Poor Laptop Maintenance: 8 Common Problems Users Face

Being a laptop user comes with certain responsibilities. If you fail to take proper care of your computer, you will need to visit a computer service store more often than you would like. In some cases, you might reach a point when there is no option but to replace your laptop with a new one.

If you want to avoid these things, it is important to have a proper laptop maintenance routine. Knowing what common problems you are likely to experience and how to deal with them should come in handy.

Dust Inside and Outside

Even if you do not have pets who like to sit on a laptop and share their fur with it, the dust inside and outside the laptop will still accumulate. 

Cleaning the screen, frame, keyboard, and ports should not be too problematic. However, the real issue occurs when you need to take care of the dust inside your laptop.

Unlike a desktop computer’s case that you can take apart quite easily, laptops are trickier because they come with integrated hardware. If you try to take the laptop yourself to clean the dust inside, you may damage the hardware and end up in a worse situation than you were before.

If you decide to clean the dust inside a laptop yourself, make sure you are careful. And if you are too reluctant to do it, leave the task to someone experienced.

Poor Battery Lifespan

A new laptop should not have problems with its battery lifespan. After a while, though, you are bound to notice that it takes longer for the laptop to charge or that various processes are consuming the battery faster than before.

Replacing a laptop battery can be expensive and difficult at the same time. If you were to check this, you would read about different methods to troubleshoot the issue, such as closing demanding background processes or checking for potential malware threats on the computer.

Cable Issues

One of the benefits of owning a laptop instead of a desktop computer is fewer cables. No mouse because of a trackpad, an integrated keyboard, microphone, and speakers help as well.

Nevertheless, it is still important to note that some cable issues might ensue if you are not careful. Be mindful when you are walking next to the laptop while it is charging. Also, warn other people if they are around not to step on cables, and not just because of the internal cable issues but also because they could potentially drop the laptop by tripping.

Particles Inside the Keyboard

By particles, we do not mean dust, as that is a separate problem. No, it is usually food particles that get inside a keyboard because people often like to eat in front of their computer. Spilling a drink on a keyboard is worse, but it is no secret that food is more likely to get inside a laptop’s keyboard because computer users are less careful with food than they are with drinks.

Unless you have special things to clean the keyboard in case of getting food particles in it, you will need to seek professional help. The longer the food stays inside, the worse it gets.

Questionable Software and Other Threats

You might be tempted to download and install software that looks useful and is free. Well, before you do that, make sure that you are getting it from an official and reliable source. Otherwise, expect to potentially deal with malware and other cybersecurity problems that even a good antivirus tool might not help.

Also, keep in mind that it is not just software you download. Shady URLs, online ads that redirect to landing pages, and random email attachments are other examples of threats that might cause problems with the laptop’s performance.

Hardware Breakdowns

Overall, a good maintenance routine on a laptop prolongs the device’s hardware lifespan. Since hardware parts are usually integrated, and you cannot really replace them, it is even more important to make sure that you take proper care of the laptop. 

Exposure to Hazards

These might seem obvious, but some people still forget that various hazards for laptops exist or do not realize what they could mean to the overall well-being of your device.

For example, you should keep the laptop away from magnets, particularly its screen. Also, if you have or want to use a laptop outside, avoid exposing it to the sun. Instead, look for shade.

Outdated System and Software

Try your best to download and install the latest updates for both the operating system and software you use on the computer when they become available. Hotfixes, performance improvements, new features, and security layers are the primary reasons to update the device at your earliest convenience. Thus, even if downloading and installing a new OS or software version takes a while, you should still do it.