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Protecting Computer Equipment Against Power Failure
Subjects > Computers
The loss of data and productivity users can suffer due to fluctuating
power supplies can be devastating. However, by following a few simple
guidelines, powerspikes, brownouts and blackouts don’t have to be
crippling. Here are several hints and tips that will help reduce your
vulnerability to power surges and failures.
Spikes, surges, brownouts and blackouts
Spikes and surges are sudden and brief increases in voltage that can
have a detrimental effect on your equipment. A surge protector will
protect your equipment from these occurences. They literally stop any
sudden increase in power from reaching the computer.
A brownout is when the power supply drops below the normal range of
110 to 115 volts. You may notice that your house lights flicker slightly
when the kettle or furnace fan is turned on. Dips in power like this can
cause your computer to momentarily switch off with potential damage
to your files. A surge protector WILL NOT protect you from this.
Blackouts are when the power fails completely, either to the whole
building or perhaps the circuit to which your computer is connected.
Blackouts can last from as long as it takes to replace a fuse or reset
the breaker in the basement to several hours or days if there is a major
failure of the electrical supply to your area.
Protect Your PC from Surges in Power
Available at any office supply store for under $40, surge protectors
offer an affordable way to protect computers from a sudden surge of
electricity. The more expensive the product the better the protection.
But note that a surge protector will not protect you from a power failure
or ‘brownout’.
Stand By Power
For less than $150, you can purchase a battery back-up device, called
a UPS (uninterruptible power supply), that allows you time to safely
shut down the computer during a loss of power. A UPS will also protect
your computer against brown-outs, surges and other power problems.
Save Your Work Often
Whenever you are working on your computer, save your work often.
Most applications have automatic save features that will save your
work for you at preset intervals. Check your manual or online help for
instructions on how to use them.
Back-up Your Data, Now!
Make sure you have adequate back-up of all critical data. Your backup
files should be somewhere other than your hard disk in case your hard
disk is damaged (such as Zip disks, tape cartridges or CDs). Online
storage is an excellent way to be sure you will never lose any
information due to power problems or equipment failures. It’s also
easily accessible.
See Data Backup Basics for more details
Shutdown Immediately
Avoid the temptation to finish a report or print a letter. And never try to
discover how long your UPS battery can last. When power problems
occur, stop working, save your data and shut down your machine
immediately. While your battery back up may indicate you have 30
minutes of power note that this claim is affected by several factors.
Different monitors and computers need varying amounts of power. So
play it safe, save your work and shut down the system promptly.
Some of the more expensive products connect to your computer and
will shut it down for you. These are very useful for file servers where
there is usually no one to take care of the shut down process.
Check Your Hard Disk!
If a power failure causes your computer to shut down suddenly, it
makes sense to check your hard disk when the power comes back on.
Windows 98, ME, XP and 2000 do this automatically. If this does not
happen, run a hard disk utility such as Scandisk (included in Windows)
to make sure there are no problems.
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Protection Against Power Failure
