TECH SPECIAL................... Your PC’s Health Kit

Your PC’s Health Kit  So you’ve gone out and bought that brand new computer with an HD webcam to Skype chat, and even that 2.1 speaker set for rumbling sound. But how do you protect this investment? Here’s some essential gear and accessories you’ll require to make sure your PC keeps running in peak condition and with minimum hiccups… UPS (UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER SUPPLY) If you’ve spent a bomb on your PC, it would help if you spent a couple of thousands to protect it from the effects of sudden power failure. Frequent cuts in electricity or its erratic supply to your computer could result in data loss, corruption of the operating system, and even hard drive failure. To avoid this, a UPS is recommended. These machines comprise a rechargeable battery, and in the case of electrical failures, the UPS switches to battery mode, giving you time to shut down your computer properly.     All UPSes come with a Volt-Amps (VA) rating that denotes its power output capacity. For most computers, a 600VA UPS should be enough. For higher-end gaming PCs, buy one with around 1,000 to 1,100VA.     Home UPSes give you power for between 10 and 30 minutes, enough for you to save what you’re working on. Choose a unit that meets your needs.     Also, some models come with features such as Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR) which protects your PC from voltage fluctuations, and also initiates a shutdown sequence when power is lost.     For home UPSes, you can consider brands like APC, Microtek, iBall and Zebronics, with models costing anything between 2,000 and 6,000. SPIKE BUSTERS/ SURGE PROTECTORS Most UPSes come with AVR which protects your PC from daily surges in electric power. These spikes can damage your computer by burning its wires or wearing down its components over time. But just in case, you don’t feel the need for a UPS, you will at least need to buy a spike/surge buster.     This device prevents the extra electrical current from flowing through your PC, while ensuring that it receives the normal voltage it requires to work. Surge protectors available in India comprise between four and eight plug points so you can connect multiple devices to it, including your phone and tablet chargers.     When buying, make sure you’re actually picking up a surge protector, rather than an extension strip/board that looks similar. The latter does not have a built-in fuse.     As far as possible, go in for a reputed brand from a trusted electronic/electrical store. Here, you can consider manufacturers such as Belkin, MX and Zebronics that could cost anything between 300 and 1,200. CLEAN-UP KIT Most of us don’t think twice about eating and drinking in the vicinity of our computers. Sometimes, we even spill beverages and drop crumbs that might slip between the gaps on our keyboard. Then, there are those times when we use these peripherals even when we’ve been suffering from a cold. Needless to say, our PCs soon become a hotbed of germs and bacteria. But the good news is that your keyboard and mouse can still come clean…     To sanitise your PC peripherals, you need to arm yourself with a generic cleaning kit that can be picked up from most computer and electronic super stores for as little as 50 to 150. This kit includes a cleaning solution, dusting brush and a microfibre cloth.     Alternatively, you could use ear buds to clean grime from hard-to-reach areas between the keys, and tweezers to fish out dirt particles from narrow spaces. You can use rubbing alcohol (an isopropyl alcohol solution, available at any chemist) to remove stubborn stains. It’s volatile, so it will dry immediately, making it a safer alternative to the water-and-mild detergent mix.     While cleaning displays, always spray the solution onto lint-free, soft cloth instead of applying it directly. Additionally, do not use a dry cloth, paper napkins or tissue paper as they tend to scratch the display.     Some touchscreens have a special coating to prevent smudging from fingerprints. For such displays, a microfibre cloth is all you need. PORTABLE APPS It is important to have an antivirus installed on your new computer. If you’re running Windows, you can use the free Microsoft Security Essentials. Alternatively, you download free versions from AVG, Avira and Panda Antivirus (ensure you’re running only one fully updated version on your PC at any point of time).     Additionally, create a quick-fix pen drive for your PC consisting of the following portable apps to scan, clean and optimise your system from the drive itself.     SpyBot (bit.ly/eIIDZi): Removes spyware and adware to keep your PC spic-and-span.     Defraggler (bit.ly/1gzTDYM): Optimises your hard drive’s performance by defragmenting files and folders.     CCleaner (bit.ly/3QtBWl): Purges your PC of junk like temporary internet files, unused registry entries, etc to free up space.     Create Synchronicity (bit.ly/PP4xVs): Schedules backups that syncs data between your PC and external storage device. WintoFlash (bit.ly/1gzW2ml): A tool that creates a bootable version of your Windows installation CD on a USB pen drive. EXTERNAL STORAGE Over time, your PC hard drive will hold a lot of your important data: family photos, medical records, banking details, resume, work and personal documents, and more. A hard drive failure could wipe out everything. Well, you should make it a habit to schedule backups and take them regularly. Set up a free cloud storage account – from services such as Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, Mega, Microsoft OneDrive, etc – for all your important documents and memories. Additionally, invest in an external hard drive. Most of these come with a backup utility that makes the process easier. In most cases, a portable one terabyte (1,024GB) hard drive should be sufficient. Here, you can consider models from Western Digital, Seagate, Adata, Toshiba, Transcend and Lacie. Depending on software features, drive capacity and ruggedness, these drives could put you back by anything between 3,500 and 10,000. ashutosh.desaiTL140330