What are some good tips to preserve a laptop that will be frequently used for a few years?

Question

I just purchased a laptop/tablet and I love it, and I'm going to college in January 2009 through to 2011.

Now I'm not an idiot when it comes to computers, I know a lot about their guts and their workings, but I've never owned a laptop before so I would like some advice from people who have frequently used them.

Obviously I will be buying a carry case, preferably waterproof. Don't bang the PC when setting it down, go easy on the keys and the screen's hinge, etc.

But how about things like cooling pads? Do they really cool the laptop enough to be worth it?

Should I always let the battery run down after charging it instead of leaving it plugged in all the time? I already charged it up then let it drain to low power before charging it back up several times to break in the battery, but is this necessary for the battery's longevity?

Should I leave it in stand-by mode when not using it for several hours or shut it down completely.

I've got a nice desktop so I won't be using my laptop for everything which will help improve its life.

Other suggestions?

Answer 1

First off buy yourself a  cable lock. Got my daughter one and says it's real handy if your in the library and you got to go to the can, set a password for it so other people can't be nosey, close the lid and go.

Stand-by while at school and off at night. Powering it off and on can shorten it's life.

Don't know why their called laptops because if you work it on your lap it'll overheat. On flat surfaces their ok.

Computer batteries are confusing to say the least, some say run it down other say it doesn't matter. Your call, if it's not fully charged in the morning it may not last the day. Turn the alerts off if your going to run it down, dam beeps.

General maintenance, watch out for your keys popin off, never let anybody else use it, common sense  

Answer 2

Always carry your laptop in the carrying case when you go out.

Get a fan cooler (cooling pads that you referred to) for your laptop. It keeps your laptop cooler so it won't overheat. If your laptop gets really hot all the time, it will die faster and you will experience problems with the processor and hard drive more. Yes, fan coolers are worth it. You can get a decent one for as low as $10, to protect your laptop.

Let the battery run all the way down once in a while, I make sure it runs down at least once a month just to extend battery life. It is necessary for the battery's longevity.

Never leave your computer in stand-by for several hours, because it drains your battery or wastes electricity. Either shut it down or put it in hibernate.

Don't eat or drink around your laptop, accidents are sometimes unavoidable no matter how careful you think you are.

And to extend your monitor life, don't use your monitor for too long, I would say maybe like 5-8 hours at the max. Then let it cool down for like an hour and then start using it again.

If your laptop becomes too hot, turn it off and turn it back on after it cools down if you want your CPU and other parts to last longer.

Answer 3

Well, I'll first point out the obvious: keep your computer's software and hardware up-to-date with their upgrades. Now, I'm not sure if you're talking about the laptop's structure itself or if you're talking about the inside workings of your laptop. I'd say taking care of your laptop's aesthetics is self-explanatory. I had a Dell C640 Latitude since high school, and I'm out of college now, and it still works.

Always keep an antivirus around, of course, to prevent anything from harming your computer. Spyware/trojans/adware destroy your laptop.

Cooling pads, while are a nice thing to have, is not necessary unless you feel as if your laptop is far too overheated to be normal. It's then a good idea to buy out and cool your laptop. You can do that, or just set your laptop some place with good ventilation, such as on a table. Or get a spray with compressed air to blow out your fan and dust between your keyboard from time to time.

As far as battery is concerned, I'm not a professional when it comes to things like these, but I've always left it charged in. No battery is going to last you all four years in college. Eventually, you will need to have it plugged in all times until the battery runs out. It happens to everyone. Because of this, I just leave it charged at all times.

In my sources, I have listed a bunch of good resources, as well.

Answer 4

Cooling pads are more of a gimmick than anything, the only real reason they work is that they are a flat surface that you can put the laptop on.

Using a laptop on your lap is not the best idea because often times fabric is blocking the vents causing the laptop to heat up.

Older, Ni-Cad batteries required you to drain them occasionally to remove the charge "memory" from the battery. In other words, it allowed the battery to sense where the actual full capacity was, instead of what it thought it was.

Newer laptops do not require that, and the Li-Ion technology actually lasts longer if you keep it fully charged. Anyone who tells you otherwise is giving you old information.

But here is the kicker, leaving a fully charged Li-Ion battery in a hot laptop will actually shorten the lifespan of the battery.

So, if you are not working on something important, it is best to remove the battery if you are running it on AC power and it is completely charged. If you are working on an important project, then you should leave the battery in to keep the battery backup protection.

As far as standby goes, it is ok either way. But standby takes a small amount of battery power.