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CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide

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fail on laptops, causing overheating and failure.

Protecting the Machine

Although prices continue to drop for basic laptops, a fully loaded system is

still pricey. To protect your investment, you’ll want to adhere to certain best

practices. You’ve already read tips in this chapter to deal with cleaning and

heat, so let’s look at the “portable” part of portable computers.

Tripping

Pay attention to where you run the power cord when you plug in a laptop.

One of the primary causes of laptop destruction is people tripping over the

power cord and knocking the laptop off of a desk. This is especially true if

you plug in at a public place such as a café or airport. Remember, the life you

save could be your portable’s!

Storage

If you aren’t going to use your portable for a while, storing it safely will go a

long way toward keeping it operable when you do power it up again. A

quality case is worth the extra few dollars—preferably one with ample

padding. Not only will this protect your system on a daily basis when

transporting it from home to office, but it will keep dust and pet hair away as

well. Also, protect from battery leakage, at least on devices with removable

batteries, by removing the battery if you plan to store the device for an

extended time. Regardless of whether the battery is removable or built in, it’s

a good idea to store the battery partially charged and top it up occasionally to

keep it from fully discharging.

Travel

If you travel with a laptop, guard against theft. If possible, use a case that

doesn’t look like a computer case. A well-padded backpack makes a great

travel bag for a laptop and appears less tempting to would-be thieves, though

some brands and styles of these are still quite obvious. Smaller portables can

often hide in less obvious bags. Don’t forget to pack any accessories you

might need, like modular devices, spare batteries, and AC adapters. Make

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