[How To] Take care of your Notebook - Part 2

Introduction

Being part of the PC industry for over 10 years has allowed
us to gather valuable experience of what all goes into owning a notebook.
Taking proper care of your equipment will make it last longer, fail less likely
and improve the overall ownership experience.

We composed a list of things to avoid so that damage in the
future does not occur. A lot of these things are sometimes nothing more than
bad habits that at first glance don't appear that harmful. However, stretched
over a period of several months or years can really impact the condition of
your notebook.

This guide is not meant to be a solution for any existing
problems your notebook may have. If the notebook has already experiencing
issues, then this guide is not for you. The idea behind the guide is that you
prepare yourself and learn to take care of the notebook properly before the
issues actually occur. If anything is already damaged or broken on your
notebook, it would require actual repairs to get back into working condition.

This guide continues as Part 2 from where the previous guide
left off. In Part 1, we discussed some of the top caring tips regarding
Cleaning and Storage. In this part, we will continue covering the rest of the tips
to help your notebook stay healthy for as long as possible.

Charging

Charging the notebook seems intuitive to most people, so why
even cover it? Well, there are few things you should know about your notebook,
the battery and the whole charging process. Lithium batteries found in most
laptops don't like to be plugged in charging all the time, every day. Most modern
notebooks will implement some sort of a system to stop the charging process
when the battery percentage reaches 100%. If your notebook doesn't have this
kind of setup, it's best to unplug your battery when it reaches 100% so that it
doesn't shorten its lifespan.

To get the most of your battery, make sure that you actually
use it. Even if you prefer that your notebook is still plugged in all the time,
you want to use the battery whenever possible. When your battery reaches 100%,
it's best to unplug it, and then use the computer until you're down to about
10-15% then plug it back in. This allows the battery run its entire cycle as
intended. If you constantly keep your battery level up to 100% then the battery
will soon fail and won't hold charge very well.

You can actually apply this advice to any other product you
have with similar batteries, such as cellphones. The idea is to let the battery
do what it's intended to do, even if you find yourself plugging it back in when
you're using it. Now, if you're gaming or doing any kind of heavy processing,
you may keep your notebook plugged in, as it will likely charge and discharge
at about same rate.

General Use

In this category, we have thrown random tips and tricks that
don't necessarily belong anywhere else, but we feel like they're equally
important and can help extend the life of your notebook.

Tip #1 – Avoid wearing
jewelry while using the notebook

If you wear rings, bracelets or other type of hand jewelry,
these items can often cause gouges and scratches on the surface of your
notebook. For the most part, this is a cosmetic issue. However, if it gets
severe enough, many manufacturers will simply refuse any warranty claim if they
see that the notebook is in extremely poor condition. Also, some components may
stop working if scratched up too much, like the mouse pad for example. Hand
watches are notoriously bad and leave many marks and scuffs on the notebook.
Try to be aware of this while you use the notebook and remove the jewelry if
possible. If not, it's a good idea to adjust so that the jewelry is not making
contact with the notebook.

Tip #2 – Avoid touching
the screen with your fingers or foreign objects

This one applies to pretty much all monitors, TVs and all
other displays. Unless your display device is actually a touch screen unit,
avoid touching the screen at all times. First, it leaves smudges and ruins your
picture and second and most important, you don't want to actually damage the
screen, such as scratch it with your nail or cause a stuck pixel. This is
typically common when more than one person are using the machine, someone will
usually try to point out an object on the screen. Avoid touching the screen at
all times if possible, and if you're friends are using your notebook, let them
know ahead of time. Definitely don't touch the screen with sharp objects such
as pens, pencils and other office equipment.

Tip #3 – Do not remove
any serialization or stickers from the notebook

Sometimes manufacturers like to put on fancy stickers to
advertise the technology inside of your notebook. Other times, the stickers
actually carry important information such as warranty terms, license
information, and Operating system codes and so on. These stickers must be left
intact in order to maintain your warranty status. If you remove any of them, it
will be difficult for manufacturer to identify the unit and the warranty will
be void.

Regular stickers can be removed, although it's not
recommended. Industrial glue is used to put these on, taking them off will
usually leave ugly residue. If you prefer extremely clean look, talk to the
vendor or manufacturer about putting the stickers on and ask if they can be
kept off the notebook during assembly.

Tip #4 – Do not
disassemble notebook without adequate tools

There's always the right tool for the job, and the wrong
tool for the job. If you wish to upgrade your notebook, for example add a new
hard drive, or replace existing one, that's perfectly fine. Just don't open up
the notebook using a flat heat screwdriver when you need a Philips, or use a
kitchen knife to pry it open. Doing so will damage the notebook and leave
really bad scuffs all over. There's a certain level of pride and joy doing work
yourself and we respect that. However, take this one step further and make sure
you acquire proper tools. Most notebooks rely on use of really small
screwdriver sets, typically those used with sewing machine repair kits. Get
yourself one of these, and you'll be good to go. Otherwise, make sure you take
your notebook to a certified shop to do the upgrades for you.

Tip #5 – Avoid using
BIOS or firmware updates from anywhere but Manufacturers website

Whether your notebook has some software issues or you simply
like to have all your firmware up to date, make sure that you only do these
upgrades from the manufacturer themselves. If you want to update BIOS or any
other kind of firmware, search for your model notebook on the manufacturer
website and get the update from there, if it exists. Do not get updates from
other notebooks or from third party websites. These upgrades can be very
dangerous and if something goes wrong you may brick the notebook. If the
manufacturer no longer provides updates but you're still having issues, you
need to reach out to them to get those problems resolved. Otherwise, do not
flash the notebook with anything but manufacturer software.

Tip #6 – Always plug
in notebook when updating firmware or Operating system

Running on battery power when updating your OS or flashing
BIOS/firmware can be a risky business. If your battery dies during these
operations it can render your OS non-function and even worse, your notebook
completely dead. Any time you do these kind of updates, ALWAYS make sure you
have your notebook plugged in.

Tip #7 – Avoid swapping
chargers unless OEM Specs

If your AC adapter breaks, make sure that you replace it
with one that's got the exact same specifications as your old one. Using a
charger not designed for your notebook can damage the battery as well as the
notebook. It can also be a potential fire risk if too much current is applied
to the notebook. If the AC adapter has adjustable voltage, make sure that you
set it to the same exact voltage your OEM charger had. If no universal adapters
are available for your notebook, contact the manufacturer to obtain a
replacement.

Conclusion

This set of tips concludes our guide on how to properly take
care of your notebook. If you stick to these simple suggestions your notebook
will last you for a very long time.

We hope that the collection of tips and tricks in this guide
can help you get the most out of your notebook. If you have any tips or tricks
of your own that you like to share, feel free to post either here or in our
Community section. If you have comments or questions about any of the tips we've
provided feel free to let us know by posting in this topic or asking a question
in Help Desk.