Some computer experts say that dust is a computer's number one enemy. Even in
the cleanest environment, thick layers of dust build up around the cracks and
crevices in your tower case and monitor. The cooling fan is the most vulnerable.
If a blanket of dust builds up, heat can build up and destroy sensitive
components.Start by vacuuming the back of the tower where the cords plug in. Use the
crevice attachment on your household vacuum, or a special vacuum made for
cleaning small spaces. Then open any covered ports and disk drives and vacuum
them thoroughly. Don't put the vacuum inside the computer, just hold it in front
of the opening. Finally, find the vents where the fan exhausts heat and vacuum
that out, too.
There's no need to open up the computer as long as you clean it
regularly. Once you finish with the vacuum, you can use a can of compressed air
to blow out any remaining dust in the cracks and crevices, especially in the
keyboard. Don't use the compressed air before you vacuum, though, or you will
just push the heavy dust further into the system.If your mouse is acting funny, turn it upside down and open the door that
accesses the trackball. Dust and grime can build up in there, too. Take the
track ball out and inspect the rollers. Often there will be a dark line on the
rollers. If you touch it, you can tell it's just another layer of dust. Use a
toothpick to scrape the dirt off the rollers. Sometimes it will come off in one
long strand. Then replace the trackball and the door. Now your mouse should work
as good as new.While you're at it, grab some glass cleaner and clean off the screen and dust
the monitor. Your eyes will thank you.
Defragment Your Hard Drive
Over time, data on your hard drive can become fragmented. Files and programs
that should be stored close together end up all over the place, slowing things
down. It's like trying to bake a cake, but you've stored the flour in the
bathroom, the butter and eggs in the garage, and the sugar up in the attic. The
defrag program brings all your ingredients together and stores them within easy
reach of each other. This makes your baking, retrieving files, and surfing the
internet, considerably faster. Defragmenting takes a long time, especially if
you haven't done it in a while. Pick a day each month and run your defrag while
you are busy doing something away from your computer.
To defragment your hard drive:
Windows users can click on control panel. Then click on performance and
maintenance. You will be asked to pick a task, just click on rearrange items on
your hard disk. Or go to Help and search for defragment.
Run the Disk Ceanup Program
Disk cleanup analyzes files and folders to find unused or temporary data that
can be deleted to free up space. A simple disk cleanup can speed up your
computer's performance significantly.
To clean your files:
NT Windows users can click on control panel and then performance and
maintenance. You will be asked to pick a task. Click on free up space on your
hard disk. Or go to Help and search for disk cleanup.