System Care and Operator/User Maintenance

relative humidity of 8 to 80 percent. However, we in the computer community try to keep all magnetic media within a temperature range of 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and a relative humidity of 30 to 60 percent. Generally speaking, a temperature and humidity in which you are comfortable will also be comfortable for diskettes. The users must also be made aware that they are to keep all types of magnetic media, including diskettes, at least one foot away from anything that generates a magnetic field. This includes magnets of any kind, such as those found in telephones, stereo speakers, and paper clip dispensers, as well as magnets on copyholders and inside of printers. It also includes motors, such as those found in portable fans and floor buffers and polishers. System Care and Operator/User Maintenance The fact that microcomputer systems are small and out in the workspaces doesn’t mean they don’t need operator maintenance. They do. Dirt accumulates on diskettes, disk drives, printers, display screens, and keyboards. Static electricity can also be a major problem, especially in areas where humidity is low. Keep your system as clean as possible. One way to do this is by using dust covers. This, of course, only protects the system when it is not in use. You will still need to clean the components on a regular basis. Clean the floppy disk drive heads with a head cleaning diskette. It is easy to do. Read the directions that come with the head cleaning kit. They may have you put fluid on the cleaning diskette. Then you insert the cleaning diskette in the drive and activate (lower) the heads for a few seconds. This helps reduce service calls, and you are less likely to lose data. How often you will need to do this will depend on how much the system is used and whether the area is very dusty and smokey. Some floppy disk drive manufacturers recommend cleaning the heads no more than twice a year. As your subject matter experts (SMEs), we recommend cleaning the heads after 40 to 50 hours of actual use. To clean keyboards, you can use specially angled swabs with cleaning solution, and/or a portable vacuum that has special attachments to reach between keys. Vacuums of this type usually have dual-filter systems to keep from blowing dust and dirt back into the room. Ultra soft, thin bristle brushes are also available for cleaning keyboards. We do not recommend you use 2-30 low-pressure air or canned air (a harmless gas under pressure), as this cleaning method has a tendency to blow dust and dirt into cracks, crevices, and electrical components that could eventually cause you problems. The display screen needs routine cleaning. A dirty screen can be hard to read and may contribute to headaches and fatigue. You will be able to see the dirt, dust, and smoke buildup on the screen. The dust can cause static electricity that may result in lost data. You may use a liquid video spray cleaner, but do NOT spray it on the screen. Spray it on a lint-free nonabrasive cloth. A word of caution. Many commercial cleaning solvents contain alcohol and other flammable agents. If your display screen is on (energized) when it is cleaned with one of these flammable fluids, combustion can occur. An energized display screen can discharge quite a bit of static electricity-—a sufficient amount to ignite alcohol. So, if you intend to clean your screen, turn the monitor OFF first. Also available are wet/dry towelettes. These are convenient to use because the cleaning solution is normally premeasured and they come in individual packets. To reduce static electricity, special antistatic sprays are available, or you can use antistatic pads or mats. Some cleaning solutions include antistatic chemicals. An antistatic filter for the display screen is another way to reduce static buildup. Antistatic dust covers may also help when the system is not being used. Printers create their own bits of paper and dust. To clean the printer, use a vacuum designed to clean computer components. These vacuums are usually portable, have a dual filtering system, and can clean in small, hard to get places. Cleaning solutions and specially shaped brushes are available for cleaning platens. For cleaning the print heads, you can feed a specially designed print sheet cleaner through the printer just like you feed continuous-form paper. Laser printers have special cleaning requirements. You use dry lint-free clothes to wipe any residue of surfaces and a cleaning brush to clean the antistatic teeth. Operator/user maintenance is important for effective operation of computer systems. It helps prevent data loss and will increase the life of the computer system and its components. Establish schedule for routine operator/user maintenance. a