Maintaining Your Notebook Computer

Maintaining Your Notebook Computer

1. Notebook computers need to be maintained regularly. Lack of maintenance could lead to such problems as:

   • Overal l slowness to the system
   • Program may crash and fail to open
   • The computer will require restarting

2. There are tool available in Windows designed to optimize the performance of your notebook

   • McAfee VirusScan Enterprise
     • When installed, VirusScan Enterprise is configured to use the detection definitions that were packaged with the product and provide general security for your enviro nment. We recommend that you obtain the latest detection definitions and customize the configuration to meet your requirements

3. Updating Microsoft Windows Running, Widows Updates

   • Use process
     • Click on Start , then All Programs , and then finally the Windows Update icon at the top of the list
     • Click on Check for Updates . Windows will now check for all available updates for your computer
     • If new updates are found, click on Install updates
     • Windows will now download and install all necessary updates for your computer. Give it some time to finish. (This can take a while if there are many updates)
     • After you have installed all updates, perform a Windows Update every 2 to 3 weeks to kee p your system up to date and enable automatic updating

4. Maintaining the Hard Drive, Disk Cleanup

   • To keep a PC running smoothly, regular maintenance is critical. The Disk Cleanup Utility can determine which files on your hard drive may no longer be needed and delete those files. In addition to freeing up potentially significant amounts of hard drive space, using Disk Cleanup on a regular basis can improve system performance
   • Disk Defragmenter
     • Disk Defragmenter is used to organize files on the hard drive and optimize free space, improving the speed and performance of the computer. Some applications may fail outright if the disk becomes too fragmented

5. Maintaining the Battery

   • Most laptop batteries will last at least four hours when fully charged. If not maintained, however, the battery will require charging more frequently. Following are tips for properly maintaining your battery for maximum performance
     • Using your laptop with the AC adapter plugged into an electrical outlet will overcharge the battery. Overcharging decreases the life of the battery. Eventually the battery will be unable to hold a charge and will require a replacement
       • Condition the battery for maximum performance
         • Discharge the battery – use the battery until the low battery warning emerges
         • Charge the battery – use the AC adapter until the battery is fully charged. Then immediately disconnect the AC adapter from the notebook