This is Bowler4Ever’s submission for the HP Magic Giveaway. Feel free to leave comments for this article as you see fit – your feedback is certainly welcomed! If you’d like to submit your own how-to, what-is, or top-five list, you can send it to me. Views and opinions of this writer are not necessarily my own:

1. Never put your notebook on a soft surface, such as your bed, a pile of clothes, or on your legs! A bed can “sink” a little when something like a notebook is on it, restricting air flow from the vent to the outside, which would cause your notebook to overheat and crash, possibly damaging components. Never put a notebook on your legs, either, because, over time, the notebook can get VERY hot and can potentially burn your legs.
2. Never do a “drop test” to see how durable your notebook is! The company who created your notebook computer has already done this several times, since they know that notebooks already get bounced and banged around enough as-is. Dropping your notebook even from a small height can prove “deadly” to your hard drive, or other parts of your computer, which could render it useless; and the repairs will come out of your own pocket, no matter what kind of warranty you have on it.
3. Never leave it on continuously for over 2 days straight, even on a powerful notebook. Again, notebooks can get very hot, causing overheating to occur. Not only that, but you are also wasting electricity. What I recommend is getting some sort of timer that automatically puts your machine into a sleep mode, or even shut it down at a certain time. One program I recommend for Windows users is PC Shutdown Pro. Basically, what this program does is you set up a time and day of when you want your computer to shut down, sleep, hibernate, log off, stand by, or lock down. It also gives you the option of cleaning out unnecessary files before the computer boots down, so when you reboot the system, it will boot up quicker, because there’s no junk in the drive. So, you set it and forget it! Then, the next time you go on the computer, just push the power button and you’re ready to go!
4. If you have this option, get the computer’s innards cleaned out by a professional!!! Countless notebook users attempt to clean out their computer hardware manually (myself included) and all I did was crack the casing and nearly broke some of the parts. If you have a warranty, check out what is included in it, as some manufacturers, such as Apple’s AppleCare Program, have an included cleaning program, as well as a virus check and removal for free! So, talk to your computer manufacturer about your warranties and ask if this is included. It could save you some time, a lot of money, and perhaps even your notebook computer.
5. Don’t spill your drinks! If you’re at a cafe or at home and you have a drink nearby and your spill it and it lands all over your notebook, power it off immediately! Take the AC adapter out (as well as the battery), get a cloth or paper towels and get as much liquid out as you can. Then, turn the computer over and let the rest of the liquid drip out for about 24 hours. During this process you should call your computer manufacturer and let them know what happened and if there is any way you can salvage it without much damage, such as a fried motherboard or rusted parts. Don’t be surprised if they ask you to send it in so they can look at it and make the necessary repairs.

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