Here are some maintenance steps and commonly recommended procedures to protect your school computers and prolong their lives.

By Reid Goldsborough
Media & Methods
January 2003

Power on your computer when you begin each day and don't power it off until you finish for the day.  Some people turn their PC on and off throughout the day.  Big mistake.  This causes a computer's innards to frequently expand and contract, creating stress that can lead to premature component failure.

Defrag your hard disk periodically.  The operating systems of typical PCs and Macs scatter file fragments over the hard disk.  Specific software programs combine these fragments, which reduces hard drive wear and tear and increases system performance.  Some programs signal you to defrag when your hard disk reaches a specified level of fragmentation, such as 90 percent.  Alternately, you can defrag weekly, monthly, or semiannually, depending on how often you use your PC.  Don't use a program that defrags your hard disk continually.  It will create more wear and tear than it prevents.

Periodically scan your hard disk for file system errors and fading magnetism with software designed to provide this function.  Do this once a week if it is critical that your hard disk be reliable, or once every month or two otherwise.

Check for computer viruses.  Scan all programs you download from Internet file libraries and any floppy disks you borrow from friends or co-workers.  There is little chance of catching a virus from simply reading e-mail, but be careful about e-mail attachments.  It is highly advisable to refrain from opening an attachment if it comes from someone you do not know.  Even if the attachment comes from someone you do know, check to see if the person really intended to send it before opening it.

For maximum safety, unplug your PC and any phone line leading to it during a thunderstorm, unless you need to keep your PC on for work purposes.  A nearby lightning strike will blow right past a typical surge protector and can fry a PC.  Use a surge protector or uninterrupted power supply for smaller surges.

Regularly back up any crucial data on your hard disk to a tape, removable hard disk, writeable compact disk, or floppy disk, or use an Internet backup service.  Back up daily or weekly, depending on how much new data you create.  Consider storing your backups offsite in case of a fire or flood.

Use a floppy drive cleaning kit when you experience problems with your floppy drive, or at most, once a year as preventive maintenance.  Do not use a cleaning kit every week as some kit manufacturers suggest.  This just overstresses your floppy drives' read/write head.

Your PC should be plugged into a three-pronged grounded outlet, preferably on a dedicated circuit.  Don't move a PC or connect or disconnect its cables while it is on unless they are plugged into a universal serial bus port. 

Clean your monitor if it becomes smudged.  Stay away from glass cleaners - they can remove a monitor's anti-glare finish.  Use isopropyl or distilled water along with a lint-free cloth.  Wet the cloth first, then the monitor.

Keep CD-ROM discs inside a caddy or jewel case when not in use to avoid scratches.  If dirt or fingerprints sully a disc, gently wipe it with a soft lint-free cloth, or use an audio CD cleaning kit.