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5 Tips For Newbies On Computers

By Tony Angiola
Field Technician

Sounds simple enough…push the power button and you’re done. Well for newbies on computers there are a few things you can do before hitting that power button to ensure that every time you hit that power button everything goes smoothly:   

1.       First, make sure that your PC and monitor are plugged into a UPS

2.       Make sure that the room is climate controlled and comfortable.  Heat is a computers enemy.

3.       If you move the computer and have to unplug everything, make sure everything is back in the same place.  This includes USB devices.  

4.       If you still use an old fashion modem then make sure that the analog line for the phone line is protected going through the UPS.  

5.       You also protect the Ethernet cable through many modern UPS units

What is a UPS? This stands for “Uninterruptible Power Supply”.  What is that you ask?  Well, it’s basically a battery.  Just like laptops that can run on their own battery for a while, so can your desktop PC in the event of a power outage.  Many of today’s UPS units have smart software that you can install on your computer to monitor power outages.  The software can be programmed to automatically test the load and ability to recharge as well as run programs or shutdown programs in the event that you lose your main source of power.  The larger the UPS the longer it can keep you’re running when the power goes out.  Ideally you want to use the run time to finish up an important document or function then shut the computer down.  It’s always a good idea to close running programs when you leave your computer (assuming you leave it on all the time).  This way if you are at the store and power goes out to your home or office then the UPS has less work to do to close your programs and shut the computer down.  Closing your programs when you leave your computer also ensures that your data is safe and not open in memory.  Even though the UPS is capable of shutting down the program you have loaded in memory, it’s considered "best practice" to close the program and be safe. 
Here is a picture of a UPS:

5 tips for newbies on computersOr it may look more like this:
 

    APC UPS2

 

Most homes use air conditioning right?  Even still I think most homes don’t really monitor the humidity levels.  I think a lot of damage happens to PC’s during the winter when the humidity in the home drops and there is a lot of static electricity in the air.  In the summer with the AC off can be a killer too.  I just love those commercials of people at the beach with their laptop just having a jolly time typing away in the sun and sand and making you wish it was you.  All I can say is AS IF!  There is no way I would take my laptop to the beach.  The risk alone is bad enough, like spilling a drink on it or the hot sun beating down on the thing or the wind blowing it over and there is still sand in the wind in case you forgot.  I don’t think I have ever seen anyone on the beach with a laptop.  Keep your computers inside with the AC on and try not to smoke around it.  Smoke particles get into your computer and stick to everything.  This will heat the machine up and require more maintenance.

Remember the old phone modems?  In case you forgot here’s a picture of a more modern unit:                               Modem                                            
Here is an even older unit that uses the old fashion handset that is placed into a coupler.  If you want to see how one works check out the movie Grand Canyon with Danny Glover where he uses one to communicate with his deaf daughter on some sort of teletype unit. 
Coupler Modem



 

These modems use RJ11 phone jacks, basically a telephone cord.  You should connect the line that comes out of the wall to a UPS with an RJ11 protection jack and then from the UPS to the modem.  This way if there is a surge or lightning strikes you won’t fry your equipment.  A lot of the newer UPS units have protection for a variety of jacks but the most common are the RJ11 (Telephone) and RJ45 (Ethernet).  Some units offer protection for Coax cable and RGB or VGA and just about any type of connection that can be damaged from an electrical spike.  I would concentrate on the power connection for the PC and the monitor and possibly the Ethernet connection.  

I know it may be obvious to most of you but I have to mention this because I have seen it with my own eyes by a newbie and if this is you then make sure to turn off your PC correctly.  By this I mean don’t just push the power button or push and hold the power button when turning off the PC. Make sure to click START and then click SHUTDOWN.  

5 Tips For Newbies On Computers

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