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There are a lot of things most people, even beginners, are aware of when it comes to computers: the circuit boards, which make up the majority of what computers are -- are solid state. That is, they have no moving parts. They are chips on a circuit board that do a lot of processing. Since they have no moving parts, what is there to maintain? An excellent question and I'm so glad you asked. Here, we will see some causes and, afterwards, means of prevention.

To offer just bits of information on the matter:

• When you feel the effects of static electricity (touching your finger to a door, for example), you're feeling 3,000 volts of electricity course through you. That may sound extreme, but imagine if the burst of electricity didn't stop. Hurts enough for that micro-second. Imagine a constant flow of that for 30 seconds? Yikes.
• It takes 30 volts to fry a chip on a circuit board. That's 1/100th the amount of a static electric discharge on a person.

Another very common source of a PC frying is poor voltage regulation. This could be due to a bad power supply or the current that runs through the plugin your computer is connected to. Your power supply needs approximately 110 volts. An outlet can have spikes and dips -- ranging from 100 volts to 115 -- that, over time, degrade your computer until it simply will not power up. It's one of the "silent killers" of the PC. The causes of spikes are many but include a lightning strike or someone working on power lines outside. In either situation, your computer does not even have to be powered on to be affected. Some parts of the motherboard still draw power when your computer is powered off. Since it is drawing power, it will also draw the surge. Keep in mind, the data on your hard drive can also be lost in a split second with one of these strikes. Say goodbye to everything you've saved, unless you have a backup.

Heat will inevitably cause damage to your computer in the same way that your car will stop working if it is overheated. This is important because there are a number of very simple ways the computer can become overheated, even in a room where the temperature seems normal.

Some may not take this seriously, but I would wager those are the same who would not create backups in case of the dreaded hard drive crash. To those who don't think your computer could just stop working some day, ask yourself to what extent you make certain your car doesn't overheat or run without oil. Some people pay thousands for their computer. Others may pay hundreds. The bottom line is: Why put your hard-earned money at risk when you can do so much with relatively little effort? Speaking of what you can do...

There isn't much you can do about lightning strikes or maintenance workers who work on the power lines; however, what you can do is purchase something any number of electronic devices in your home can use: a surge protector. You can buy surge protectors that are also power bars, so this isn't another expense just to suit one purpose. If you find your lines are a bit flakey (usually those who are on the outskirts of the city or right in the country are affected by this), purchase a surge protector that also has a line conditioner. You will love these things. They keep that crazy spiking and dipping voltage at a reasonable constant. They condition the line so your computer isn't pummelled with the electric chaos. I will say that you pretty much get what you pay for when it comes to these products. You don't have to spend hundreds of dollars for one, but keeping the price below $30 for this kind of purchase is playing electric roulette. Nasty business, that.

While heat is a passive presence, it can build up to extraordinary levels inside your computer; enough to fry your CPU. This is where the moving parts of a computer come in. What causes heat are things such as worn out -- or simply poorly made -- CPU fans or a computer that is in a tight spot with very little airflow. When it comes to computers, airflow is your friend. Back in November of '04, you read about how computers went from using vacuum tubes to transistors. Keep in mind there are millions of transistors on a tiny 2 inch-square area. They create a lot of heat in themselves, so there is a real need to disperse the heat. This is done with a combination of heat sinks and CPU fans. It's not necessarily important for you to know the ins and outs and best brands of CPU fans. What is important is that when you take your CPU in for your yearly cleaning, make certain you see what the state of your CPU fan is. CPU fans can be as cheap as $20 to replace. You can also go crazy and spend over $100, but I can honestly say I've never even considered that. There are audiophiles and computerphiles; the $100 CPU fan purchase can be attributed to the latter. Of course, make certain the person who is giving you their opinion on the CPU fan has a reputable background. Anyone can say, "Time for a new CPU fan." so it's important to trust them, just as we stick to the mechanics we trust -- with good reason.

Lastly, moving your computer around can be, unless you're very careful, risky business. Parts inside can come loose and it may seem like your computer is dead until you re-seat everything (if you don't know what that means, it means a trip to the repair shop). If your computer is powered on while you move it, you're risking damage. Keep in mind that your hard drive, the device that stores your data, is constantly spinning. The typical hard drive spins at 7,200 rotations per minute -- 120 times per second. If the drive is thrown off balance suddenly, the read/write heads can crash, thus crashing your drive. Listen... that is a SCARY sound when you hear clunking and tinking coming from inside your hard drive. It means death to data. So when you move your computer, have it powered off and unplugged and be very careful when moving it. These things are expensive and just because they look friendly when the desktop starts doesn't mean they're going to remain faithful to you when they're jostled around. Once more: Be very careful when moving your computer.

There are a myriad of other factors that could cause the demise of your system, but these are the ones that are critical in day to day operation. For example, if you over-clock your CPU, you take a chance of over-heating it; if you open up your computer and take out the power cable from your hard drive while the computer is powered on, you might as well drop it in front of a semi. So, apply common sense if you decide to do some poking around inside. If you invest the little time that is needed to take care of your system in the manners listed above, the chances of your computer parting this electronic plane are greatly reduced.

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Next week, instead of one grand topic, we'll have a number of tips and notices that will be sure to be of interest to almost everyone. From various tips to the latest bits of software, I'm getting pumped just thinking about it!

If you have any comments, questions or concerns about this newsletter, feel free to e-mail me at sean@beggs.ca.