When it comes to computers, there are a lot of things you can do to ensure they run at peak performance. And while we’re not saying this is something that even the least technically savvy person should be doing themselves, there are definitely some tasks you can handle on your own. For instance, if you’re looking for computer repair near me in the Houston area, why not try some of these fixes yourself first? We’ve got seven tips for making your computer run like new!
1. If you can’t afford to get your computer professionally repaired, try some DIY computer repair first!
When something goes wrong with your computer and you can’t afford to get it repaired by a professional, you may be tempted to throw it away and buy a new one. However, you should first try some DIY computer repair options. One way to fix your PC is to open it up and clean it with compressed air.In this video, you’ll learn how to open and clean a laptop with compressed air, and how to use tools to repair and maintain your newly cleaned computer.
2. Clean out your hard drive regularly, and back up your data
Your computer hard drive will eventually fill up, and it’s important to keep it organized and clean. Backing up your data is also important, as it’s crucial to keep your data safe in case something happens to your computer. Having a backup plan can protect you from losing all of your data if your computer crashes.Don’t be afraid to budget for professional help, either — there are help pages and general information about computer repair available on the web as well. Folding keyboards and Apple’s Magic Keyboard are good places to start. For a couple of bucks, you can get a new (or used) keyboard that folds open much like a Band-Aid. It protects your keyboard, avoiding scratches to the sensitive surface. When you use the computer, it can also just be a nice shortcut to put your keyboard in a sitting position! If Apple has anything to say about it, your battery life won’t ever suck again. Sure, you might get a few more hours of online use, but when it’s time to plug up the computer, you’ll be able to charge it overnight without ever having to worry about your battery life being low again! A few options include the venerable (but older) PowerBook G3, or the far more modern (and powerful) iBook Pro. Just know your needs and plan your budget accordingly, as these PCs won’t be able to juice the battery up to 100% overnight! If you have an older laptop, you might have some internal floppy drives. They’re basically tiny SD storage devices, and because they’re so small, they fit right inside of your laptop (most of the time). Floppy drives can last a long time, especially when formatted with the right file system. But be careful with your storage; while most people use external USB hard drives, floppy drives can be difficult to use without proper modifications.
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3. Make sure you’re always running the latest version of all of your software
The best way to keep everything running smoothly is to make sure you’re always running the latest version of all of your software. This may require some research on your part, but updating your software is important because it can be a security risk to be running older versions of programs like your operating system, antivirus or browser. As with any of the above tips, though, make sure you do a checkup on operating system version compatibility dates with run time to make sure they match what you’re using. If you don’t hear from your tech company in a while — both due to a breakup or because you were fired — it’s a good idea to check on your account. Even if your phone company or internet service provider says everything is fine, in situations like these, you’ll want to double-check to make sure your account hasn’t been suspended, paused, or terminated. If something sounds fishy — especially if it usually doesn’t — chances are something has changed on your network or within your department within your company. Companies are required to notify their employees or owners of the reason for suspending or terminating a user’s access before reaching permanent closure so make sure you have all of the necessary information in order to prove why you shouldn’t receive further warnings and/or responsibilities. Hard drives are notoriously difficult to replace so if they are of any concern at all you want to make sure you have the tools necessary to make sure they’re in tip-top shape before they’ll pose additional problems. The best way to ensure proper maintenance on your hard drive is to keep it topped up and checked regularly by installing and removing OOMPS (official website here) software. While OOMPS isn’t the only free program to deal with hard drive issues, it’s by far the most powerful in the space. Don’t rely on your phone as your only source for communicating with email — just because it’s convenient doesn’t mean it’s always reliable.
4. Use task manager to see which programs are slowing down your computer and killing system resources
Task manager is your best friend when it comes to speeding up your computer. Task manager is a little program that lets you see which programs are slowing down your computer and killing system resources. If you’re a Mac, you’re out of luck because you can’t really do this. That’s because macOS looks at what it thinks is called “running processes,” that is, active programs that are currently running on your computer. If you try to unhook a running process with the Terminal or some other externally available means, macOS will just tell you that the process is “abandoned.” The Process Explorer in the Finder, however, is a different story. If you open it with the CMD (command prompt) in OS X, you can unhook a running process. Unlike Task manager, Process Explorer keeps a running list of actively running programs. This can come in handy when you notice your mouse moving through a list of programs but none of them seem to be active. Open the Process Explorer by going to the Finder’s Window menu. Choose Go To Process, type “Process Explorer,” and the window should pop up. You may have trouble initializing the program. You should see five to ten entries, depending on how many programs and services you use. If you see fewer, you’ll have to activate Apple’s family of Activation tools. You can find that option in System Preferences. Choose Apple menu, System, and Security > iTunes & App Store Activation. Follow the prompts to activate your Activation tool. I use this process every time I discover that I have a sluggish Mac, or that I need to switch to another application. Process Explorer has saved me countless hours when I’ve had to switch back and forth between applications to find a culprit. One thing you’ll notice when you launch the Process Explorer is three small process icons next to each other. You can safely ignore them. Ignore them. They aren’t important.
