David white

List objectives for the chapter identify problems that can occur if hardware is not properly maintained. Identify routine maintenance that can be performed by users. Identify maintenance that should be performed by experienced professionals.

Maintenance issues The performance of a hard disk starts to slow and printer problems may start to occur. The keyboard and the mouse can become sluggish and the monitor may not work properly. This could be the result of loose or incorrect cables, poor power connections, or could be other more severe problems.

Hardware maintenance “keyboard and mouse” An effective method to clean your keyboard is too use a can of compressed air ever 6 months to remove the dust. If you spill a liquid on the keyboard turn computer all the way off and disconnect the keyboard spray it with water then turn it upside down so that the liquid will run out after the liquid is removed then try to dry it as much as possible with a cloth. Cleaning the mechanical mouse often eliminates jerky or erratic movement of the mouse pointer. To clean the rollers, you need to remove the bottom cover of the mouse. After all of the debris is removed reassemble the mouse.

Hardware maintenance “printers”. The first step of cleaning a printer is to check the printer documentation. Clean only the parts recommended Turn off the printer Use a cleaner recommended by the manufacturer. Never spray in aerosol directly into the printer

Computer memory Adding RAM to a computer generally helps increase performance, speed and usability. However every system has a maximum amount of RAM. RAM is made up of small memory chips that form a memory module.

Preventative maintenance “disk defragmentation” Disk defragmentation occurs when a piece of data is broken up into many pieces that are not stored together. The sectors are stored in blocks of nonadjacent clusters, thus creating fragmented files. This pattern happens until you begin deleting and adding new ones.

Recycle bin Is a holding area for files and folders before their final deletion from a storage device. Generally you access the Recycle Bin through an icon located on the desk top. The Recycle Bin contains files that have been deleted from the hard disk, whether accidentally or intentionally.

Temporary files the software determines where and when it needs to create temporary files. The temporary files normally exist only during the current session of the software program. When the program is closed through a standard process the temporary files are closed then deleted automatically.

Cookies The cookie is a small file that a small website uses to identify a specific computer. The file is created and/or updated on your computer’s hard drive each time that the website is visited. Cookies is not a threat to your computers security.

Specialized maintenance Generally you can provide routine maintenance, however you should not attempt some maintenance procedures. Monitors,printers, and scanners are not designed to be opened by the general computer user.

Risks of networked computing The security of a computer network is challenged every day by equipment malfunctions, system failures, computer hackers, and virus attacks, Computer hackers and viruses represent a great risk to networked environments.