Home Improvement tips : J-Tips

These general tips helps cleaning your PC.

• Before you clean a computer or any component, be sure to turn the power off and unplug it from the outlet.
• Use caution when cleaning inside the computers case not to disturb any plugs or jumpers. If you do, this will make for difficult troubleshooting when you turn the computer back on.|
• Avoid spraying any type of liquid directly on to a computer component. Spray the liquid on to a cloth, then apply it to the computer component.
• Never use a house vacuum cleaner to clean the dust out of your computer case. House vacuums generate a lot of static electricity that can damage your systems components. There are portable battery operated vacuums available that are designed for use in a computer environment. It is fine to use your house vacuum to suck up the dirt and dust around your computer or even to suck the dust out of your keyboard.
• Make sure that you never get any component inside your computer wet. It is not advisable to use any cleaning liquid inside the case. You can use some canned compressed air to remove any dust from the case and case fans. Be sure to take your computer to a different location when blowing the dust out.
• Be sure to visit your computer manufactures web site to find out what cleaning solvents are recommended for cleaning your computer. I recommend just using warm water for almost any computer cleaning task. But if you need a stronger cleaning solution, be sure that it is highly diluted.

It’s been a common scenario with CD-ROM or DVD-ROM is not reading the disks properly or taking time too long to show the contents. This means your lens has become dirty or in general terms weak. Well, there are ways you can clean up your CD or DVD drives.

• There are some lens cleaners which you can use to clean up your lens.
• Insert the lens cleaner and run it for 2-3 minutes.
• DO NOT try to open up the casing of the drive unless you are an electronics geek.
• Most of the cleaning disks use some eye-lashes like element which actually cleans up the link, make sure those lashes are not torn.
• If your Drive is not reading properly after using cleaning disk, you might consider the last resort which is open the casing of the drive and clean the lens with cotton swab or small paint brush. Don’t be rough on the lens lest it would spoil the alignment of the lens.

Shut down the computer and disconnect the keyboard. Gently remove each of the keys, making note of where each key goes, or clean them one at a time. The Spacebar has two hooks on the underside. Remember how it comes on and off so it may be easily replaced. Turn the keyboard upside down and tap the bottom of the case to loosen dirt and debris in the keyboard. Turn the keyboard upright and use compressed air to blow out the rest of the debris. Soak a cotton swab with alcohol, and use it to clean the keys and plungers. Let the keyboard fully dry before replacing the keys. If the key is still sticky, the contacts may need cleaning. You can obtain electrical contact cleaner at most electronics and computer stores. Remove the key(s) again. If you can see metal contacts in the hole that the keycap fits it, squirt a little bit of contact cleaner into it. Let the contact cleaner dry for about five minutes, then replace the keycap(s). To clean the tops of the key caps, simply soak a cotton swab with alcohol and slowly rub the soiled areas until the dirt disappears.

Charles Babbage’s once quirky invention has become a must-have these days.Logging on to our very own personal computers and getting on the Information super highway is no more a matter of pride, it is a necessity. And then there is the fun element: watching movies and playing a slew of awesome games.

But, for all that, PCs ain’t all joy and jollity. They can be real pests when the mood seizes them. A few smart tips to help keep even the most pesky of them in line.

1. Back-up your data:

Always create back-ups of every bit of important information you store. There are many different ways of going about it. The simplest, fastest and cheapest involves burning your information to a blank CD or DVD. Burning a backup, for people with CD writers, is as simple as dragging your ‘My Documents’ folder over to the blank disk (using a program such as Nero burn, or software included in Windows XP).

2. Passwords:

While using your computer, the Internet or installing software, you may need to remember many different passwords. It’s important to not only keep track of all passwords, but keep them secure. The best way to do this is to use a mixture of words and numbers you are likely to remember, such as your phone number and street name. They key, though, is that no one else should be able to work it out.

3. Defrag regularly: To help your computer run faster, you may need to let it organise where the files are physically stored on your hard drive. This is called defragmenting or ‘defragging.’ When starting your computer, hold down ‘F8′ until the ’safe mode’ option appears. Once Windows loads, go to the ’start menu > run’, and type in ‘defrag.’ Select ‘C: drive’ and click ‘defrag.’

4. Clear old cache files: Deleting temporary files used by Internet Explorer when viewing Web sites is a good way to free up space on your hard drive. In Microsoft Internet Explorer, select “Tools > Internet options.’ Click delete file in the ‘Temporary Internet files’ box.

5. Maintain up-to-date virus definition: It is vital that you have a very good anti-virus programme (AVG, Norton Anti-Virus and MacAfee are some examples) and keep it up-to-date. Most anti-virus programmes have an automatic ‘update/download’ option. Selecting this will keep your virus-checker up to date and prevent your system from being infected by those dangerous viruses.

6. Disable anti-virus software: Make sure your anti-virus software is disabled when loading new software programs in order to avoid a conflict.

7. Spring clean: Dust is the enemy of your PC and can cause major problems if left unchecked. Buy a micro-vacuum cleaner to keep your computer dust-free.

8. The latest drivers: Always check the manufacturer’s Web site before installing new software. Sometimes disks bundled with a peripheral device, such as a printer, have old software. Save the file at an appropriate destination (the desktop is a good place). Double click on the file and install the software. Now connect your device. The best way to install the hardware is to connect the device to the computer and let Windows recognise it. If there are any problems or Windows does not start to recognise the hardware, make sure the device is plugged into the correct slot and the power is connected.

9. Changing start-up programmes using msconfig: Most programs try to gain an entry into the start-up programmes list. To remove unwanted programmes, use the run command (click on Start to get there) and type MSCONFIG. This will bring up a small program allowing you to configure the way your computer loads. In the last tab of the window, you will have the option to disable/enable startup programmes. Be careful to disable only programmes that you understand, otherwise you may render your computer unusable.

10. Stand-by mode: Place your PC in standby mode to save power if you are going to leave it turned on for any length of time. (a) Open ‘power options’ in the control panel. (b) On the ‘advanced’ tab, under ‘when I press the power button on my computer’, click ’standby’. You can also put your computer on standby by clicking ’start’, clicking ‘turn off computer’, and then clicking ’stand by.’