{"id":198,"date":"2011-04-15T08:22:17","date_gmt":"2011-04-15T13:22:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.properwichita.com\/consulting\/?p=198"},"modified":"2011-04-27T23:03:08","modified_gmt":"2011-04-28T04:03:08","slug":"tip-computer-maintenance-keep-it-clean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.properwichita.com\/consulting\/2011\/04\/15\/tip-computer-maintenance-keep-it-clean\/","title":{"rendered":"Tip: Computer Maintenance &#8211; Keep it Clean"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Proper computer maintenance is key to keeping your systems functioning.\u00a0 As a computer networking professional in Wichita, I&#8217;ve seen machines crash for reasons that could have been avoided with proper maintenance.\u00a0 Some simple procedures can help ensure that your machine runs normally and be less prone to disasters.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Computer Overheating <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A desktop or tower computer is designed for good airflow.\u00a0 The internal components, expecially the hard drives and processor, create a great deal of heat.\u00a0 Heat is the enemy.\u00a0 The design of the case pushes air over the processor and then drags it back out of the machine, usually through the back of the case.\u00a0 Keeping this airflow design working optimally will help you avoid a costly visit from the computer tech.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Close the gaps<\/strong> &#8211; If you&#8217;ve removed a DVD drive or components from the machine, make sure the cover plates are replaced.\u00a0 A gaping hole in the front of the case ruins the airflow that is intended.\u00a0 Sometimes, having the case open more actually makes it hotter.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Hunt the bunnies<\/strong> &#8211; As the case drags air into the computer, it also drags in contaminants and dust.\u00a0 Unplug the machine, remove the cover and remove the dust.\u00a0 Pulling it out with a vacuum is better than blowing the dust with compressed air.\u00a0 This tends to drive the dust deeper into the components.\u00a0 Information Technology components are sensitive, so work with care, or call a professional computer consultant.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Don&#8217;t hide it <\/strong>&#8211; One of the worst places a computer can reside is in a desk-side cabinet.\u00a0 If aesthetics dictate that the sytem be tucked in a cabinet, ensure that there is proper airflow, even if it means cutting a hole in the back of the desk.\u00a0 The system doesn&#8217;t work if the air being sucked into the front is the same hot air that was just blown out of the back of the case.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Listen to it<\/strong> &#8211; Sometimes your computer is telling you something.\u00a0 Is it louder than usual?\u00a0 When a computer is overheating, sometimes it will ramp up the speed of the fans in an attempt to cool itself.\u00a0 Is the hard drive making a funny noise?\u00a0 If it sounds odd, it might be a sign that some service is in order.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For IT support in Wichita and surrounding areas, call Proper Technology Solutions at (316) 337-5628 or our after-hours line at (316) 210-7112.\u00a0 We have certified networking professionals that can help you with anything from computer maintenance to network design and implementation.\u00a0 If you&#8217;re worried about your data in the event of a disaster, talk to us about our online backup solutions.\u00a0 Your data can be stored offsite in a secure and encrypted environment.<\/p>\n<p>Don&#8217;t forget to register for our <a title=\"Free Office 2010 Class in Wichita\" href=\"http:\/\/www.properwichita.com\/office2010business101.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Free Office 2010 Class &#8211; Business 101 <\/a>being held April 21st from Noon-2pm.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Proper computer maintenance is key to keeping your systems functioning.\u00a0 As a computer networking professional in Wichita, I&#8217;ve seen machines crash for reasons that could have been avoided with proper maintenance.\u00a0 Some simple procedures can help ensure that your machine &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.properwichita.com\/consulting\/2011\/04\/15\/tip-computer-maintenance-keep-it-clean\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3,5,134],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.properwichita.com\/consulting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.properwichita.com\/consulting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.properwichita.com\/consulting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.properwichita.com\/consulting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.properwichita.com\/consulting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=198"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.properwichita.com\/consulting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":249,"href":"http:\/\/www.properwichita.com\/consulting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/198\/revisions\/249"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.properwichita.com\/consulting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=198"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.properwichita.com\/consulting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=198"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.properwichita.com\/consulting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=198"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}