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5 easy PC maintenance tasks that keep your system running like new
5 easy PC maintenance tasks that keep your system running like new
No matter how high-end, your build will eventually start feeling sluggish due to one reason or another. It could be in the form of storage slowdown, thermal throttling, RAM leakage, or missing updates. Building a PC is just the beginning; keeping it new over the course of its lifetime is also important. It needs regular maintenance to avoid junk files, dust, and overheating from bottlenecking performance. The best part is that PC maintenance isn't difficult or time-consuming. You just need to take out a few minutes now and then for a handful of upkeep tasks. Your PC will reward you with peak performance, low noise levels & thermals, and up-to-date functionality in return, for years to come.
Deep cleaning to keep your tower dust-free
Do it sooner rather than later
Dust has a bad habit of getting everywhere. It's nearly impossible to keep your PC dust-free — it could take months instead of weeks, but it'll eventually get there. Your PC is constantly pulling in air via the intake fans, and dust is the unwelcome passenger. Depending on your case airflow configuration, the amount of dust that settles inside can vary, but every PC will get visibly dirty, given enough time. Now, this isn't an issue of esthetics alone. Sure, dust makes your pristine build look old and worn down, but it also impedes airflow. If your fans are caked with dust, they are forced to spin faster to pull in the same amount of air. In the worst cases, they're still unable to keep your components from overheating, leading to performance throttling. Plus, the elevated noise levels quickly become annoying.
All you need to avoid dust from killing your PC's performance is to give it a deep clean every 3 to 6 months, depending on the dust situation in your surroundings. Cleaning your fans, heatsinks, and radiators regularly will prevent them from becoming severely clogged, bypassing overheating before it becomes a problem. If you let the dust accumulate over long periods, it'll not only hamper airflow and performance, but also make your job harder when you finally find the time to clean the tower.
Deleting junk files to avoid SSD slowdown
Your drive needs some space
Your SSD needs some breathing room to perform optimally. The controller inside it erases partially filled cells by relocating data when it needs empty cells to write incoming data. This process is called garbage collection, and it runs efficiently only when the drive has plenty of empty cells and only a few partially filled cells. The more you fill your SSD, the fewer empty cells the controller has access to, and the more work it needs to do to erase partially filled cells to make them ready. This is the reason why your SSD feels slower with time— the shrinking space makes garbage collection harder. The pending write operations are delayed as the controller takes more time to clear cells with existing data.
As a result, the unnecessary write operations also cause "write amplification," reducing the lifespan of the drive. This is why it's recommended to keep around 10-15% of your SSD's available space free to ensure optimal garbage collection. You can use a program like WizTree to reveal what's hogging space on your SSD. Storage Sense on Windows can also help delete junk files automatically. You can also use an SSD with DRAM cache to make it easier for the controller to keep track of empty and filled cells on the drive.
Keeping an eye out for overheating components
It only takes a few seconds
I mentioned that excess dust can cause overheating inside your PC, but it's not the only possible culprit. Your CPU, GPU, and storage can experience unusually high temperatures even if your PC is dust-free. That's why it's imperative to monitor your system temperatures once a month or every two months to confirm that no component is overheating. Your CPU's fan curve might be too lenient, causing it to hover needlessly close to its throttling temperature. Your graphics card's overclock might be making it too hot for your PC's cooling capabilities. Even your high-end SSD could be throttling more than you think, especially if it's a Gen5 NVMe drive.
Observing your component temperatures gives you the insight you need to take corrective measures. If you ignore overheating hardware or stay unaware for years, it could seriously reduce your PC's lifespan. Excess heat isn't friendly to PC components, so the cooler your hardware runs, the better. Of course, you don't need to obsess over high temperatures, but thermal throttling is different from in-spec behavior. The former can age your PC faster than you expect, which might catch you unawares one fine day.
Shutting your PC down occasionally
Your machine needs a power cycle
This might sound inconvenient to fans of Sleep mode, but turning off your PC once in a while avoids unexplained slowdowns and weird instability issues. Using your system without a proper shutdown for weeks on end prevents Windows from releasing system resources properly, leading to memory leaks and a lack of sufficient resources. Another downside of prolonged Sleep mode usage is driver conflicts. And you could also run into problems created by improperly installed Windows updates that require a restart to complete. Turning your PC off once every 15 days is a small price to pay to keep your system running smoothly. Besides, most web browsers restore your active tabs after a restart, and Windows can re-launch background programs in a few seconds.
Not ignoring crucial BIOS updates
Stop delaying firmware updates
I know how scary BIOS updates can be, but perhaps it's time to leave those fears in the past. Modern motherboards make it extremely hard to brick your PC with a failed BIOS/UEFI update. You either have BIOS flashback or dual BIOS on your board, either of which can revive your system even if a BIOS update fails for some reason. Hence, delaying BIOS updates is no longer excusable, since you're potentially missing out on new features, stability improvements, and critical security patches. You don't need to update to every single BIOS version released by your motherboard manufacturer, but it's worth checking in once every six months or so.
You can check the release notes to understand how the BIOS update could affect your PC. In case you're worried about bugs or instability, check Reddit and other forums for first-hand accounts from people who went ahead with the update. If all seems fine and the particular BIOS version promises stability or security improvements in the update notes, you can go ahead and update your machine.
PC maintenance doesn't have to be hard
Spending a few minutes on PC upkeep now and then is a small ask, considering what you're getting in return. Ensuring your PC remains cool, dust-free, updated, and free from junk files can extend its lifespan and allow you to enjoy peak performance for longer. Every piece of hardware has to age someday, but you can do your best to delay that day significantly. After all, maintaining a machine you lovingly built should come naturally, right?
