List down the steps you need to take in order to ensure a) your computer is in good working condition for a lo

Exercises · Q16

Q. List down the steps you need to take in order to ensure

a) your computer is in good working condition for a longer time.

b) smart and safe Internet surfing.

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Concept understanding — Computer Maintenance

Computer Maintenance

Think about your phone or laptop. You charge it, you keep it away from water, you close apps you aren't using, and maybe once in a while you restart it when it gets slow. You do these things not because you are a technician, but because you want the device to keep working well for as long as possible. That instinct — the simple habit of taking care of a machine so it doesn't break down — is the entire foundation of computer maintenance.

What It Actually Means

Computer maintenance is the set of routine actions you perform to keep a computer system running correctly, securely, and efficiently. It is not about fixing something that has already broken — that is repair. Maintenance is preventive. You do it before trouble arrives.

The scope is broad. It covers the physical hardware (the parts you can touch), the software (the programs and operating system), and the data stored on the machine. Each of these needs its own kind of care.

Why It Matters

A computer that is never maintained will gradually slow down, become unstable, and eventually fail — often at the worst possible moment. Files get corrupted, the system crashes, or a virus slips in through an outdated program. For a student, losing an assignment the night before submission is painful. For a business, a system failure can mean lost sales, lost customer trust, and real financial damage.

Important

Maintenance is not optional. It is the difference between a computer that serves you reliably for years and one that becomes a source of constant frustration and unexpected expense.

The Two Main Categories

Hardware maintenance is about the physical machine. Dust is a silent enemy — it clogs fans, blocks airflow, and causes overheating. Overheating shortens the life of components like the processor and hard drive. Keeping the machine clean, in a well-ventilated spot, and away from liquids or extreme temperatures is basic hardware care. Cables should be organised so they are not tugged or bent sharply.

Software maintenance is about the invisible parts. The operating system and applications need regular updates — these are not just new features but critical security patches. Temporary files accumulate and eat up storage space. Programs left running in the background consume memory and slow everything down. A disk that is nearly full will perform poorly. Antivirus software must be kept current to defend against new threats.

A Practical Routine

Here is what a sensible maintenance habit looks like, broken into simple actions:

Weekly: Restart the computer. This clears temporary memory and applies pending updates. Delete files you no longer need from the Downloads folder and the Recycle Bin.
Monthly: Run a disk cleanup tool to remove system junk. Check for and install operating system and software updates. Run a full antivirus scan. …

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A computer stays healthy through physical care (dust, ventilation, surge protection), software hygiene (updates, antivirus, disk cleanup) and backups;
safe surfing means updated software, https-only sensitive activity, strong passwords, and refusing unknown links, downloads and over-sharing.

a) Steps to keep the computer in good working condition for a longer time

Physical care

Keep the machine and peripherals clean and dust-free; ensure ventilation so it does not overheat.
Power it through a UPS/surge protector against voltage spikes and abrupt shutdowns.
Handle devices gently; keep food, drinks and magnets away.

Software hygiene

4. Install operating-system and application updates promptly — they patch bugs and security holes.

5. Run a reputable antivirus/anti-malware and keep its definitions updated; scan regularly and scan USB drives before use.

6. Clean up storage: remove temporary files and unused programs; defragment hard disks periodically (not needed for SSDs); keep some free disk space.

7. Don't overload the system — limit startup programs and avoid installing untrusted software.

Data protection

8. Take regular backups of important data to an external drive or cloud, so a failure never becomes a disaster.

b) Steps for smart and safe Internet surfing

Keep the browser, OS and antivirus updated; enable the firewall.
Prefer https:// sites (padlock) for anything involving passwords or payments.
Use strong, unique passwords, never save them on shared computers, and log out after using any account on a public machine.
Don't click suspicious links, pop-ups announcing prizes, or attachments from unknown senders — the classic phishing/malware routes.
Download only from official/trusted sources; avoid pirated software (a common malware carrier). …

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