Spring Your Computer Back To Life

Spring Your Computer Back To Life

Get That Computer Back Up To Speed with Spring Cleaning Technology Tips From The Experts at Crucial.com

BOISE, Idaho--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- It is the time of the year when the weather begins to warm, bears return from hibernation, birds fly north, and dreary winter scenes transform into colorful springtime sights. Of course, while Mother Nature goes through her own annual rejuvenation, the rest of us celebrate spring's arrival by rejuvenating our floors, walls, windows and reorganizing our closets, garages, and basements. Before declaring the spring-cleaning ritual officially complete, the memory and storage experts at Crucial.com suggest it is also the perfect time to give your computer a seasonal refresh. Here are a few spring-cleaning technology tips that will infuse your computer with new life, and give you one less thing to worry about this year.

Back Up Your Data

A crash or system error will happen when you least expect it, so be prepared for the inevitable by backing up photos, files and important data. Most Mac® and Windows® operating systems have a built-in back-up mode that will automatically sync computer data to an external storage drive or to an online storage service when the function is turned on. It's an easy process that will save you a lot of stress and aggravation when your computer's hard drive fails. While you're at it, you may also want to consider upgrading your current hard drive with a more efficient and reliable solid state drive (SSD). Its durability, faster performance, and light weight, have made SSDs an increasingly popular alternative to traditional hard drives.

Declutter and Update

Make sure both your operating system and applications are all up to date with the most current available versions. Also, make sure to remove unused programs by utilizing the add/remove programs tool located in the control panel of Windows operating systems, or on a Mac computer by dragging the application to the trash.

Enhance Your Security

Ensure your antivirus software is up to date with the most recent virus definitions. Consider running spyware software as well. Take the time to do a password audit on all of your online accounts and ensure that the passwords are unique and secure for each one. Also, while you are at it, consider using a password management app for your smartphone.

Upgrade the Memory

There are a number of simple hardware upgrades that can sometimes make a system perform better than when it was new. For example, adding more internal memory (RAM) is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve a computer's performance. When a computer does not have enough internal memory to properly run programs, it becomes slow and unresponsive as it struggles with limited resources. Installing computer memory is a fairly simple process that requires no special tools or skills. Just go to Crucial.com and run the free System Scanner tool or use the Crucial Memory Advisor™ tool to find the right memory upgrade for your system.

Hardware Wash

For some, the keyboard and mouse double as napkins for collecting crumbs, skin oils, and of course, germs. Clean the keyboard and mouse with a disinfectant wipe. Dip a soft rag into a mild soap and water solution and wipe down the monitor's LCD screen. Do not use a household glass cleaner as the harsh chemicals could damage the LCD screen. Never spray anything directly onto any part of the computer, and always make sure to unplug the computer before beginning the cleaning process.

Blow It Out

Over time, the inside of your computer will accumulate a "blanket" of dust, which may result in a temperature rise inside your computer case. Open your computer case and blow out the dust using a canister of compressed air. Be sure to blow air through all fans in order to thoroughly clean them.

For more information on restoring your computer's performance visit www.crucial.com, follow Crucial.com on Twitter at @CrucialMemory, "LIKE" Crucial at www.facebook.com/CrucialMemory, and subscribe to Crucial.com videos at www.youtube.com/crucialmemory.

About Crucial.com

Crucial.com is a leading online retailer specializing in computer memory (RAM) upgrades and solid state drives (SSDs), and is an online destination of Micron Technology, Inc., one of the world's leading manufacturers of computer memory products. Crucial.com offers more than 250,000 upgrades for nearly every computer system: home and business, old and new, PC and Mac® computers. Utilizing a suite of easy-to-use, free online tools, including the Crucial® System Scanner and the Crucial Memory Advisor™ tools, consumers are able to quickly assess, select, and purchase compatible memory upgrades to restore computer performance, improve system reliability and increase productivity. For more information, visit www.crucial.com.

About Micron

Micron Technology, Inc. is one of the world's leading providers of advanced semiconductor solutions. Through its worldwide operations, Micron manufactures and markets a full range of DRAM, NAND and NOR flash memory, as well as other innovative memory technologies, packaging solutions and semiconductor systems for use in leading-edge computing, consumer, networking, embedded and mobile products. Micron's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ under the MU symbol. To learn more about Micron Technology, Inc., visit www.micron.com.

©2013 Micron Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Information is subject to change without notice. Crucial and the Crucial logo are trademarks of Micron Technology, Inc. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

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The Pollack PR Marketing Group
Will Ostedt/Stefan Pollack
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wostedt@ppmgcorp.com
spollack@ppmgcorp.com

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