User Guide

7 Maintaining your computer
It is important to perform regular maintenance to keep your computer in optimal condition by using
tools like Disk Defragmenter and Disk Cleanup. This chapter also includes ways to update programs
and drivers, steps to clean the computer, and tips for traveling with (or shipping) the computer.
Improving performance
You can improve the performance of your computer by performing regular maintenance tasks with
tools such as Disk Defragmenter and Disk Cleanup.
Handling drives
Observe these precautions when handling drives:
●
Before removing or installing a drive, shut down the computer. If you are unsure whether the
computer is off, in the Sleep state, or in Hibernation, turn the computer on, and then shut it
down.
●
Before handling a drive, discharge static electricity by touching a grounded surface.
●
Do not touch the connector pins on a removable drive or on the computer.
●
Do not use excessive force when inserting a drive into a drive bay.
●
If a drive must be mailed, place the drive in a bubble-pack mailer or other suitable protective
packaging and label the package “FRAGILE.”
●
Avoid exposing a drive to magnetic fields. Security devices with magnetic fields include airport
walk-through devices and security wands. Airport conveyer belts and similar security devices
that check carry-on baggage use X-rays instead of magnetism and do not damage drives.
●
Remove media from a drive before removing the drive from the drive bay, or traveling with,
shipping, or storing a drive.
●
Do not type on the keyboard or move the computer while an optical drive is writing to a disc. The
write process is sensitive to vibration.
●
Before you move a computer that is connected to an external hard drive, initiate Sleep and allow
the screen to clear, or properly disconnect the external hard drive.
Using Disk Defragmenter
As you use your computer over time, the files on the hard drive become fragmented. A fragmented
drive means data on your drive is not contiguous (sequential) and, because of this, the hard drive
works harder to locate files, thus slowing down the computer. Disk Defragmenter consolidates (or
physically reorganizes) the fragmented files and folders on the hard drive so that the system can run
more efficiently.
NOTE: It is not necessary to run Disk Defragmenter on solid-state drives.
After you start Disk Defragmenter, it works without supervision. However, depending on the size of
your hard drive and the number of fragmented files, Disk Defragmenter may take more than an hour
to complete.
48 Chapter 7 Maintaining your computer