Last week I promised to give you some tips for making your computer last longer, and run better.  So without further ado, here they are:

  • Always use a good surge protector on all electronic equipment.  Only use surge protectors with a high “Joule” rating – I suggest somewhere around 1,000 joules or higher.  A low joule rating means the surge protector won’t be able to suppress big power surges, will wear down more quickly, and won’t protect your equipment sufficiently.  It’s also important to note that surge protectors lose their effectiveness over time and should be replaced every two years or so.  Almost everyone receives “dirty” power from the power company and this is a major cause of electronics degradation.  If you want to be absolutely sure your computer is getting clean power, purchase a line conditioner (usually around $50-100).  A decent surge protector runs about $20 and is well worth the cost – it really will make your equipment last much longer.  Plugging electronic equipment straight into the wall is a death sentence for it – really.
  • Regularly run antispyware scanning software such as Spybot and/orMalwarebytes and make sure it’s updated regularly.  I suggest running updates and full scans every two weeks.
  • Always use GOOD, updated antivirus.  Even some free antivirus programs outperform low-quality AV software like Norton or McAfee.  For free options, I suggest Avast, Avira or AVG.  For more robust protection I suggest BitDefender.  Run full system scans every couple of months.  Never run more than ONE antivirus software.
  • Always use a router and preferably also a 3rd party firewall (usually built into high quality AV software) and never plug your computer directly into your cable modem.
  • Never use the built-in Microsoft internet browsing software (Internet Explorer or Edge) – these internet browsers are prone to security holes and are notorious for letting in more spyware/malware than better alternatives such as Firefox or Chrome.
  • Don’t surf on websites that seem questionable – this is where most spyware comes from and can rapidly degrade system performance.
  • Never download utilities that claim to speed up your computer – they won’t, they don’t, and they often contain malware.
  • Don’t download software you don’t trust.  If you need software to accomplish something specific, do research to find quality options or contact me for specific recommendations.
  • Always leave at least 10% of your hard drive free – your computer needs the free space to organize the file system and if the space isn’t there, the computer can begin experiencing serious slowdowns as a result.
  • Have your computer cleaned out every couple of years to prevent the fans from building up too much grime and losing their effectiveness.  Overheating is a major cause of computer degradation.  It is also a good idea to have your CPU thermal compound replaced at the same time.  This should be done by a technician who knows what they’re doing, as this process is a delicate one, but well worth it in the long run.
  • If you live anywhere near the ocean, cover your electronics when they’re not in use – keeping a cloth over them, or enclosing them in a cabinet keeps the salty air out of them and will dramatically increase the lifespan of the equipment.
  • Set your computer’s power settings to suit your needs; put the computer into standby when not in use – this will spin down the hard drives when they’re idle, extending their lifespan and also saving power.
  • Have your hard drive tested for integrity immediately if you believe it is starting to fail.  This can be indicated by strange clicking or humming noises, or by extreme lag when using the computer – particularly if you notice the hard drive light staying on for extended periods of time.  Hard drive over-activity isn’t necessarily caused by a failing hard drive, but it can be a sign the drive is on the way out.
  • Regularly backup important files – there are countless ways to do this but the thing to remember is that you should NEVER have important files stored on only one hard drive.

Ok, that’s it for this week – I’ll send some more tips along as I think of them.

In my opinion, the right computer should last at least 5 years.  Next week I’ll talk more about buying the right computer so you can actually see this sort of lifespan with yours.  I see far too many computers tossed aside after only a couple years of use.  This is wasteful, completely unnecessary, and absolutely preventable.  I’ll get into this more next week.