That beverage next to your laptop is more dangerous to your computer than any hacker. Your own hands have more potential to harm your own computer than any outside force. We expect our laptops and computers to be bulletproof, but there is one factor that even the best technology cannot withstand: human error. In many ways, we set up our own computers for hard drive failure with preventable accidents. We humans are careless, and we are constantly repeating the same mistakes.
1. Leaving Your Laptop on The Floor
Some of us treat laptops the same way we do our clothes; we put it on the floor until we want to use it later. This would be fine if it wasn't under your feet—and the dog's feet. A particularly bad place to put a laptop is next to a lazy boy or rocking chair. Not only will you crush the screen, but potentially damage your hard drive. In other words, keep your laptop safely put away, and never leave it on the floor.
2. Dropping Your Laptop
We sling our laptops with us wherever we go. We take them to work, to school, and back home again. Dropping a computer isn't surprising—it's the damage that surprises us. When you drop your computer, you risk a "head crash." However, when your computer is still running is when the worst damage occurs. The drop could jar the read-write head to "crash" into the platter, stripping data. A head-crash could permanently corrupt hard drive data. So carry your computer carefully. To avoid disaster, it's best to not move around too much while the computer is running.
3. From Spills to Bathtubs
Many bloggers, students, and business professionals have made this mistake—spilling beverages onto their computers. Spilling soda or hot drinks are typically more damaging, but any kind of liquid can cause your computer significant damage. Your hard drive isn't water proof. You'll literally drown your data.
On occasion, a computer addict would accidently dump their computer into the bathtub. Surfing the web while taking a luxurious bath? There's nothing more soothing.
This is a really bad idea. Not only will you kill your computer, but you may hurt yourself. It may not be tossing a toaster in there with you, but it's still an electrical object, in water. In other words, keep it away from water.
4. Overheating
It's tempting to take our laptops to bed with us, but smothering the vent and fan in your sheets is guaranteed to lead to an overheating computer. The hard drive's temperature should not exceed 120 Fahrenheit. By laying your laptop on fabric, your computer's temperature will spike above the critical line, and you will be one-step closer to a dying hard drive.
These mistakes are obvious. We all know we shouldn't have water next to our laptops, and we know that we shouldn't play on Facebook while we're in bed. But perhaps being more aware of these possible mishaps will help you prevent your own disasters.
