Despite the planned obsolescence in a computer, it starts with its motherboard and even if some manufacturers are very clever to go through the box from time to time, there are phenomena that can damage our motherboard that are not inevitable and that, therefore, a solution can be provided and these are much simpler than you can imagine, as they will not cost you money, only time and proper maintenance.
For this reason, we have compiled the most common problems that usually damage the motherboard and can be avoided by the user himself, and, therefore, are not planned obsolescence by the motherboard manufacturer, but rather due to a lack of optimal maintenance.
Short circuits on the motherboard
Short circuits are much more frequent than we think and in this case we cannot blame the manufacturers, but it is us the users who, by abusing it, end up causing said problem. What are the causes ? If we like to assemble and disassemble components inside our equipment, one of the greatest dangers is the screws that fall during assembly, which if they fall on a chip of the motherboard will cause a short circuit, at the same title as any other metal object.
Although due to the vertical arrangement of the base plate, we can assume that it is impossible for a screw to stay on it, but we must bear in mind that the base plate is not a surface completely plane. Since this is not the case, a loose screw can lodge against any component on the motherboard and cause a short circuit. Let’s also not forget that hardware updates can also be performed on a laptop and in this case the card itself is in a horizontal layout.
This is why we suggest that you, in order to avoid these problems, check before closing the box that there are no loose screws or other metal objects inside the box. We know there is often anxiety about trying out a new component, however, take the opportunity to leave your motherboard clean or it may be damaged.
power surges
Another enemy of motherboards are power surges in our power grid. If we have a poor quality power supply, and the electrical current network where we live is not very good, it is quite possible that in the event of a power surge, our motherboard will be damaged. Unfortunately, many computers pre-built to offer low prices end up saving on a quality power supply.
Our recommendation is that if you have a poor quality power supply that does not have surge protection, before your motherboard is damaged, we recommend that you purchase a power supply with surge support. Trust us that in time you will thank us for this recommendation.
In case you live in an area where voltage changes are constant and we want a higher level of security, then we can opt for an inverter with line output voltage regulation. This type of UPS has the form of a traditional power strip, but incorporates an internal battery and a voltage regulator. They have the advantage of being able to connect several of our electronic components to them, the safety of which we want to preserve.
Dirty ventilation holes
If you want a reason not to buy an AIO laptop or desktop that cannot be opened, here we will give you the solution. It’s not just about being able to expand things like memory or installing an NVMe SSD, but also about cleaning it inside to prevent dust from clogging the air outlet
The fact that a plate is deformed by heat is disastrous, as this not only breaks the copper rails for communication and power between components, but can also destroy component pins soldered to the board and send to fret all laptop or desktop AIO motherboard. The consequences of this problem are disastrous and will end up throwing the whole computer in the trash (unless another one is found second hand, of course) and have to buy a new one.
Therefore, it is essential to keep the ventilation grilles of our laptop clean to ensure its long life. Therefore, we recommend that you open it periodically to clean it with compressed air spray and a dust cloth. Whether you’re using a laptop, tower desktop, or AIO, we recommend keeping the area where you play with the PC as clean as possible. It is important to prevent unwanted objects from falling into it.
