204Chapter 13: Maintaining Your Computerwww.gateway.comCaring for your computerTo extend the life of your system:■ Be careful not to bump or drop your computer, and do not put any objectson top of it. The case, although strong, is not made to support extra weight.■ When transporting your computer, we recommend that you put it in acarrying case.■ Keep diskettes and your computer away from magnetic fields. Magneticfields can erase data on both diskettes and hard drives.■ Never turn off your computer when the hard drive light is on because dataon the hard drive could be lost or corrupted.■ Avoid subjecting your computer to extreme temperature changes. The caseand LCD panel can become brittle and easy to break in cold temperaturesand can melt or warp in high temperatures. Damage due to either extremeis not covered by your warranty. As a general rule, your computer is safestat temperatures that are comfortable for you.■ Keep all liquids away from your computer. When spilled onto computercomponents, almost any liquid can result in extremely expensive repairsthat are not covered under your warranty.■ Avoid dusty or dirty work environments. Dust and dirt can clog theinternal mechanisms.Use the following table to set up a regular maintenance schedule.Maintenance task Immediatelyafter purchaseMonthly When needed See...Create an emergency diskette X page 206Check for viruses X X page 208Manage hard drive space X page 211Clean up hard drives X X page 212Scan hard drive for errors X X page 213Defragment hard drive X X page 215Back up files X X page 217
