Taking care of your business computers

Millions of UK businesses depend every day on the reliability of their laptops and personal computers. They are vital tools within organisations, but are often taken for granted and not looked after as well as they could be.

Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your technology and to maximise the useful lifespan of your computers.

  • Ensure that software security updates are run as soon as possible after their release.
  • Ensure that devices are running on an up to date Operating System which is still supported by the provider.
  • Protect them from physical risk such as being knocked, or having liquids spilled on them.
  • Clean devices regularly with suitable equipment designed for this purpose. Excessive dust accumulation can hinder a computer’s airflow, impacting its performance.
  • Keep PCs and laptops out of direct sunlight or heat and ensure that there is adequate ventilation.
  • Keep your Desktop tidy. Remove files from the Desktop and save them in shared drives or in the Cloud. This greatly reduces the risk of losing data, which can happen if a file is only stored on the desktop and the device fails.
  • Consider which applications are installed on your computer. Reviewing this regularly can enable you to reduce the number of processes running in the background. This should help stop the device becoming slower and can also conserve battery power.
  • Run a Disk Cleanup to help keep your computer running smoothly. Doing this gets rid of unnecessary temporary files that take up storage space. It also removes unnecessary program files, which can help performance.

Keep a record of your devices and have a realistic replacement policy. Whilst there are obvious benefits (not least financially) in maximising the lifespan of your computers, there will come a point where old devices will fail, or will slow down to the point of hindering business efficiency.

The longevity of a device will depend on its specification, quality and the way it is used, but an average lifespan tends to be around 3-5 years for a laptop and slightly longer for a PC. It is therefore useful to keep a regularly-updated list which includes purchase dates, warranty expiration dates and expected renewal dates. This should minimise the risk of unexpected costs and help you to plan for replacing devices at appropriate points.

If you would like to discuss this in more detail or have any questions, please give us a call or complete our contact form here.