Most computers tend to become slow with the passage of time. This is mainly due to lack of maintenance. Like any other device that is used extensively, a computer requires regular updates to function fully.

A nicely kept computer works faster, is quite, breaks less, and provides more joy, entertainment and productivity to their users.

Here are seven tips to make your computer the way it way it was, when you first bought it, no matter how long ago that was.

1. Buy Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)

A UPS is basically a battery used to run the computer in case the electricity goes down. Moreover, they are also used to shield the computer from damage due to sudden surges or drops in the electricity supply, like during thunderstorms.

Depending on the brand and power, a UPS can keep computers working for several minutes up to several hours after the incident, preventing data loss or damage to components resulting from sudden failure.

2. Buy High-Quality Power Supply

It is extremely important to have a High-quality power supply to ensure the best health of your computer. Cheap supplies may claim to have great output, but they will handle only a fraction of that and die out ungracefully when you load it.

The best supplies also include a powerful fan, to keep the dust and heat away, possibly even with several speeds. They will also last much longer.

Try to buy a power supply that exceeds the theoretical maximum load of your machine by at least 30%, to avoid stress and wear. This means that if your CPU and GPU demand 300W at peak performance, you should go for 400W, at least.

3. When Purchasing A Computer, Buy Two Motherboards

Although it may sound weird, but it will surely help you in the long run. This is because the models of the Motherboard keep on changing and it is likely that one day, your motherboard will no longer be supported.

Thus if you can afford it, buy two motherboards and place the spare in an ESD bag. Then, place this package into an external, sealed bag, with vacuum lock if possible. Lastly, put the wrapped motherboard in a dry, cool place and pray that you will never have to use it .

4. Keep Dust Away By Using Lots Of Fans

Fans can be noisy, but they move air about, keeping your internals at a reasonable temperature, and removing dust from accumulating.

5. Redundancy

if you can afford it, then going for redundancy in as many things as possible may save you from a lot of trouble in the long run. Two motherboards have already been mentioned, but you may also want to consider two of everything. Two DVD burners in case one dies, two hard disks etc. Multiple devices extend your lifeline and increase your productivity and flexibility.

Most importantly, having multiple hard disks allow you to backup your data more efficiently and with a much greater level of survivability. Even if one of the hard disks dies, your personal, important stuff will be stored away safely.

6. Temperature Control

Computers are sensitive machines. In order to keep your hardware working, you have to maintain reasonable, and above all, steady temperatures inside your case. Extreme cold and heat is usually unhealthy for hardware components, whereas as Mid-range temperatures are the best.

Large fans at the front and the end of the case are a good idea. They will also keep dust away (tip 4). You may also want to consider special fans for hard disks.

7. Monthly Maintenance

Help your hardware to survive longer by helping your software. Faulty operating systems will often overload your CPU or hard disks by allocating resources inefficiently and racing after fragmented files.

If your operating system is working correctly, it will use less CPU and memory. And if the file system is in good shape, then you will see less hard disk activity.

Make it a routine to run defrag and chkdsk on a monthly bases. For windows, it works fine. It is a good way to improve performance and reduce hardware stress.

On Linux, disk integrity checks are often automatically enabled every X reboots. Still, you should keep updating your used space, CPU load, memory usage, and other parameters. This way, if anything goes wrong, you will be able to rectify it quickly, without inflicting undue stress on your operating system, and thus, your hardware.