Tips on taking care with your laptop.

There are several things that you should really do to take care of your laptop when you are trying to make sure it lasts a long time. From the most simple maintenance to that which requires a few minutes of your time it can significantly increase the life of your laptop and in return save you a bundle of money

Locking your notebook - This might sound unnecessary but locking your laptop will keep anyone around you from looking at what you are working on and ensure that anything private stays that way. To lock your laptop easily all you have to do is just press the Windows Key + L at the same time and it will lock your laptop. To unlock your laptop simply press Ctrl + Atl + Del and then enter your password and you will be returned back to exactly where you were previously.

Vent maintenance - This means you need to check all of the vents on your laptop at least once a week to ensure that they are clear and not blocked. Be sure you do not push anything into the air vents; the safest way to clean these vents typically is using a simple can of air that can be purchased at most computer supply stores.

Check the fan - If your fan is not working correctly you could experience some huge problems with your laptop overheating, which can cause problems with your monitor, memory or even the hard drive. To avoid this problem you need to make sure that the fan is working properly. If you are unsure whether the fan is working properly check the website for the laptop manufacturer, you can frequently find software there to use for testing purposes.

Keeping lap burn to a minimum - This may seem like a minor detail but when you experience it you will suddenly notice the significance of this. In order to help prevent this and ensure your laptop is getting proper airflow make sure you are using something such as a desk or similar hard surface to hold your laptop anytime you are using it.

 Avoiding soft spots - This is a problem that is quite common for many people, if you are just sitting around on the couch you might prop your laptop up on a pillow on your lap. This may seem like a great idea but it can cause a huge problem since it can significantly restrict the airflow to fans and vents causing your laptop to heat up significantly.

Safely storing your laptop - While the great laptop bags that are sold are wonderful for transporting your laptop it is very important that you turn your laptop off before you actually put it into the bag. If you do not power it down you could melt your laptop or potentially catch it on fire.

Dust is the enemy of your computer - You should always make sure that your laptop is kept away from dust; this can clog fans and even vents which will cause your laptop to heat up significantly. To help protect the laptop it is important to look for a way to protect your computer such as keeping it on a table or a desk.

How to extend laptop battery life?

If you do not use your laptop for extended periods of time (a week or more), remove the battery pack from the laptop. 

Do not expose the battery to high heat or freezing temperatures. Do not leave your battery in your car in the summer. Hot batteries discharge very quickly, and cold ones can't create as much power.

Make sure to plug your laptop charger adapter into a UPS and not directly into a power outlet or surge protector.

If you have a nickel-metal hydride battery, completely drain and recharge the battery once a month to maximize its capacity to hold a charge.

Fully charge new battery packs before use. New pack needs to be fully charged and discharged (cycled) a few times before it can condition to full capacity.

For laptops that work as Desktop Replacement, the battery should be re-installed every 3-4 weeks and allowed to fully discharge.

Leaving a battery in a laptop while using an electrical outlet for long periods of time will keep the battery in a constant state of charging up and that will reduce the life cycle of the battery.