Bad Electricity is extremely harmful

To run properly, a computer system requires a steady supply of clean, noise-free power. In some installations, however, the power line serving the computer also serves heavy equipment, and the voltage variations resulting from the on/off cycling of this equipment can cause problems for the computer. Certain types of equipment on the same power line also can cause voltage spikes-short, transient signals of sometimes 1,000v or more-that can do physically damage to a computer. Although these spikes are rare, they can be crippling. Even a dedicated electrical circuit used by only a single computer can experience spikes and transients, depending on the quality of the power supplied to the building or circuit.

During the site-preparation phase of a system installation, you should be aware of these factors to ensure a steady supply of clean power:

• It is strongly recommended that a Uninterruptable Power Supply Unit (or UPS) Battery backup be purchased with every machine. Although this can not guarantee freedom from interference, it helps a great deal.
• A battery backup will usually have 2 kinds of plugs.
  1. Power fed directly from the battery. Doesn't connect to the wall circuit at all.
  2. Power flitered through the surge protector and fed directly from the wall circuit.
  
  Only the computer and the monitor should be connected to the 1st kind of plug. Do not plug Any Laser printers into this unit at all, as it will draw to much power from the battery.
• It is recommended that the circuit be checked for: low-resistance ground, proper line voltage, freedom from interference, and freedom from brownouts (voltage dips).
• A Three-wire is a absolute must. Some people substitute grounding-plug adapters to adapt a grounded plug to a two wire socket. Do Not use this setup. The ground wire is there for a reason.
• Power-line noise problems increase with the resistance of circuit, which is a function of wire size and length. So, to decrease resistance, avoid extension cords unless absolutely necessary, and then use only heavy duty extension cords.

Air conditioners, coffee makers, copy machines, laser printers, space heaters, vacuum cleaners, and power tools are some of the worst corrupters of a PC system's power. Any of these items can draw an excessive amount of current and wreak havoc with a PC system on the same electrical circuit.

Also, try to ensure that copy machines and laser printers do not share a circuit with other computer equipment. These devices draw a large amount of power.

By following these guidelines, you can create the proper power environment for your systems and help ensure trouble-free operation.

Keep it Cool

Temperature variations can lead to serious problems. These variations can wreack havoc with hard disk drives. On some drives, writing to a disk at different ambient temperatures can cause data to be written at different locations relative to the track centers. This can cause read and write problems at a later time.

A few ways to ensure cool and stable temperatures:

• The most vital fan in the entire computer is the CPU Fan. This must be running at all times. If this goes so will your CPU. Therefore make sure this fan is always spinning and does not make noise. PC Clinic machines will turn themselves off if the motherboard detects that the CPU is becoming overheated, to protect the hardware inside.
• There is two other fans that are vital. And they are the Power supply fan, and the rear mounted fan. Power supply is an enclosed unit by itself, its fan is the only way it exhausts heat from within. The rear mounted fan is responsible for exhausting heat from within the machine itself.
• To keep the systems temperatures stable, leave the computer on at all times. This is rarely realized by people as a problem. Read further and I will explain:

Power Cycling (On/Off)

The largest temperature variations a system encounters, are those that occur during the warmup period right after you turn on the computer. Powering on a cold system subjects it to the greatest possible internal temperature variations. If you want a system to have the longest and most trouble-free life possible, you should limit the temperature variations in its environment. You can limit the extreme temperature cycling by simply leaving the computer running at all times. If your saying won't that draw alot of power from electricity, and cost me a lot of money. Then I would respectfully remind you that replacing a power supply will cost as much $70 dollars, and replacing a motherboard would cost possibly twice or four times that.

 

 

Viruses

Viruses are a danger to any system, and scheduling regular virus scans is something I would most definitely recommend to anyone. PC Clinic recommends Norton Antivirus. Please do not confuse this software with Norton SystemWorks which I would stay away from.

A few ways to keep your Antivirus scanner software working well:

• Update your virus definitions daily. Viruses are continually being made and changed. The only way to protect yourself against Viruses is to make sure your virus definitions are always up to date. People with broadband can ask the software to monitor these updates automatically.
• Antivirus software will only last 1 year from the time it is installed. Make sure your software does not expire.
• It is a good idea to use the software to schedule routine virus scans. This helps to ensure that no viruses are missed.
• Remeber that Antivirus scanners are not a cure to viruses. Antivirus scanners are desigined to keep viruses out, once they enter Windows the effect of the antivirus scanner is nearly nonexistent. However, without a antivirus scanner you might as well install the virus onto the computer yourself.