All computers require regular maintenance to ensure trouble-free use. It is not just business computers that require maintenance, it is just as important to keep your home PC serviced and maintained regularly to help reduce the risk of data loss. Each computer constantly changes; software is updated, new applications are installed, and storage is being used – each one of these changes could potentially cause a problem.
If you are an IT Professional, probably this article suits
you. In one way or another, it may help you as a guidance or even as a reminder
on your daily basis. The article can be used by both Professionals and
beginners.
What is Preventive Maintenance?
Preventive Maintenance of Computer Systems
implies to the care and servicing by personnel for the purpose of maintaining
computer systems in satisfactory operating condition by providing for
systematic inspection, detection, and correction of incipient failures either
before they occur or before they develop into major defects.
Preventive maintenance is the key to obtaining years of
trouble-free service from your computer system. A properly administered
preventive maintenance program pays for itself by the following;
- Reducing
problem behaviors.
- Preventing
data loss, and component failure and by ensuring a long life for your
system.
- Preventive
maintenance also can increase your system’s resale value because it will
look and run better.
PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES
There are two procedures to performing preventive
maintenance, these are as follows;
- Active
Preventive Maintenance Procedures
- Passive
Preventive Maintenance Procedures
ACTIVE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
An active preventive
maintenance program includes procedures that promote a longer, trouble-free
life for your PC. This type of preventive maintenance primarily involves the
following;
- Periodic
cleaning of the system and its components
- Performing
backups
- Antivirus
and anti-spyware scans and other software-related procedures.
Active Preventive Maintenance Procedures
How often you should perform active preventive maintenance
procedures depends on the system’s environment and the quality of the system’s
components. If your system is in a dirty environment, such as a machine shop
floor or a gas station service area, you might need to clean your system every
three months or less.
For normal office environments, cleaning a system every few
months to a year is usually fine. However, if you open your system after one
year and find dust bunnies inside, you should probably shorten the cleaning
interval.
Other hard disk preventive maintenance procedures include
making periodic backups of your data. Also, depending on which OS and file
system you use, you should de-fragment hard disks at least twice a year (or up
to once a month in some cases) to maintain disk efficiency and speed. Many of
these tasks can be automated with the scheduling features in your operating
system or the utility program. Note that de-fragmenting applies only to
traditional hard disks and not to solid-state drives (SSDs), which, because of
their design, should never be de-fragmented.
WEEKLY AND MONTHLY CHECKLIST
Weekly Checklist
The following is a sample weekly disk maintenance checklist:
- Back
up any data or important files.
- Check
for and install any operating system updates. If you have Automatic
Updates turned on (recommended), this is done automatically for you.
Although OS updates are traditionally offered on a monthly basis, critical
out-of-band updates can happen at any time.
- Run a
full system antivirus and anti-spyware scan. Before starting the scans,
ensure your antivirus and anti-spyware software are up to date.
Monthly Checklist
The following are some monthly maintenance procedures you
should perform:
- Check
for and install any updated drivers.
- Run
the Windows Disk Cleanup tool, which searches the system for unnecessary
files that can be safely deleted. Third-party software tools may be used.
- Run a
disk de-fragmenting program. The de-fragment program included with Windows
Vista and later runs automatically, but for a faster and more thorough
on-demand de-fragmentation, you may prefer a third-party program such as
Advanced System Care Pro, which is also known as being one of the fastest
on the market. The de-fragmenting program in Windows 7 and later also
specifically identifies solid-state drives (SSDs) and automatically
excludes them from de-fragmenting operations.
- Check
that all system fans are operating properly, including the CPU heat-sink,
power supply, and any chassis fans.
CLEANING THE SYSTEM
One of the most important operations in a good preventive
maintenance program is regular and thorough cleaning of the system. Dust
buildup on the internal components can lead to several problems. One is that
the dust acts as a thermal insulator, which prevents proper system cooling.
Excessive heat shortens the life of system components and add to the thermal
stress problem caused by greater temperature changes between the system’s
power-on and power-off states.
Additionally, the dust can contain conductive elements that
can cause partial short circuits in a system. Other elements in dust and dirt
can accelerate corrosion of electrical contacts, resulting in improper
connections. In all, the regular removal of any layer of dust and debris from
within a computer system benefits that system in the long run.
TIP
Cigarette smoke contains chemicals that can conduct
electricity and cause corrosion of computer parts. The smoke residue can
infiltrate the entire system, causing corrosion and contamination of electrical
contacts and sensitive components, such as optical drive lens assemblies. You
should avoid smoking near computer equipment and encourage your company to
develop and enforce a similar policy.
Properly cleaning the system and all the boards inside
requires certain supplies and tools. In addition to the tools required to
disassemble the unit, you should have these items:
- Contact
cleaning solution
- Canned
air
- A
small brush
- Lint-free
foam cleaning swabs
- Anti-static
wrist-grounding strap
You also might want to acquire these optional items:
- Air
compressor
- Vacuum
cleaner
These simple cleaning tools and chemical solutions enable
you to perform most common preventive maintenance tasks.
Using Chemicals in cleaning the system
Chemicals can be used to help clean, troubleshoot, and even
repair a system. You can use several types of cleaning solutions with computers
and electronic assemblies.
Most fall into the following categories:
- Standard
cleaners-You can use pure isopropyl alcohol, acetone, trichloroethane, or
a variety of other chemicals. Most board manufacturers and service shops
are now leaning toward alcohol, acetone, or other chemicals that do not
cause ozone depletion and comply with government regulations and
environmental safety.
- Contact
cleaner/lubricants-These chemicals are similar to the standard cleaners
but include a lubricating component. The lubricant eases the force
required when plugging and unplugging cables and connectors, reducing
strain on the devices. The lubricant coating also acts as a conductive
protectant that insulates the contacts from corrosion.
- Dusters-Compressed
gas often is used as an aid in system cleaning. You use the compressed gas
as a blower to remove dust and debris from a system or component. Be
careful when you use these devices because some of them can generate a
static charge when the compressed gas leaves the nozzle of the can. Be
sure you are using the type approved for cleaning or dusting off computer
equipment, and consider wearing a static grounding strap as a precaution.
You should use compressed gas only on equipment that is powered off, to
minimize any chance of damage through short circuits.
Closely related to compressed-air products are
chemical-freeze sprays. These sprays are used to quickly cool down a suspected
failing component, which often temporarily restores it to normal operation.
These substances are not used to repair a device, but to confirm that you have
found a failed device.
Using Air Compressors and Vacuum Cleaners
Some people prefer to use an air compressor and/or a vacuum
cleaner instead of canned gas dusters for cleaning a system. An air compressor
or vacuum cleaner is more useful when you are cleaning a system fully loaded
with dust and dirt. You can use the vacuum cleaner to suck out most of the dust
and debris instead of simply blowing it around on the other components, which
sometimes happens with canned air. An air compressor is normally powerful
enough such that all dust and debris will be blown out of the unit, but if done
indoors it can create a breathing hazard. I normally recommend using a
combination of both a vacuum cleaner and an air compressor, or just an air
compressor if the cleaning can be done outdoors. Some compressors and vacuum
cleaners are specifically designed for use on and around electronic components;
they are designed to minimize ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) while in use. If
you not using one specifically designed with ESD protection, you should take
precautions, such as wearing a grounding wrist strap. Also, if the device has a
metal nozzle, be careful not to touch it to the circuit boards or components
you are cleaning.
Using Swabs
Use cleaning swabs to wipe off electrical contacts,
connectors, and other sensitive areas. The swabs should be made of foam or
synthetic chamois material that does not leave lint or dust
residue.Unfortunately, proper foam or chamois cleaning swabs are more expensive
than typical cotton swabs.
Do not use cotton swabs because they leave cotton fibers on
everything they touch. Cotton fibers are conductive in some situations and can
remain on drive heads, which can scratch disks. Foam or chamois swabs can be
purchased at most electronics supply stores.
SYSTEM DISASSEMBLY AND CLEANING PROCEDURES
To properly clean your system, you must at least partially
disassemble it. If you are only blowing out the dust and dirt, then generally
all you need to do is open the system, leaving all the cards, components, and
cables in place. For a more thorough cleaning, you will want to remove cards,
cables, and most of the other components, generally stripping the system down
to the motherboard and chassis.
To clean any adapter cards removed from the system, blow off
any dust or dirt using compressed air or a vacuum cleaner.
Also, blow any dust out of the power supply and any fans.
You do not need to disassemble the power supply to do this; simply blast the
compressed air into the supply through the fan exhaust port. This will blow the
dust out of the supply and clean off the fan blades and grill, which will help
with system airflow.
If the chassis has a removable filter, be sure to remove it
and clean it off, either with compressed air or a vacuum cleaner designed for
computer use.
Caution
Be careful with ESD (Electrostatic Discharges), which
can cause damage when you are cleaning electronic components. Take extra
precautions in the dead of winter or in extremely dry, high-static
environments. You can apply anti-static sprays and treatments to the work area
to reduce the likelihood of ESD damage.
An anti-static wrist-grounding strap is recommended.
Connect it to aground on the card or board you are wiping. This strap ensures
that no electrical discharge occurs between you and the board. An alternative
method is to keep a finger or thumb on the ground of the motherboard or card as
you wipe it off.
Cleaning the connectors
Cleaning the connectors and contacts in a system promotes
reliable connections between devices. For most plug-in cards or memory modules,
you should clean the edge connectors that plug into slots on the motherboard.
Submerge the lint-free swabs in the liquid cleaning
solution. If you are using the spray, hold the swab away from the system and
spray a small amount on the foam end until the solution starts to drip. Then,
use the soaked foam swab to wipe the connectors on the boards. Pre-soaked wipes
are the easiest to use—simply wipe them along the contacts to remove any
accumulated dirt and leave a protective coating behind.
If you are cleaning a plug-in board or memory module, pay
special attention to the edge connector that mates with the slot connector on
the motherboard. When people handle plug-in cards, they often touch the gold
contacts on these connectors. Touching the gold contacts coats them with oils
and debris, which prevents proper contact with the slot connector when the
board is installed. Make sure these gold contacts are free of all finger oils
and residue. It is a good idea to use one of the contact cleaners that has a
conductive lubricant, which makes it easier to push the adapter into the slot
and protects the contacts from corrosion.
Cleaning the Keyboard and Mouse
Keyboards and ball-type mice are notorious for picking up
dirt and garbage. If you ever open up an older keyboard, you will be amazed at
the junk you find in there. To prevent problems, you should periodically clean
the keyboard with an air compressor or vacuum cleaner.
If a particular key is stuck or making intermittent contact,
you can soak or spray that switch with contact cleaner. The best way to do this
is to first remove the key-cap and then spray the cleaner into the switch. This
usually does not require complete disassembly of the keyboard. Periodic
vacuuming or compressed gas cleaning prevents more serious problems with
sticking keys and key-switches.
To keep optical or laser mice clean, just check the bottom
of the mouse for any dust or debris that might block the light or detector. Use
compressed air to remove dust or other extraneous material.
PASSIVE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
Passive preventive maintenance
includes precautionary steps you can take to protect a system from the
environment, such as;
- Using
power-protection devices
- Ensuring
a clean, temperature-controlled environment and
- Preventing
excessive vibration
In other words, passive preventive maintenance means
treating your system well and with care.
Passive Preventive Maintenance Procedures
Passive preventive maintenance involves taking care of the
system by providing the best possible environment; both physical and electrical
for the system. Physical concerns are conditions such as ambient temperature,
thermal stress from power cycling, dust and smoke contamination, and
disturbances such as shock and vibration. Electrical concerns are items such as
ESD, power-line noise, and radio-frequency interference. Each of these
environmental concerns is discussed in the following sections.
Examining the Operating Environment
Before you set up a new PC (Personal Computer), prepare a
proper location for it that is free of airborne contaminants such as smoke or
other pollution. Do not place your system in front of a window; the computer
should not be exposed to direct sunlight or temperature variations. The
environmental temperature should be as constant as possible. Power should be
provided through properly grounded outlets and should be stable and free from
electrical noise and interference. Keep your system away from radio transmitters
or other sources of radio frequency energy.
Also it is not recommended using computer desks that place
the system unit in a sealed cabinet; this is a good way to promote overheating.
Heating and Cooling
Thermal expansion and contraction from ambient temperature
changes place stress on a computer system. Therefore, keeping the temperature
in your office or room relatively constant is important to the successful
operation of your computer system.
Temperature variations can lead to serious problems. If
extreme variations occur over a short period, signal traces on circuit boards
can crack and separate, solder joints can break, and contacts in the system can
undergo accelerated corrosion. Solid-state components such as chips can be
damaged also, and a host of other problems can develop.
To ensure that your system operates in the correct ambient
temperature, you must first determine your system’s specified functional range.
Most manufacturers provide data about the correct operating temperature range
for their systems. Two temperature specifications might be available, one
indicating allowable temperatures during operation and another indicating
allowable temperatures under non-operating conditions. Many manufacturers list
the following temperature ranges as acceptable for most systems.
System on: 60°–90° Fahrenheit
System off: 50°–110° Fahrenheit
Most office environments provide a stable temperature in
which to operate a computer system, but some do not. Be sure to give some
consideration to the placement of your equipment.
Power Cycling (On/Off)
As you have just learned, the temperature variations a
system encounters greatly stress the system’s physical components. The largest
temperature variations a system encounters, however, are those that occur
during the warm-up period right after you turn on the computer. Powering on a
cold system subjects it to the greatest possible internal temperature
variations. If you want a system to have the longest and most trouble-free life
possible, you should limit the temperature variations in its environment. You
can limit the extreme temperature cycling in two simple ways: Leave the system
off all the time or leave it on all the time.
Of these two possibilities, of course, you probably will
want to choose the latter option. Leaving the power on is the best way known to
promote system reliability. If your only concern is system longevity, the
simple recommendation is to keep the system unit powered on (or off!)
continuously.
Static Electricity
Static electricity or ESD can cause numerous problems within
a system.
Static discharges outside a system-unit chassis are rarely a
source of permanent problems within the system. Usually, the worst possible
effect of a static discharge to the case, keyboard, or even a location near the
computer is a system lockup. Most static-sensitivity problems are caused by
improper grounding of the system power. Be sure you always use a three-prong,
grounded power cord plugged in to a properly grounded outlet. If you are unsure
about the outlet, you can buy an outlet tester.
Dust and Pollutants
Dirt, smoke, dust, and other pollutants are bad for your
system. The power-supply fan carries airborne particles through your system,
and they collect inside. If your system is used in an extremely harsh
environment, you might want to investigate some of the industrial systems on
the market designed for harsh conditions.
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