Preventive Maintenance

Cleaning
• Cleaning is a major part of keeping a computer system healthy:
• Use a lint-free soft cloth (chamois) for cleaning the plastic outer-surfaces of the system
• Outer-surface cleaning can be accomplished with a simple soap-and water solution, followed by a clear water rinse
• Cleaning should be followed by the application of an anti-static spray or anti-static solution

Preventive Maintenance Procedures
Computer equipment is susceptible to failures caused by:
• Dust buildup
• Rough handling
• Extremes in temperature

Heat Buildup
• Check for other sources of heat buildup around the computer and its peripherals. These sources include the following:
• Direct sunlight from an outside window
• Locations of portable heaters in the winter
• Papers/books piled up around the equipment
• Computer furniture design and placement (creating a lack of free air space around the computer)

Protecting Monitors
The preventive maintenance associated with monitors consists of:
• Periodic cleaning, dusting, and good commonsense practices around the monitor.
• Aerosol sprays, solvents, and commercial cleaners should be avoided because they can damage the screen and cabinet.
• A simple cleaning solution is fine for cleaning the monitor
• Make sure that the monitor’s power chord is disconnected from any power source before washing
• The monitor’s screen should be dried with a soft cloth after rinsing

Caring for LCD Displays
• The screen should be cleaned periodically with a glass cleaner and a soft, lint-free cloth
• Spray the cleaner on the cloth and then wipe the screen
• Never spray the cleaner directly on the screen
• Avoid scratching the surface of the screen
• Take care to remove any liquid droplets from the screen because they can cause permanent staining
• After cleaning, allow 30 minutes for complete drying

Protecting Hard-Disk Drives
• Rough handling is responsible for more harddisk drive damage than any other factor.
• The drive should never be moved while you can still hear its disks spinning
• If a hard-disk drive is to be transported or shipped, make sure to pack it properly
• At no time should the hard drive’s housing, which protects the platters, be removed in open air.

Protecting Removable Media Drives
Removable cartridges or disks can be adversely affected by:
• Extremes in temperature
• Exposure to magnetic and electromagnetic fields
• Bending
• Airborne particles that can lead to information loss

Maintaining Removable Media Drives
Cleaning kits are available for:
• Floppy drives
• CD/DVD drives
• Tape drives

Protecting Input Devices
• An occasional dusting and cleaning should be all that’s required
• Input peripherals generally require very little preventive maintenance






Power-Line Protection
Typical power-supply variations fall into two categories:
􀁺 Transients—overvoltage conditions that can be classified as spikes (measured in nanoseconds) or as surges (measured in milliseconds)
􀁺 Sags—undervoltage conditions that include voltage sags and brownouts. A voltage sag typically lasts only a few milliseconds, whereas a brownout can last for a protracted period of time

Surge Suppressers
There are two factors to consider when choosing a surge suppresser:
• Clamping speed—how quickly the protective circuitry reacts to changes in the incoming power level and attempts to limit the change
• Clamping voltage—the designated voltage level that the device will attempt to maintain

Uninterruptible Power Supplies
• Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) are battery-based systems that monitor the incoming power and kick-in when unacceptable variations occur in the power source
• Can be either a standby power system (offline) or an active power system (online)

Basic care and tips for using your computer

Turning your computer on and off
To turn on the computer, simply press and release the power button below the LCD screen beside the easy-launch buttons. See “Front view” on page 15 for the location of the power button.
• Use the Windows shutdown
• Use the power button
You can also put the computer in sleep mode by pressing the sleep hotkey
+

Note: If you cannot power off the computer normally, press and hold the power button for more than four seconds to shutdown the computer. If you turn off the computer and want to turn it on again, wait at least two seconds before powering up.

Taking care of your computer
Your computer will serve you well if you take care of it.
• Do not expose the computer to direct sunlight. Do not place it near sources of heat, such as a radiator.
• Do not expose the computer to temperatures below 0 C (32 F) or above 50 C (122 F).
• Do not subject the computer to magnetic fields.
• Do not expose the computer to rain or moisture.
• Do not spill water or any liquid on the computer.
• Do not subject the computer to heavy shock or vibration.
• Do not expose the computer to dust or dirt.
• Never place objects on top of the computer.
• Do not slam the computer display when you close it.
• Never place the computer on uneven surfaces.

Taking care of your AC adapter
Here are some ways to take care of your AC adapter:
• Do not connect the adapter to any other device.
• Do not step on the power cord or place heavy objects on top of it.
• Carefully route the power cord and any cables away from foot traffic.
• When unplugging the power cord, do not pull on the cord it self but pull on the plug.
• The total ampere ratings of the equipment plugged in should not exeed the ampere rating of the cord if you are using an extention cord. Also, the total current rating of all equipment plugged into a single wall outlet should not exeed the fuse rating.

Taking care of your battery pack
Here are some ways to take care of your battery pack:
• Use only batteries of the same kind as replacements. Turn the power off before removing or replacing batteries.
• Do not tamper with battries. Keep them away from children.
• Dispose of used battries according to local regulations. Recycle if possible.

Cleaning and service
When are some ways to take care of your battery pack:
• Turn off the computer and remove the battery pack.
• Disconnect the AC adapter.
• Use a soft, moist cloth. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners.
If either of the following occurs:
• The computer has been dropped or the body has been damaged
• The computer does not operate normally