Ten Super Common Bad Habits That Actually Hurt Your PC

Buying a new computer is more expensive than ever before because manufacturers are putting in better parts which means that they have to charge you more. Repairing your damaged PC is not cheap either because you have to buy those same expensive parts to replace the old ones. Getting longer service out of your computer is the best way to save your money and also reduce the amount of electronic waste on our planet. Most damage to computers can actually be avoided if the owners treated their computers better and these 10 habits are the most common reasons why PCs don’t last long.

Running Too Many Programs At Once

It may be nice to run many apps at once if you need many tasks done at once but you can only need to do so many things at a time and your PC can only handle so many. The more apps you run on your PC, the harder your processor has to work and the quicker your RAM is depleted.

That means that the PC has to slow down the flow of some information to allow some to get processed as the only way to prevent crashing while your computer works harder meaning that the parts are wearing out quickly. In the end, you get less work done and more damage to your processor which is just unfair.

Ignoring Overheating

Heating in a computer is the most reliable indicator of overload which means that many vital parts including your main chips are being overworked. Once you notice that your fern is running loud and your PC is heating up, the best thing you can do is shut down your computer and allow it to rest and cool down. The more frequently your computer overheats without being shut down, the faster you are likely to have to replace the vital parts.

Keeping Your PC In Harsh Temperatures

The best place for your PC is on top of a cool and dry flat surface in a place that allows free air circulation. Once temperatures start rising or freezing, your processor, hard drive, RAM and batteries begin to suffer. You should therefore avoid putting your computer in places that might overheat including next to windows or leaving it in the car under the hot sun. The same goes for low temperatures that might hit freezing point.

Using Counterfeited Software

Paying for software licenses can be overwhelming, especially when you haven’t budgeted for it or when you don’t really require it for long. Cracked software options have become common online with many people resorting to them as the best solution for free software but it is very dangerous. These unlocked software programs often carry malware and many may be altered in ways that cause your PC to overwork causing more harm than good to your hard drive and processor. Using counterfeit software may also put you at odds with the law and that may cause trouble.

Not Giving It A Break

This is where we say that your computer has some human properties that you need to think of when using it. There are lots of moving parts in a PC that are not designed to work continuously for so long which is why leaving the computer switched on when you are done with your tasks is unfair. It causes unnecessary wear to your computer and it may cause overheating or crashing if it continues for too long. It is vital that you give your computer a break and not force it to run all day long.

Failing To Clean It Up

Dust and spills cause damage to many computers, especially laptops and keyboards. Most of this can be avoided if people didn’t use their PCs as dining tables. A single coffee spill can cause enough damage to a computer to warrant its replacement. Failing to brush and blow the dust off your PC regularly also causes poor air circulation and some of it may block vital moving parts from working efficiently.

Failing To Protect Yourself While Online

There are actually more threats to your PC and data when you are online than when your computer is not connected to the internet. That little VPN and antivirus software with internet protection option may save you and you from huge losses. The threats you encounter while browsing gets bigger every day as bad guys look for ways to harm you which is why you should never browse on your computer without protection.

Not Removing Apps and Plugins You No Longer Need

Every software on your computer may either be a tool you use or a threat and junk that may harm you and your computer. It is therefore important to keep software updated, which means that you trust the manufacturer. The same goes for the plugins you use in your browser. Keeping the old software and plugins whose security is no longer updated and which you don’t use only wastes space and may hurt the PC.

Ignoring Software Update Prompts

Being reminded to download and install updates can be daunting; especially when all you have time for is some work or a good time watching something. Updates are very important though because software needs to be optimized to stay secure when you are online and work in their optimum condition. You should therefore pay attention to vital updates on your operating system and security applications.

Using Too Many Peripherals At Once

You wanna charge multiple phones on your laptop while also using your headphones and your webcam is connected as well as other external storage devices. While it may seem like you are accomplishing a lot at a go, chances are that your PC is really struggling to keep up with all these requirements. Not only does a computer have to use its electricity on the peripheral devices, but it also shares information with all of them and that takes a lot of RAM and processor power to coordinate.

Do you know any other common habits that hurt our computers and laptops? Do let us know in the comments below!