How to store computers
QUESTION: Our son took a job in Korea for at least a year and could not take a desktop computer he’d just bought. He wants us to keep it until his return. … How do we store it? Does it need to be plugged in and turned on regularly?
- Toby Harrell
ANSWER: First, if he has any data on the hard disk - e-mails, documents, financial records - it’s a good idea to back up all of it.
Next, disconnect the computer. That way it’ll be safe from voltage surges and lightning strikes. There is a small battery inside the computer that preserves some basic settings; that battery should last more than a year.
Finally, return the computer to the shipping box if you have it. If not, find another and pack it away. As long as the computer is stored in a heated and air-conditioned space in your home, nothing else is necessary.
Do not wrap it in airtight plastic, by the way. Although that will offer dust protection, it raises the danger of moisture condensing inside.
QUESTION: Our computer is nearly five years old but seems to work just fine. We use it for browsing the Web and sending e-mails. A friend recommends that we replace the computer because of its age. Is he right?
- James Strange
ANSWER: When I started writing about computers I created what I called Husted’s First Law: Replace a computer only when it can no longer do a satisfactory job of what you ask it to do. That still holds, and it sounds like it applies in your case.
That said, a new computer’s power might lead you to find new uses for it. So if money isn’t a problem and you have a hankering for a new machine, go right ahead. For the same or less money you’ll get a much more powerful machine and it might open new computing horizons for you.
QUESTION: You’ve recommended that users update drivers. How?
- Anonymous
ANSWER: Drivers are the small programs that let your computer communicate with devices such as video cards, printers, etc. The best source for a new one is at the manufacturer’s Web site. Usually you’ll find them in a section labeled “Downloads” or “Support.”
But you also attention you laptop battery/computer batery.