How many PCs are running in your office? Laptops and PCs are fragile tech pieces, but we need them today for several things including business operation. Yes, mobile devices are taking over laptops and PCs today. Anyway, organizations still use PCs for day-to-day operation. What would you do if you come across a PC-related issue? Well, if it is your home PC; you can try some fixes yourself. However, a business owner should contact IT Support in case of PC-related issues. For how long my laptop or the PC will serve me? People often ask this question from IT Support experts. Nobody can guess it though.
We ask the same question from you again — how many PCs and laptops are being operated in your office/organization? The number could be anything between a single digit number to hundreds. OK, let’s talk about “your” laptop or the PC! How can you extend the life of it without IT Support? You should start protecting it from the day of purchase.
* Sharp movements can kill it
If your laptop is old and has moving parts; sharp movements can damage it. Modern laptops don’t come with moving parts — they come with an SSD drive with no moving parts. Old laptops have a head like a record player’s needle. Sharp movements can collide the spinning disk and the needle which can damage both the components. A deep scratch on the record can lead to loss of data or corruption. IT Support tip: turn it off before you move it or packing it away. Be careful when you use your laptop while on a moving vehicle.
* Overheating
This is an issue we often hear from PC and laptop users. While many reasons can cause it, its side effects aren’t affordable. All the components of a laptop/PC generate heat, and that is why a cooling fan is there. Anyway, the cooling fan cannot keep your laptop safe on some occasions. How can you get to know if it is overheating? The laptop auto shut-off itself to avoid costly damages. Some users get annoyed when a PC or a laptop shut-off itself. But, that is a warning to you on fixing overheating issue ASAP. Should you contact IT Support here? No, you can tackle it yourself (most of the time.)
You can carefully remove the back panel of your laptop and check for blocked vents and dust on the cooling fan. Make sure you disconnect the device from the main power supply before removing any panels, also; turn it off. Clean the air vent near the cooling fan that air flows through. You can remove the fan to clean dust buildups and fix it again carefully. Well, when several programs are running at once; your laptop or the PC work harder to keep everything running, so a fan running at high speed is OK. Don’t keep anything near the air vent of the cooling fan and don’t keep the laptop on a surface that blocks the bottom air vents.
Laptops and PCs in offices and organizations should be maintained by a qualified technician. So, IT Support partner is a must-have here. Last year was the year of viruses. Several ransomware attacks shook the world, affecting thousands of computers at once. In other words, protecting PCs and laptops in an organization is a nightmare today. So, general virus guard software is not the best solution here. Even the world-leading network security service providers are under threat now. Ransomware attacks that took place last year have destroyed thousands of systems including robust systems such as the NHS of the UK and systems in the USA.
Backup your data
Disasters can happen to your laptop/PC. You can buy a new device, but the lost data is unattainable. Home users don’t usually back up their data on the cloud and other data storage options. Saving your precious data on an external hard drive is highly advisable though. IT Support and solutions providers are the best options for business owners. These service providers offer high-security data backup services for their clients. In other words, your data will be saved on an outside location such as on the cloud. Ransomware and virus attacks don’t usually damage hardware. Instead, they attack the operating system and your data.
Slow running laptop/PC troubleshooting
Nothing is annoying than a slow-running laptop. As mentioned, overheating can be the cause here. You can try the fixes that we have explained in previous paragraphs. Background programs, slow hard drives, application bloat, and viruses are common causes of slowness. You might need to contact your IT Support partner here.
Background programs
The task manager shows you all the background programs running when the PC/laptop is being operated. A quick tip: while shutting off some background tasks will speed up your PC; shutting off essential background programs such as system and antivirus can lead to a disaster. Try to minimize the number of tabs when using Internet browsers. Firefox is known for high-speed and low memory usage. Also, Firefox uses less memory even when multiple tabs are open.
Installing unnecessary programs is a common cause of high memory usage, which will slow down your laptop/PC. IT Support tip: never shut off your antivirus software. Let it run in the background to continuously protect your system from thousands of viruses, trojans, and malware.
Dust is a killer
Regular cleaning is essential to prevent dust buildups on external and internal components. Failing to clean the laptop will lead to dust buildups that can cause nasty side effects such as overheating, electrical shorts, and so on.
Some final words
Most laptops and PCs will serve you for years if you maintain them with care. You should hire a reliable IT Support company for businesses and organizations. If several PCs are running in your office; employing a qualified technician who will take care of these delicate tech items is highly advisable to avoid long-term costly damages. You can fix your personal laptop yourself (most of the time.) Anyway, be cautious of warranty conditions before attempting any fixes yourself. Should you have any questions and concerns about IT Support? Please contact us then! We are more than happy to guide you on minor issues. Interested in our expert IT Support services? Well, why don’t you meet us in person and discuss it with us? As mentioned, every business and organization will benefit from having an IT partner on your side for long-term benefits.
Kane Jason
February 14, 2018It is really very interesting post and also providing a opportunity to learning..
Thank you so much..
Christa
February 22, 2018Many thanks for your wonderful words about this post.
Thank you!
Catharine Gaunce
February 23, 2018There are a few interesting points at some point on this page but I don’t know if them all center to heart.