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PC Maintenance 101
Your computer, like your home, requires a certain amount of periodic care and security: cleaning & organizing, locking the doors & windows, and so forth.  Your computer actually has two “homes,” one being the “physical home,” the case, and the other being a “virtual home,” the hard drive where information is stored.  This article will describe how to care for both… and why.
 The Case1.)        Clean2.)        Check connections
Clean – The case should be cleaned inside by vacuuming and using canned air to blow where the vacuum can’t reach.
Why?  The components inside the PC can get very hot; when dust accumulates inside, and on the fan blades, the fans may not be able to keep things cool enough.  This can lead to the premature failure of devices or automatic system shutdowns/restarts for no apparent reason.  The cleaning frequency will depend on how quickly your system accumulates dust & dirt, and the only way to know, is to start a cleaning routine.  Once a month is a good starting point; if it seems very dirty every time with this schedule, make it twice a month.  If there is little dust when checked monthly, increase the span gradually – you may be able to go as long as once a year.
**Caution** While cleaning, be sure to protect your system from static electricity damage by using a ground strap (preferred) or by touching a metal part of the case while you’re working (not as effective as the strap).
Check Connections – After you’ve finished cleaning, make sure all connections inside the case going to the motherboard and devices are firmly seated.  Note: there will most likely be several connectors coming from the power supply that are not connected to anything – this is normal, they are there for upgrades, so don’t panic and think something wrong.  Once you’ve closed the case back up, check all the connections on the back to make sure they are firmly in place as well.
Why?  While cleaning, you may have accidentally jarred something loose.  Also, connections sometimes work loose just from normal vibration.  It’s best to check now rather than opening it up again if you find something isn’t working.
PeripheralsYou may wish to include cleaning some peripherals in your routine.
Monitor – DO NOT open the case of the monitor, clean the outside by vacuuming and/or dusting and, if necessary, an aerosol spray for electronics.  Spray the cleaner on a cloth, not directly on the monitor.
Keyboard – Vacuum, turn it upside-down and shake it, and then vacuum again.
Standard Mouse – (The kind with the ball) Remove the ball and clean it with rubbing alcohol.  Use a cotton swab (Q-Tip) with rubbing alcohol to clean the rollers and guides inside the mouse that the ball rotates against.  Let everything dry (about a minute), and then reassemble it.The Hard Disk Drive (aka HDD, Hard Drive)1.)        Backup2.)        Update3.)        Clean & Organize4.)        Check for Problems5.)        Prevention & Protection
Backup – at least once a week, back up all your important data (files, pictures, browser favorites, everything that is important to you).
Why?  Eventually disaster will strike, either your HDD will fail, the Operating System (OS) will become corrupted or infected and not boot up, or the files themselves can become corrupted or even deleted accidentally.  It...

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