CompTIA A_ Certification All-In-One Exam Guide, Seventh Edition - Michael Meyers [375]
Windows Vista’s built-in power schemes are similar to Windows XP, though you can better control power utilization by customizing a Balanced, Power saver, or High performance power plan (Figure 21-32). You can customize a power saver plan for your laptop, for example, and configure it to turn off the display at a certain time interval while on battery or plugged in and configure it to put the computer to sleep as desired (Figure 21-33).
Figure 21-30 CMOS with ACPI setup option
Figure 21-31 The Windows XP Power Options applet’s Power Schemes tab
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NOTE In Windows XP you can also access your power options by right-clicking on the desktop, selecting Properties, and then clicking the Power button in the Monitor power section of the Screen Saver tab. In Windows Vista, right-click the Desktop, select Personalize, select Screen Saver, and then click on the Change power settings link.
Figure 21-32 Windows Vista Balanced, Power saver, or High performance power plans
Another feature, Hibernate mode, takes everything in active memory and stores it on the hard drive just before the system powers down. When the PC comes out of hibernation, Windows reloads all the files and applications into RAM. Figure 21-34 shows the Power Options Properties applet in Windows XP.
Cleaning
Most portable PCs take substantially more abuse than a corresponding desktop model. Constant handling, travel, airport food on the run, and so on can radically shorten the life of a portable if you don’t take action. One of the most important things you should do is clean the laptop regularly. Use an appropriate screen cleaner (not a glass cleaner!) to remove fingerprints and dust from the fragile LCD panel. (Refer to Chapter 19, “Video,” for specifics.)
If you’ve had the laptop in a smoky or dusty environment, try compressed air for cleaning. Compressed air works great for blowing out the dust and crumbs from the keyboard and for keeping PC Card sockets clear. Don’t use water on your keyboard! Even a minor amount of moisture inside the portable can toast a component.
Figure 21-33 Customizing a laptop power plan in Windows Vista
Figure 21-34 Windows XP hibernation settings in the Power Options applet
Heat
To manage and maintain a healthy portable PC, you need to deal with issues of heat. Every portable has a stack of electronic components crammed into a very small space. Unlike their desktop brethren, portables don’t have lots of freely moving air space that enables fans to cool everything down. Even with lots of low-power-consumption devices inside, portable PCs crank out a good deal of heat. Excessive heat can cause system lockups and hardware failures, so you should handle the issue wisely. Try this as a starter guide:
Use power management, even if you’re plugged into the AC outlet. This is especially important if you’re working in a warm (more than 80 degrees Fahrenheit) room.
Keep air space between the bottom of the laptop and the surface on which it rests. Putting a laptop on a soft surface, such as a pillow on your lap, creates a great heat-retention system—not a good thing! Always use a hard, flat surface.
Don’t use a keyboard protector for extended amounts of time.
Listen to your fan, assuming the laptop has one. If it’s often running very fast—you can tell by the high-pitched whirring sound—examine your power management settings and your environment, and change whatever is causing heat retention.
Speaking of fans, be alert to a fan that suddenly goes silent. Fans do fail on laptops, causing