Notebooks often have such a high value that we clean them more diligently than a desktop PC or any other computer. A laptop, with proper maintenance, can last a long time and serve for any type of job or activity with full efficiency.To avoid making mistakes or forgetting something let’s see them together things to do for laptop maintenance taking into account the general recommendations made for computer maintenance covered in another article.
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1) Notebooks are fragile: extreme caution!
It seems trivial to say it but it is obvious that the basis of maintenance is that of careful and prudent use. Laptops can be fragile depending on the model, have delicate screen joints and should not be shaken too much. You should never put a laptop on a bed or place it on your lap so as not to cover the air vents.
Fortunately, most of the components can be easily replaced. The most delicate component is undoubtedly the screenthe most fragile part of a laptop that can break if shaken or subjected to impact. We clean the screen only with a microfiber cloth and a specific product for screens; we can find a dedicated kit by purchasing the Screen Mom screen cleaning kit on Amazon for less than 20 €.
To clean the laptop keyboard, it is best to use cleaning gelssticky gels that sit on the keyboard and remove excess dust and dirt easily, without damaging the keys.
2) Clean the fans, heatsinks and vents
Computers attract dirt naturally due to the cooling fan and heatsinks. It is not just a matter of hygiene: dust clogs the air vents and causes the computer to overheat and ruin it.
Keeping the internal hardware cool significantly increases its life, for this reason we always recommend using a compressed air cylinder at regular intervals (even once every 2 or 3 months). The air contained in the cylinder must be gently blown on the air inlets on the side or bottom of the computer, in order to move the dust and let it come out.
On Amazon we find many specific compressed air cylinders for PCs, we just have to choose the model that best suits our needs.
To learn more we can also read our guide on how to keep your laptop cool.
3) Keep the operating system fast
If a computer becomes slow, it’s not always the hardware components to blame but it’s almost certainly the operating system’s fault. Any computer becomes slow over time and, if we do not carry out the necessary maintenance and the necessary hardware updates, we risk soon finding ourselves with a notebook that is beautiful and clean on the outside but slow as a snail.
The tricks to make a laptop last longer and keep it fast for years are:
- Replace mechanical hard drive: if we haven’t done it yet we remove the old mechanical disk and install a fast SSD, while also keeping the programs and the operating system present on the old disk.
- Install 8GB of RAM: if our laptop has 2 or 4 GB of RAM, it is better to remove the door (or the lower panel of the body) used for updating the RAM and proceed with the addition of 2 RAM modules of 4 GB each.
- Remove programs in auto start: many programs auto start with Windows, slowing down the start of the entire operating system. We remove auto-start from most programs and leave only those necessary for the functioning of the hardware components or the functioning of the antivirus.
- Avoid filling the disc to 100%: there is nothing worse than a laptop with a disk full of files and programs. We avoid bringing the disk to 100% capacity, also using Windows Memory Sense to automatically delete unnecessary files.
- Use only one antivirus: on Windows it is sufficient to install a single antivirus to protect the entire system. Installing more antiviruses in memory will slow down the PC and decrease the security of the system, since two or more antiviruses risk “stepping on their toes”. Windows Defender is more than enough to protect Windows, but we can also install one of many free antivirus.
These simple tricks should keep your laptop running fast for a long time, even if it’s already a few years on its back. To learn more we can also read our guide on causes and solutions of a slow computer.
4) Perform updates of the operating system and programs
No operating system or program is perfect but by installing updates regularly, the problems we have encountered in the past can disappear and we will be able to benefit from new features, in addition to closing important security holes.
Windows must always be updated: This has become indispensable nowadays to the point that Microsoft forces Windows to update on all new versions (Windows 10 and Windows 11), offering only a temporary suspension period. The advice is to always update Windows as soon as the update is available; if we encounter any problems with the update we can always uninstall it O go back to the previous version of the systemwaiting for new more stable updates.
To update the programs installed on your computer we can use a program like Npackd, one of the best among those for keep the programs on your PC up to date.
Conclusions
With the advice we have given you in these chapters we will be able to keep your computer clean and snappy for many years, keeping it in good condition both from an aesthetic point of view and from a software point of view.
In another guide we also saw how fast return the old laptop bought a few years agoso as to avoid having to buy a new one.
