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PCs
and power problems
Power problems in-clude line noise, surges, brownouts and blackouts.
When power problems strike, they can cause permanent damage either
to your equipment or your data. The only way to deal with power
problems is to prevent them from happening in the first place. Here
are some steps you can take to reduce the chances of power problems
in your PC:
Use power protection devices
There are many different types of devices in the market
that can be used to protect against power problems; these include
surge suppressors, line conditioners and Uninterruptible Power Supplies
(UPS). Some are much better than others, and thus cost much more.
You need to decide how much protection you need based on what you
can afford and what you are willing to risk, along with what the
power system is like where you live. But whatever you decide, you
need to do something. Just plugging in the PC into the wall socket
is asking for trouble.
Check protection devices regularly
At least once a year, you should inspect your power protection
devices to make sure that they are functioning as they should. Most
good ones will have a signalling light to tell you whether they
are protecting your equipment properly, but it is only of use if
you pay attention to it!
Don’t cut corners with power
Some people like to do things like snipping off the grounding
plug on their PC’s power cable so they can make use of a two-pronged
extension cord. Here again, you are asking for trouble if you do
this sort of thing, and it isn’t just your computer you are
risking.
Use dedicated circuits if possible
Putting the computer on its own power circuit, so it isn’t
sharing the power with your air conditioner, floor polisher and
vacuum cleaner, greatly improves the power quality and insulates
the PC from power sags when these devices are turned on. It also
reduces electromagnetic interference from these devices that might
be carried over the power line.
Turn off power during a blackout
When the power comes back on after a power failure, the
signal can initially be inconsistent, which can make things more
difficult for your power supply. There are also false starts, where
the power comes on and goes again, during storms. If you have a
blackout, turn off your equipment so you can control it when it
comes back on. Turn the PC on once you feel the power has returned
and is stabilized.
Turn off and disconnect the power cord during an electrical storm
This is a simple precaution that protects your system
from possible problems during a thunderstorm (it isn’t as
important if you are using a UPS). You should always wait at least
30 seconds after turning off the system power before turning it
back on. This gives components such as hard disks a chance to settle
before they are asked to spin again.
Watch
out next week for some useful tips on how to protect your computer
from data loss and viruses. Till then keep those email rolling in.
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