The specialist named ways to prepare a home computer for the new academic year

As autumn approaches, many families are faced with the need to upgrade their home computers for educational tasks. However, a drastic replacement of the device is not always required — often a competent upgrade is enough. Artem Pishchulin, brand communications manager for the Russian computer equipment manufacturer iRU, told Izvestia on August 28.

"The fact that the computer can not cope with the load is evidenced by obvious signs: long loading, slowing down when working with simple programs, freezes during video calls or slow browser response. For devices older than five or six years with a hard disk drive (HDD), even a basic upgrade will give a noticeable acceleration," he said.

The expert calls replacing the HDD with an SSD one of the most effective updates — many users can perform this upgrade on their own. It is also relatively easy to install additional RAM if there is a free slot. However, with compact systems such as nettops and monoblocks, you should be careful: in some models, access to the components is difficult and disassembly requires professional skills. In such cases, it is better to contact the service to avoid damage to fragile parts.

Study code: Russians are buying gadgets by September 1st

What devices do schoolchildren and students purchase?

A common problem with older computers is overheating and noise. As Pishchulin notes, this is usually due to a dust-clogged cooling system or dried thermal paste. You can start with home prevention — careful cleaning of ventilation grilles with compressed air. If the device continues to overheat or turns off spontaneously, a complete disassembly and replacement of the thermal interfaces will be required, which is better to entrust to specialists.

"Software training is equally important: before the school year, it is worth updating the operating system, device drivers, as well as application software — office suites, browsers, and VCS applications. Before large—scale updates, it is recommended to create a backup copy of important data," the specialist added.

To optimize performance, it is useful to clean the startup, delete unnecessary programs and temporary files, and check the condition of the drive using specialized utilities.

The final stage of preparation should be a comprehensive technical inspection: checking the laptop battery, diagnosing the cooling system and assessing the wear of components. Even in the absence of obvious problems, annual maintenance in the service will help identify weaknesses in advance and prolong the life of the device, saving on the purchase of new equipment.

On August 26, it was reported that it was advisable for children to start talking about school about two weeks before the school year. Three types of readiness are important for a first—grader: cognitive - knowledge of letters and numbers, emotional—volitional — the ability to manage emotions and desires, as well as social - the ability to be among peers.

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