Gateway 450 manual Caring for your computer, 208, Maintaining Your Computer, After purchase

Chapter 13: Maintaining Your Computer

Caring for your computer

To extend the life of your system:

■Be careful not to bump or drop your computer, and do not put any objects on top of it. The case, although strong, is not made to support extra weight.

■When transporting your computer, we recommend that you put it in a carrying case.

■Keep diskettes, modular drives, and your computer away from magnetic fields. Magnetic fields can erase data on both diskettes and hard drives.

■Never turn off your computer when the hard drive light is on because data on the hard drive could be lost or corrupted.

■Avoid subjecting your computer to extreme temperature changes. The case and LCD panel can become brittle and easy to break in cold temperatures and can melt or warp in high temperatures. Damage due to either extreme is not covered by your warranty. As a general rule, your computer is safest at temperatures that are comfortable for you.

■Keep all liquids away from your computer. When spilled onto computer components, almost any liquid can result in extremely expensive repairs that are not covered under your warranty.

■Avoid dusty or dirty work environments. Dust and dirt can clog the internal mechanisms.

Use the following table to set up a regular maintenance schedule.

Maintenance task	Immediately	Monthly	When needed	See...
	after purchase
Create an emergency diskette	X			page 210
Check for viruses		X	X	page 212
Manage hard drive space			X	page 215
Clean up hard drives		X	X	page 216
Scan hard drive for errors		X	X	page 217
Defragment hard drive		X	X	page 219
Back up files		X	X	page 221

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