1. Apply some isopropyl rubbing alcohol to a soft, dust-free cloth.
2. Wipe each keytop surface with the cloth. Wipe the keys one by one; if you wipe several keys at a time,
the cloth may hook onto an adjacent key and possibly damage it. Ensure that no liquid drips onto
or between the keys.
3. To remove any crumbs or dust from beneath the keys, you can use a camera blower with a brush
or cool air from a hair dryer.
Note: Avoid spraying cleaner directly onto the keyboard.
Optical mouse
An optical mouse uses a light-emitting diode (LED) and an optical sensor to navigate the pointer. If the
pointer on the screen does not move smoothly with the optical mouse, you might need to clean the mouse.
To clean an optical mouse, do the following:
1. Turn off your computer.
2. Disconnect the mouse cable from the computer.
3. Turn the mouse upside down to check the lens.
• If there is a smudge on the lens, gently clean the area with a plain cotton-tipped swab.
• If there is debris in the lens, gently blow the debris away from the area.
4. Check the surface on which you are using the mouse. If you have a very intricate picture or pattern
beneath the mouse, it might be difficult for the digital signal processor to determine changes in the
mouse position.
5. Reconnect the mouse cable to the computer.
6. Turn your computer back on.
Display screen
Dust buildup compounds problems associated with glare. Remember to clean your monitor screen
periodically.
Cleaning a flat-panel monitor surface
To clean the flexible film surface of a flat-panel computer display, wipe it gently with a soft, dry cloth, or
blow on the screen to remove grit and other loose particles. Then moisten a cloth with LCD cleaner and
wipe the screen surface.
Many computer supply stores carry the special cleaning fluids for displays. Use cleaning fluids developed for
LCD displays only. First apply the fluid to a lint-free, soft cloth, then clean the LCD display. Some computer
supply stores carry pre-moistened towelettes for LCD maintenance.
Cleaning a glass-screen surface
To clean a glass-screen surface, wipe it gently with a soft, dry cloth, or blow on the screen to remove grit and
other loose particles. Then use a soft cloth moistened with a nonabrasive liquid glass cleaner.
Good maintenance practices
By performing a few good maintenance practices, you can maintain good computer performance, protect
your data, and be prepared in case of a computer failure.
• Empty your recycle bin on a regular basis.
• Use the disk defragmentation or disk optimization feature of your operating system occasionally to
prevent performance problems caused by an excessive number of fragmented files.
.
Chapter 6
Preventing problems
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