In the era of digital technology, it is very important to own a computer, laptop, and just a touchscreen smartphone. However, not everyone is ready to take specialized courses, so they try to master the technique on their own.
How to choose a laptop
Before you buy a laptop, you should decide on the goals of the purchase. And, of course, know how to use a laptop. For novice users, especially for the age category, this may seem rather complicated, but only at first.
So, how to choose the right laptop? Everything is simple, you need to combine your capabilities with your abilities:
- A very large price range, from "typewriters" to sophisticated gaming laptops.
- Initial possession skills and purpose (games, internet, work, etc.).
- Manufacturing firm.
In general, it can be an inexpensive laptop for games and work (yes, there is such a combination), and it can be expensive, but imprisoned for certain purposes. In general, prices start at 12,000 and end with a figure 10-15 times higher than the original.
Turn on / off laptop
And now, the laptop is purchased. Now you need to figure out how to turn it on and off. On the bottom panel there is a power button - so the technique turns on. As for the shutdown, there are several ways, both regular and emergency. It may seem ridiculous, but it is from these very basics that the instruction “How to use a laptop for beginners” begins. After all, if the gadget is turned off incorrectly, then this can lead to disastrous consequences. Including a complete malfunction of the laptop.
So, the first way. You need to click the Start menu and select the option “Shutdown” there. Nothing more is required from the user, the system will do the rest (data storage, completion of all services, etc.).
The second way is to use the power button. This method is also suitable for the correct shutdown, just click on this button. And working with a laptop for beginners of the older generation may be easier in the second way.
The third way - generally elementary - you just need to close the lid of the laptop. Although only with the settings set (power off when closing) the equipment will turn off. By default, the sleep mode is usually set. The best way for those users who don’t know why laptops use the touchpad. Everything ingenious is simple, isn't it?
The fourth way is emergency if the laptop does not respond to any commands. You need to hold and hold the power button for a while. There is a caveat - after such a shutdown, there is a chance that some services will fail, so it should be used very rarely.
Battery Level Monitoring
Another important aspect of how to use a laptop for beginners. This technique is good in that it can be used without a stationary power source. This is due to the fact that each laptop is equipped with a battery. Naturally, it needs to be charged periodically, since the indicator on the lower task bar will notify you of the need for such a procedure.
It is recommended not to lower the battery charge below 20%, since in this situation the battery starts to work at the limit of capabilities, and laptop performance decreases. In general, experts recommend working from the network (if possible and comfortable), however, in this case, you need to disconnect the battery.
Self-installation of programs on a laptop
The initial "filling" of the laptop, of course, will not suit a single user. Almost always there is nothing on a newly acquired “laptop” except a set of standard programs. Everything else will have to be installed independently.
There are 3 main tips on how to properly install third-party programs:
- When you run the installer, you should carefully read everything that is written. Yes, it very often happens that when you install any software with it, a bunch of unnecessary programs are downloaded to the laptop. In this case, during the installation wizard, you need to disable the additional download options.
- You should be careful about the sites from which the programs are downloaded. When installing software from unknown sources, there is a risk of infecting your laptop with viruses. Training for beginners to install programs begins with the aspects of anti-virus control, as well as the search for trusted sites.
- Save space on your hard drive. If you completely fill the hard drive with data, then there is a possibility that the performance and speed of the laptop will drop several times.
Laptop safe operation
To prevent damage to the equipment, it is recommended to perform several actions. After all, if you know how to use a laptop, for beginners, over time, all actions will be perfected to automatism, and in the future you will not need any instructions and recommendations.
Action No. 1. The laptop needs a regular flow of air in order for the cooling system to function properly. Therefore, do not block the special ventilation holes located on the bottom of the laptop, as well as on the side of the bottom cover. Overheating of the “laptop” is fraught with equipment failure and a slowdown in its operation.
Action No. 2. Charge the battery for a limited amount of time, that is, until it is fully charged with a small margin. If you keep the laptop powered by the mains all the time, the reverse process may work - discharging the battery.
Action number 3. For the laptop to work properly, it is recommended to periodically clean it from dust. After all, it is dust that settles on the elements of the “laptop” that causes the entire system to overheat, and it may not be clear how to use the laptop further in normal mode. For beginners, the self-cleaning procedure may not be possible, so at first it is better to contact service centers.
Action number 4. It is recommended to keep away from the laptop all kinds of liquids and garbage - tea, coffee, drinks, crumbs, etc. Contamination of the keyboard will lead to oxidation of microcircuits and malfunctions.
Laptop antivirus protection
If there is Internet, then there is the likelihood of a laptop becoming infected with malware and viruses. Therefore, there are several recommendations on how to use a laptop on the Web.
- Install antivirus software. On technology, a program must be installed that protects the laptop from viruses.
- You should not go to all sites in a row, especially if there are suspicions of their reliability. There are a lot of scammers on the Internet who can take user data through the Web.
- There are viruses that even an antivirus program cannot handle. If there is a suspicion that the laptop has undergone a virus attack, and it is not possible to cope on its own, it is better to take the laptop to a repair shop, where specialists will fix all the problems.
Update laptop drivers
This is one of the most important and crucial moments to understand how to use a laptop for beginners in full force. In fact, a user who has learned how to independently update his technique goes from the category of beginners to amateurs. Figuratively, of course.
So, it’s better to update the drivers using additional software that scans the system and determines which drivers need updating. The best representative of this category is DriverPack Solution. There, the user can install the necessary updates in a few clicks.
Some laptop equipment (video card, motherboard) is updated automatically, as it is equipped with its own bootloader.
Possible problems with the laptop
Not always a laptop works perfectly. Malfunctions periodically arise, it happens that they are small and imperceptible, but there are global ones.
The unofficial instruction for working with a laptop for beginners has a list of the main problems in the operation of the equipment:
- Overheating device. It occurs due to dustiness, as well as due to the ingress of debris inside.
- Slow down work. There are only two options. Overheating equipment or the presence of viruses. It is solved both independently and with the help of masters.
- Inoperative equipment. Those users who do not know why instead of using a touchpad on laptops, get a computer mouse, for convenience. But it happens that the touchpad does not work due to unconfigured drivers. And not only this equipment, similarly, the video card, sound, and network adapter may not work. Therefore, you need to monitor the latest driver versions and periodically update them.
The main thing to remember is that you need to be careful about the technique and know the measure in its operation.
Laptop lock
Another aspect is the protection of the “laptop” from third-party penetration. Well, yes, there are situations when a person at work leaves the laptop turned on, and during his absence, someone rummaged in his data or ruined something.
Therefore, there is a way to protect the laptop from such actions - lock. Windows provides a credential policy by which the user creates his account with a username and password. There is an option “Block” in the start menu. After clicking it, you can enter the system back only if you enter the password for the account.
Creating such a record is very easy. The Control Panel has a menu called “User Accounts”, with the help of which protection is placed on the laptop.
Conclusion
In general, the ability to work on computer technology is a kind of art. And it is worth recognizing that it is very valuable today, since now most of the processes and services are computerized.
You can, of course, use the Internet services to learn to work on a laptop, to understand the basics, so to speak. You can even download a self-study guide on a laptop - this is necessary and useful. But to watch how someone else does it is one thing, but to perform a similar procedure yourself is another. But there will be much less mistakes when working with a laptop.