It’s almost inevitable. If you own a computer and turn it on, at some point it’s going to slow down, freeze up, or annoy you with mysterious glitches. While some problems can’t be anticipated, others result from a lack of routine maintenance and basic software.
While we at Cal Micro are always happy to see our customers, we thought we’d provide these simple and helpful tips to keep your system running as trouble-free as possible. And if your issues aren’t resolved with these steps, call us at (408) 321-9777 or email support@calmicro.net and our Bay Area laptop repair center will get it fixed quickly.
Helpful Tips for Laptop Owners
Computers Need Checkups Too! Just like teeth and blood pressures, your laptop needs a yearly checkup. This is considered preventative maintenance. We’ll spot small issues before they become big ones and make sure your system is up to date.
Keep Anti-Virus and Firewall Software Up To Date. All too many notebook owners will mournfully tell you what happened when they let their anti-virus or firewall software lapse. These programs are necessary if you want to keep your system running smoothly - and to protect your data and files.
Use a Subordinate User Account. Viruses frequently target Administrator accounts. For every day use, create a subordinate account and only use the Administrator account for administrative tasks. Also be sure to delete user accounts that are rarely or no longer used.
Take Advantage of Windows Updates. Those annoying updates that keep popping up? You don’t want to ignore them if they are Windows Updates. By enabling them and allowing them to run when prompted, you’re protecting your operating system from glitches and repairing vulnerabilities that can cause big headaches - often sooner rather than later, since they are typically released as soon as problems are discovered.
If you do miss an update or your system crashes for another reason, rest assured that our Bay Area laptop repair technicians are here to help.
Clean Out those Cookies! As with the chocolate chip kind, a few computer cookies can be good and helpful, but a lot are going to slow you down. Be sure to regularly delete cookies stored in your internet browser.
Schedule Scans and Maintenance. Your notebook comes with a task scheduler that allows you to set up regular scans and maintenance. Just set it up, and then you can mostly forget it. But forget to set it up, and your system will eventually run slower than a snail. Our San Jose notebook repair technicians recommend that you run the disc defragmenter and disc clean up on a regular basis.
Delete Unused Programs. Most laptops have at least a few unused programs taking up space. If you frequently download programs, take a look at what you have and see how many are rarely or never used. Deleting them can free up a lot of space.
Store Unused Files Elsewhere. If you have tons of pictures or other bulky files on your computer that you rarely or never open, transfer them to an external drive or use an online service. This opens up valuable space on your system.
Don’t Talk to Strangers. That advice parents give kids? If you take it yourself when it comes to email and pop ups, you might save yourself a lot of trouble. Even with strong anti-virus software and spam protection, malware can still sneak in on occasion. One of the easiest ways to let it into your system is to click on links in unsolicited emails or pop ups. If you don’t know the sender, and it doesn’t seem relevant, it’s better to just delete it or ignore it.
Keep it Tidy. Dust and spills are bad news for your computer. Dust frequently with canned air and try to keep beverages and crumbs away. That glass of Coke may be your laptop’s worst nightmare!
We’re Here to Help
Use the helpful tips above to protect your system. If an issue pops up that isn’t easily resolved, or you’d rather leave it to the professionals, call (408) 321-9777 or email Cal Micro’s Bay Area laptop repair center at support@calmicro.net. We’re here to help!