How to Destroy Your Computer Accidentally
Here is a top 5 list that I’ve composed of how to destroy your computer without knowing it. The items listed are easily done and some get overlooked as important.
5. Cheap/Incompatible Hardware
So, you’re in the market to build a new computer, and that $20 price tag for a new 700w power supply looks nice. You wonder what the difference is between the $20 model and the $200 model; they’re both 700w, right? Wrong. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m all about saving money, but you’re going to save time and money by buying a respectable brand at about $100-$150. Do your research and look at the reviews. See what other people have said about the product, then make your purchase.
4. Dust & Dirt
This is a problem that most people don’t think about. The purpose of a heatsink and fan is to move the heat away from the cpu, and all that dust is preventing that from happening.
How? Dust can reduce airflow by 90%. Just by cleaning dust out of your computer, you could drop your system temperature by an amazing 40ºC.
What’s the best way to clean your computer heatsink and fans? Compressed air.
3. Update/Secure
Keeping your software updated is crucial if you care anything about security. While this is not physically destroying your computer, it will destroy hundreds of your favorite photos, movies, documents and software programs that you may have installed. You could lose everything because someone wants to play a prank on you. Don’t give them access and keep your software up to date. This will also fix bugs and keep your system running smoothly.
2. Static/Surge Protection
This has bitten me personally, twice. You spend the time researching, buying and installing a new motherboard, only to find out that you didn’t properly ground yourself before you handled it, and now it won’t post. This could have been prevented by touching the case and grounding yourself. Always ground yourself before touching any electrical cards. Avoid touching the gold pins and handle cards on the outside edges.
I think everyone needs to own an UPS (uninterruptible power supply), which will keep your computer from surges and power loss during bad weather. Having surge protection will prevent any hardware damage during bad weather and this unit will allow you to save anything you’re working on and properly shut down your computer.
1. Backup
The best type of backup is an external device that stays unplugged. I recommend a large USB flash drive or external hard drive. Since you don’t know when disaster might strike, backup often. While this is an easy task, many people fail to properly backup their data and lose everything.
