The PC Doctor's Fix-it-Yourself Guide- P3: A technical director for a UK-based computer company who teaches such courses as Caring for Your PC has developed prescriptions for treating sick PCs. Arguing the benefits of fixing it yourself rather than relying on experts, his mission is to empower users with trouble- shooting and safe repair skills. | Introduction XIX This is simply not true The modem PC is without a doubt the single most complex piece of equipment that people have in their homes. If you don t believe me try finding something in your home that has more buttons and keys on it and is anywhere near as versatile. This added complexity means that it needs more after-sales care than your stereo or TV or even your car. Your new personal computer system will come with a warranty covering defects in parts but it s important to bear in mind that this warranty is limited usually 12 months and I assume that you want your computer to last longer than that PC DOCTOR S ORDER Be clear about what sort of warranty your system comes with. Does your warranty mean that you have to get your system back to the store manufacturer or will they pick it up Or will they send an engineer out Do you get another computer while yours is being fixed Warranties where you end up footing the bill to return a system can end up costing you a lot of money. Even calling tech support lines can be expensive. It is beyond this warranty period that taking care of your system really pays off. However don t put off starting a good maintenance routine until your warranty is up. Still not convinced Well here is just a small list of simple things that can affect the performance and ease of use of your system that are easy to remedy as you will see shortly Dirt stuck in the mouse causing erratic pointer movement Dirty keyboard causing sticky keys Dust collecting on fans causing noise CD-ROM drives not reading discs properly due to dirt on the laser All of these are annoying. All are however easy to fix. To find out how keep reading. Protect Your Investment Why should you be interested in taking care of your new PC After all modem electronic devices are pretty reliable and when things go wrong you usually have a warranty to fall back on don t you XX The PC Doctor s Fix-It-Yourself Guide The first and most obvious reason for taking care of your .
