into the most unexpected and hard-to-reach places without outside help.
The danger of dust is not only in its unaesthetic, but also in the fact that it does not conduct heat well. So, settling on the details of your computer, dust can easily cause overheating (yes, yes, again!).
The following methods are used to control dust.
Wiping all external parts of the computer, except for the monitor screen, with special cleaning wipes for office equipment (there are a lot of them on sale now, and they are quite inexpensive). This event should be carried out every few days, usually as part of a general cleaning of the apartment (or as needed).
Wiping the monitor screen (after all, dust also appears on it) with special tools that are sold in any computer store. Do not use household glass cleaners! It is better to spend some money on wipes specially designed for this purpose (Fig. 2.5) or spray.
Rice. 2.5. Monitor cleaning wipes
In principle, the above methods are quite enough for an ordinary user or just a person living in the same apartment with a computer. For example, your grandmother can remember these simple rules. Do not force her to keep your workplace clean, just make sure that she does not give the machine a “wet cleaning”.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the protection against power surges in the mains and from a sudden power outage. If this unfortunate event occurs in the midst of your computer work, you risk losing more than just unsaved data. In the worst case scenario HDD and some other computer components may be completely disabled.
Reliable means of "energy security" are the so-called network filters. Better yet, get an uninterruptible power supply. In Chapter 9, we will talk more about these miracle devices.
This is not really all the care a computer needs, but following the rest of the rules will require you to move to the next level of PC mastery (that is, study the subsequent chapters of the book). So we will return to this issue, but for now let's talk about one more aspect of human communication with a smart machine.
Computer and your health. Who will win?
In order not to repeat what has been said many times about the possible harmful effects of a computer on human health, we immediately send you to an Internet forum dedicated to computer and health issues. Here is his address: http://forum.comp-doctor.ru.
Now we will only briefly outline the main (possible) negative consequences of long communication with a computer and recommendations for dealing with them.
So, we list what factors can adversely affect your health.
Prolonged sitting position. First of all, a long sitting position in front of a computer can lead to various diseases associated with curvature of the spine (osteochondrosis), as well as other unpleasant ailments that truckers are prone to.
There is only one advice for the prevention of these diseases - an active lifestyle and sports. Do not be lazy to get up from your chair at least once an hour and do at least minimal exercises. If you work in a multi-story building, walk up the stairs for 5-10 minutes - this will perfectly stretch your legs and pelvic muscles.
Doctors say that when working at a computer, your lower back should rest on the back of the chair (this will reduce the load on the spine), and the monitor should be positioned so that you look down at it (this will reduce the load on the neck).
Please note that when working with the keyboard, your hands are usually raised. Prolonged exposure of the hands in this position can lead to circulatory disorders in the hands and other unpleasant consequences.To prevent diseases of the hands, it is recommended to purchase a special keyboard with pads for the hands (Fig. 2.6). If you don't care about the money, buy the hand pads separately or make your own. The main thing is that in the end the brushes lie on the same straight line with the hands.
Rice. 2.6. Keyboard with palm rest
X-ray radiation from the monitor. Currently, talk about the "great and terrible" radiation from the monitor is more of a fairy tale and gossip. We will now explain why. Of course, like a TV kinescope, a monitor kinescope emits certain X-rays. Perhaps twenty years ago there were some concerns about this, but modern monitors are assembled strictly according to international safety standards, according to which this radiation is minimal. So minimal that if you accidentally walk past the X-ray room in the hospital, you will be irradiated more than in front of the monitor screen.
Therefore, we will simply advise you not to buy old monitors found in a junkyard. Yes, they will ask for much less money for them, but it’s better not to save on health. But if, by the will of fate, you still have to work behind an old monitor, be aware that even in this case, the radiation of the kinescope is completely absorbed by the air already at a distance of about half a meter. Therefore, do not sit close to the monitor - this way it will be more useful for vision.
The factors described above apply more to CRT monitors. LCD devices are safer, there is no X-ray radiation in them, there is a completely different principle of forming an image on the screen.
Electromagnetic radiation from a computer. Another rather “horror story” than a real danger is electromagnetic radiation coming from a computer (and a monitor, how could it be without it!).
Of course, like any electrical household appliance (kettle, washing machine, iron, etc.), a computer and a monitor are sources of electromagnetic radiation. And as medicine has established, prolonged exposure to strong electromagnetic radiation on the human body can adversely affect well-being.
In fact, the radiation from the very first monitors, created in the distant 1980s, was really strong. Indeed, in those days they collected monitors - "pests". But we hasten to reassure you: modern monitors, thanks to numerous new technologies, have become practically harmless.
Nevertheless, we will give a couple of tips for dealing with electromagnetic radiation:
- electromagnetic radiation propagates not only from the screen, but also in all other directions, so when placing a computer in an apartment, make sure that there are no beds (armchairs) with sleeping household members, strollers with children, etc. within a radius of one and a half meters around it. Take care not only about yourself, but also about family members.
We encounter electromagnetic radiation every day: using a vacuum cleaner, a drill, watching TV; All electrical appliances emit electromagnetic waves. The computer only supplements this list, so maybe not everything is so scary? ..
It's curious
In the 1980s, information appeared in the newspapers that cacti effectively protect against electromagnetic radiation. As if it would be worth placing the plant next to the monitor, and everything will be in openwork. We have nothing against cacti and against keeping them in the room (next to the monitor or not), but they certainly do not reduce electromagnetic radiation. And even if they were reduced, then in order to effectively combat radiation, the monitor would have to be overlaid with cacti on all sides, and not just on one. And how then through the thickets of cacti to look at the screen?
Negative effect on vision. Now this is a serious problem. After too much interaction with the monitor, your eyes can really get tired or your head hurts. There are several reasons.
– If you place the monitor in an unfavorable position relative to the window, then when sunlight falls on the screen, glare appears, which significantly impairs the visibility of the image. This leads to an increase in eye strain and the areas of the brain responsible for vision. Solving this problem is very easy - position the monitor so that it "looks" in the opposite direction from the window and the sun's rays cannot fall on it. LCD monitors, especially those with a matte screen surface, are practically devoid of this drawback.
- In our time, not flat, but convex monitor screens are still occasionally found (you can no longer find such specimens in the store). Prolonged work with such a distorted picture also creates an additional load on the brain and, as a result, leads to increased fatigue and headaches. There is no way to deal with this trouble, it is better to immediately buy an LCD monitor or a CRT model with a flat screen surface.
- As already noted, the image on cathode ray monitors flickers. And the lower the screen refresh rate, the more tired your eyes. All modern CRT monitors support refresh rates of 85 Hz or higher. At refresh rates below 85 Hz, flickering of the picture is visible to the naked eye, which very quickly leads to eye strain. If you have an old monitor that can't deliver at least 85Hz refresh rate, get rid of it as soon as possible. LCD monitors do not have such a disadvantage, consider purchasing one.
That's how terrible, it turns out, computers can be. In fact, if you approach the matter wisely, everything is not so scary. You don't have to let the computer "monster" consume you. You can save yourself from all the misfortunes listed above with elementary self-discipline. You should not sit at the computer all day and night. If at work you are forced to spend hours in front of a "semiconductor friend", every hour take a break for 10-15 minutes, which will be quite useful to devote to warm-up and rest for the eyes.
And the last. We are not too lazy to remind you that the computer heats up during its operation (we agree, this is not the first time we are talking about this in this chapter). As a result, it dries out the surrounding air, which means that the humidity in your room is significantly reduced (especially if the room is small). But you can also deal with this trouble - ventilate the room in which the computer is located more often (at the same time, breathe fresh air yourself).
To increase the humidity in the room, experts also recommend leaving containers with water there. We agree that a bowl of water in the middle of the room will look silly, but it is quite possible to put it in a hard-to-reach and inconspicuous place (for example, on a closet). And even better (and prettier) to have a small aquarium. There is even a double benefit here: increasing the humidity in the room and calming the nerves (for example, after another bout of anger at your computer) by contemplating peacefully swimming fish.
Summarize
Your computer with a good large monitor should fit nicely into the opposite corner from the battery in a clean, dust-free room decorated with an aquarium.
Represented? If you liked this picture, you are a born computer user.
Transporting your computer
When transporting a computer, it is important to be careful, it is impossible for the computer to be turned on, do not shake the computers strongly, and avoid sudden movements. This also applies to laptops.
Turning off the computer
If the computer is connected to the network, then you do not need to leave it unless absolutely necessary, especially if the session is short.
If there are power surges in the network, then you should use an uninterruptible power supply to protect your computer from overloads, surges, and unplanned network outages.
Air flow control
There are special ventilation holes in the system unit, as well as in the computer itself, they should not be closed. You can install a humidifier that plugs into the USB port.
Computer operation
Avoid getting liquid, food residues into the computer. Also, do not place other foreign objects on the computer, especially the monitor is subject to mechanical stress. Wipe the monitor with a damp soft cloth without using alcohol-based cleaners.
Proper monitor placement
The monitor should be installed away from strong sunlight. Immediately after purchase, the monitor will need to be adjusted in contrast and brightness to a comfortable level. No need to install the monitor and the computer itself in close proximity to a heat source.
Dust cleaning
Cleaning a computer keyboard is a mandatory procedure, as the presence of dust and debris can adversely affect performance. Dust the computer, as well as all components, including the system unit, keyboard and printer, once or twice a week. To do this, use special napkins for the computer. Once a year it is better to clean the internal components of the system unit, for this it must be completely disassembled. If you know the device of the computer, then you can do it yourself, or contact the service center. In the service center, specialists know much better which parts accumulate dust the most.
Keyboard cleaning
The keyboard deserves special attention, as it is the most work area when using a computer. The keyboard should be wiped daily with a damp cloth. In order to remove dust and dirt that has sunk into the computer buttons, you need to use a vacuum cleaner. Now special vacuum cleaners are sold that work from a USB cable. best effect can be achieved if you wash the keyboard, for this you need to completely disassemble it. In order not to get confused later in the position of the buttons, you must first photograph and print them.
The keys must be immersed in a disinfectant or soap solution. After washing, the keys are wiped, washed with cold water and dried, after which they are put in their original place. Remember that proper care of your computer guarantees its long service life.
