Maintain Measuring
Instruments
Memory
The gold contacts at the bottom of your RAM must be
clean and free of debris in order to maintain a solid
connection. If your RAM sticks are dirty, your computer
might not recognize that they’re installed and may
sometimes show a blue screen. Normally, dusting out the
inside of your computer on a monthly basis (more if the
environment is unusually dusty) is sufficient to keep RAM
modules clean.
Holding a RAM without caution and proper anti-static
protection could break your precious memory module.
Although this piece is sensitive and delicate, it will not
break if you handle the device correctly and properly. Here
are some safety measures in handling a RAM.
Use anti-static wrist straps or anti-static clips to drain
all the static electricity that is present in your body and
which you could acquire if you have a carpeted floor.
After taking the RAM out of your computer, do not
place it anywhere because it could be exposed to other
elements (especially water or anything moist) and it is
better that you put it in an anti-static plastic container
first before placing the RAM in a safe location.
If possible, wear thin rubber gloves when holding the
RAM. Place your fingers on the edge of its corners (the
green plated part of the module with plastic coating) to
avoid the chances of damaging the sensitive parts of
the RAM.
Hard Disk Drive
Hard disk drive (HDD) can last for years when properly
maintained. Neglect can lead an HDD to fail sooner than
it normally would and the potential loss of valuable data.
Common causes for a drive failure include:
• Water damage
• Overheating
• Electrical faults
• Firmware corruption
• Damaged boot sector
• Mechanical failure
Be Careful about Downloading and Installing Software
One of the most common reasons clients need hard drive recovery services is
because malware has infected the drive and destroyed its ability to boot.
Keep the Computer’s Components Free of Dust
Air circulation causes dust to collect inside the computer’s case, so it’s
important to periodically remove dust and debris to prevent electrical faults or
overheating.
Update the Computer’s Operating System with Critical Patches
By keeping the computer’s OS up to date with the latest patches, it’ll be less
likely to become infected with malicious software that can damage data on its
HDD.
Defragment the Drive Regularly
Large files can become scattered across the drive’s platter, which slows the
process of reading them and impacts a computer’s performance.
Defragmentation reorganizes all the software and data into an optimal
arrangement.
Delete Unused Software and Files Periodically
It’s important to maintain free space on a drive that the
computer can use for temporary storage. When its drive becomes
too full, a computer can slow to a crawl as it attempts to use the
little free space left to juggle data.
Removable Storage Devices
Flash drives or thumb drives are also highly important mainly
because they contain files that you use in school or personal life.
Failure to properly take care of these devices and disks could result in
irreversible loss of essential data.
Avoid placing your removable disks on top of other electronic
devices. If you place your USB or other disk on top of your TV set,
computer, gaming platform, for a long period of time, this can lead to
data damage.
Make it a point to eject your drive properly. Make sure you always
“safely remove” your removable device from your PC whenever you are
about to detach it. This prevents sudden data loss and damage to the
drive. Pulling your flash drive or memory card away from its PC socket
without doing the “safely remove” action can lead to total disk damage.
Removable Storage Devices
Maintain the integrity of your files. Monitor what goes
in and out of the drive. Accessing peer to peer software,
adult sites, and sites with known malware and spyware
issues, can all cause viruses to creep into your PC storage
items and compromise the integrity of your files.
Keep it all safe. Sometimes, no matter how hard you
try in protecting your disks, they are subjected to wear,
tear, and other unforeseen factors. To make sure that you
do not instantly lose important data, backup your files in
multiple locations.
Optical Media
CDs and DVDs are extremely delicate data
storage media and any type of mishandling can
damage the CD or DVD thereby resulting in
data loss. Therefore, it is important for you
to exert caution while using these optical
media.
Do:
1 Handle discs by the outer edge or the center hole.
2 Keep dirt or other foreign matter from the disc.
Store discs upright (book style) in plastic cases specified for CDs and
3 DVDs.
4 Store discs in a cool, dry, dark environment in which the air is clean.
5 Remove dirt, foreign material, fingerprints, smudges, and liquids by
wiping with a clean cotton fabric in a straight line from the center of
the disc toward the outer edge.
Do not:
1 Touch the surface of the disc.
2 Bend the disc.
3 Store discs horizontally for a long time (years).
4 Expose discs to extreme heat or high humidity.
5 Write or mark in the data area of the disc (the area the
laser “reads”).
Do not:
6 Clean by wiping in a direction going around the disc.
7 Scratch the label side of the disc.
8 Use a pen, pencil, or fine-tip marker to write on the disc.
9 Write on the disc with markers that contain solvents.
10 Try to peel off or reposition a label.
