by BJ

Support Engineer

Most historians consider the Osborne1, to be the first truly portable computer. The Osborne1 came with a five-inch screen, modem port, two 5 1/4 floppy drives, a large collection of bundled software programs, and a battery pack. Laptops have come a long way since then.

Laptops have become a must have these days mainly because of its portability. Though Smart phones and PDA’s have become a strong competition to Laptops, Laptops and TABLET PC’s have carved a niche in the hearts of people. My stint with laptops began a few years back when I was asked to name the latest Laptop and give its specs. Honestly I was clueless then on the latest advances in this technology and ended up naming a brand which was quiet outdated.

Well don’t worry, I am not promoting any brands in here. However if you do plan to buy a laptop or tablet PC I would strongly advice that you do your homework. Decide on the WHY?, WHAT? and HOW MUCH?? before you step in the first store to check the models. Make sure you have a clear idea on what the Laptop is intended for. Once that is done, work out the specifications you would prefer your laptop had. The first two would clearly define the budget and what to look out for.

Well the main task of this article is to acquaint every laptop user on the Do’s and Don’ts of Laptops. If you are a new user, I believe all these little things I’m going to tell would be really useful. If you are a cautious user and feel you are doing a good job already,do read on. You may still come across something that you wil need to take care of. Finally If you haven’t really thought about Laptop care, well then “Its better Late than Never”.

The miniaturized technology in a laptop is more expensive than the equivalent capability in a desktop PC. For this very reason, repairs on this machine can be quiet expensive if they are not covered under warranty. Though every laptop vendor have design features incorporated in their products that improve the performance and life, the user still needs to take care of their machines.

A highly durable and padded carry case into which the laptop fits snugly, would be appropriate for all users especially frequent travelers. Do not leave your laptop unattended for any reason for any period of time. If there’s a need to do so its always advisable to keep it locked up. Also never leave or use your laptop in very hot environments as it may lead to overheating of the machine. Though the laptop design and architecture takes this into account, with the extra air vents and modified fan, what’s unsuitable for your desktop is also unsuitable for your laptop. The same goes for extremely cold environments where there is a risk of condensation once the laptop is moved to a warmer environment. Sudden condensation may prove fatal for your machine.

The concept of portability tempts many to take their work to lunches and dinners. This is fine as long as you are not eating or drinking directly over your machine and liquids are kept at a safe distance where there’s no risk of spills. However, every one is prone to mishap’s sometime. In case of a spill, disconnect the adapter if its connected. Turn off your machine immediately using the Power button. Dry the spill as quickly as possible with a clean cloth. Turn over your laptop to help the liquid drain effectively. Do not turn on your laptop till you are certain your machine has dried up completely. A hair dryer at the coolest temperature and at a safe distance can be used to dry your laptop. If uncertain about your laptop condition, don’t turn it on. Instead rush it to your nearest service provider.

Treat your laptop with respect. Don’t shove or slam your laptop. Don’t jam pack your stuff along with your laptop. Don’t poke the screen with your finger or pen or pencil. If you need to show something on the screen, just point from a distance or use the mouse. The mouse is after all a pointing device. Avoid placing heavy things on the laptop and balancing a lot of things at the same time. Place your laptop on an even surface, away from the table edges.

Never lift your laptop by its screen lid. Doing so will damage the hinge that hold the LCD to the base. Don’t walk around with your laptop lid open and all peripherals connected. Put your laptop on sleep mode, remove all connections, close the lid and then move with it. Remove all connections carefully and don’t yank them out as this eventually damages the port. It may take a few additional seconds but it will definitely save you a lot on bills. Never leave your laptop in the sleep mode in your carry case for prolonged periods. This will lead to overheating of the machine. If you don’t intend to use the laptop for a while its best you turn it off. Keep your laptop always in sight or in a locked cabin.

While traveling, always take your laptop as a carry on. Never send it with the rest of the luggage. Never carry your laptop through the “Human metal detector” in airports. These detectors use stronger X-rays than the conveyor belt X-rays which will destroy your HDD. Take a data backup before travelling always. Never expose the Laptop to strong magnetic fields or resonating sounds. Avoid using laptops on bumpy rides as it may damage the HDD head. Though most vendors have shock resistant technology for their HDD , frequent shocks finally damages the HDD.

Battery remains one of the main concerns for many users. Never leave your battery unused for prolonged periods. Also never leave your battery charging for days as this is also bad for the battery. For maximum battery life, always charge the battery to 100%, unplug, let it discharge completely before charging it again. This is also applicable if you are using your battery for the first time.

Everyone comes across a time where they wish they had a little more battery time. To prevent your battery from draining out quickly, reduce the LCD brightness. Disable the wireless, Bluetooth and the Infrared. Minimize the use of the CD/DVD drive. Turn off the display when not needed, turn off screen savers. It’s also a good practice to carry a spare battery.

Different countries follow different voltage specification. Read the laptop manual and check if your laptop is compatible with the voltage specifications of the country you are traveling to. Also before you connect to the dial up in your hotel room check if the telephone line is analog or digital. Your laptop is safe with a low voltage analog line. A high voltage digital line will damage the motherboard and the modem.

Keep a record of the Laptop serial number and model number in case of theft. Never leave the laptop unattended or out of your sight anytime. If your laptop makes strange sounds, turn it off immediately and take it to the nearest service provider. Do not open up the laptop on your own as it may affect the warranty terms. Keep the screen clean.Avoid touching the screen with your hands as this will leave smudges on the screen. In order to clean the LCD, use a lint free cloth. Do not spray the cleaning solution directly on the screen. Damp the cloth and gently wipe the screen.

Utilise your warranty services as long as you have it. Regularly check if all the screws are in place. This is also advisable after receiving the laptop from the service provider. Also check for cracks on a regular basis. Most vendors will not cover physical damages like cracks under warranty. If any part of the laptop becomes loose, get it checked immediately by your service provider. In such instances don’t wait , as this may lead to some damage which will not be covered under warranty. Most vendors also, only provide a 1 year warranty for batteries. This is because batteries have a poor lifespan and will lose its retaining power as it reaches 1 year.

Those were just a few tips that would increase your laptop lifespan. However, accidents do happen and I would personally recommend that you remember your laptop in your prayers on a regular basis. I have noticed that the prayers, keep them safer, longer. Cheers.