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You can clean a diskette, CD-ROM, or digital versatile disc read-only memory
(DVD-ROM) drive using a commercially available cleaning kit. These kits contain pre-
treated diskettes or a cleaning disc to remove contaminants that accumulate during
normal operation.
If the kit does not contain instructions, insert a pretreated diskette or a cleaning disc
into the drive and turn on the system. After 20 or 30 seconds, remove the diskette or
disc from the drive.
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A number of devices are available that protect against power problems, such as
power surges, transients, and power failures.
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Surge protectors prevent voltage spikes, which occur during electrical storms or fol-
lowing power interruptions, from entering a system through the AC power source.
There are various types, and they usually provide a level of protection commensurate
with their cost. Some also provide warranty coverage for certain types of damage.
Compare joule ratings to determine the relative effectiveness of different devices.
Most surge protectors do not protect against lightning strikes, so you should discon-
nect your computer when lightning is near.
Modems can also be damaged by power surges on telephone lines and should be dis-
connected during electrical storms. Many surge protectors have a phone jack for
modem protection.
Surge protectors do not offer protection against brownouts, which occur when the
voltage drops more than 20 percent below the normal AC line voltage level.
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Line conditioners keep a computer's AC power source voltage at a fairly constant level
and, therefore, can handle brownouts. Because of this added protection, line condi-
tioners cost more than surge protectors—up to several hundred dollars. However,
these devices cannot protect against a complete loss of power.
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A power loss while your computer is writing to your hard-disk drive can result in loss
of data and file corruption. Worst case, your operating system could be corrupted. An
uninterruptible power supply (UPS) offers the most complete protection against varia-
tions in power because it uses battery power to keep the system running when AC
power is lost. AC power, while available, charges the battery; when AC power is lost,
the battery provides power to the system for a limited amount of time—from 15 min-
utes to an hour or so—depending on the UPS system.
Introduction
1-7
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