Here are the most popular ways by which people terminate their computers...

Computers and their component parts do not last forever, and just like us, they have a list of afflictions that are most likely to claim their digital existences. Also just like us, most of these problems come from poor handling, neglect, dirty environments and old age. Toss careless manufacturing into the mix, and you can see why the average computer system rarely survives more than five to seven years without some sort of catastrophic failure.

Ordinarily, this short lifespan would not be of concern, since the average useful life of a computer system is five years tops. The thing is, poor handling can cut your computer down while it is still in its prime. I know this is true; I’ve repaired hundreds of computers. Chances are anyone who has ever owned more than one computer has experienced some sort of unexpected computer crash from a system that still had years of useful life left to it.

Most Common Problems

Out of 100 repaired computers, the most common problems were narrowed down as follows: 26% Power supply and power issues, 23% Bad parts, 13% Heatsink related, 15% Assembly and moving, 10% Lightning strike and static, 6% USB related, 3% Computer abuse, 2% Over-clocking. Following is a breakdown of each of these categories.

Power Supply (PSU) Failures

Bad power supplies are by far the most common source of computer mortality. The power supply is the most dangerous of PC components. Its responsibility is to filter the massive wall voltage into the bite-sized 12V, 5V and 3.3V DC voltages that modern PCs need. When a power supply fails, it often sends random jolts through the rest of the system, sometimes nuking your valuable computer components. Unfortunately, many power supplies are manufactured by no name companies with little quality control and packaged in cheap 'white box' systems. The result is a steady stream of computers dieing before their time.
Of all the problems listed in this article, this is also the one most likely to cause damage to your home or office. Some computer owners have claimed that defective PSU’s had burst into flames or puffed out clouds of smoke or sparks. Needless to say this can present a very real fire hazard to more than just your computer!

The best way to avoid a power supply incident is to buy a power supply from a reputable company that specializes in manufacturing them. You will pay more for a brand name supply, but it's worth it. From my experience; PC Power & Cooling, Antec, Aopen, and Vantec are some reliable manufacturers. Low quality power supplies may also be set off by poor AC power conditions in your area. Consider purchasing some sort of UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) or power conditioner. I can help you select the best UPS and/or surge strips to protect your specific equipment.

Another good tip is to keep your PC off the floor and away from dusty environments to minimize the amount of dust and debris that build up inside the power supply. This accumulation of stuff often contributes to an eventual failure and most commonly a seized cooling fan. Common sense rules also apply here. If there is an outlet in your house that has been unreliable with other electrical devices, don't plug your system into it.

Heat Sink Failures

Modern processors (CPU’s) produce a lot of heat for their small surface areas. That's why they come with the huge aluminum and copper finned heat-sinks that they do; they're not for decoration. Cooling is absolutely essential to the life of your CPU the split second after it is turned on, and to your system in general. Nothing will kill processors faster than a heatsink mishap. Some recent processors can survive without adequate cooling by throttling themselves down automatically, but this is a hit-or-miss procedure. In the most extreme cases the processor can cook itself to death in less than two seconds without a heatsink.

Keep an eye (and an ear) on the processor’s heatsink from time to time. If your system is making more noise than usual, or making grinding sounds, it could be that your CPU fan is on its last legs. You can have me clean and service your computer regularly to prevent this. Finally, try to keep your system off the floor and away from excessive dust and pet hair.

Bad Parts, Assembly and Moving Issues

Another leading cause of unexpected early PC mortality is poor assembly. To be more specific, there are a large number of potentially fatal mistakes a newbie (and even a computer veteran) can make while assembling his or her own system. Even if you have never built or upgraded your own computer, having a friend or family member who supposedly knows a lot about computers can be your computer’s worst enemy, if you have them fix your computer to save a buck or two.

Also, if you had your computer custom-built by a company, or even if you bought a pre-built computer online or from a local computer store, there is always the chance that you can get a lemon, just like with automobiles. Sometimes computers are assembled improperly in the factory, one or more bad components are installed, or unknown damage occurred while it was being delivered to you or to the store you bought it from.

If you are not confident in your own computer repair skills, have a pro like myself do it for you. Don’t rely on a friend or the family geek to fix it, unless they are fully qualified to do so. It could save you a few hundred bucks' worth of heartbreak. Remember, just because teenagers think that they know more than you do about computers (or anything for that matter), does not mean that they know very much at all.

Computers contain many different parts, as you know. In the process of transporting said computers, some of these parts may be knocked slightly loose. The end result of this can be ugly. It's unknown how many fatalities LAN parties contribute to the global toll of computers, but it's got to be a large number. Moving your computer too often is a recipe for disaster. As heatsinks get larger and heavier along with video card cooling solutions, both of these components can place a strain on motherboards when the computer is still. Moving your system around just adds an extra load of strain.

If you've just transported your system any distance, take the cover off and check inside to verify that your expansion cards, memory, heatsink and video card are still seated correctly. Doing this before you power on your system can substantially increase its lifespan. Also, don't drop it.

Lightning Strikes and Static

In the northeast, thunderstorms are fairly isolated to maybe four or five months a year. Make no mistake though, lightning strikes do cause serious damage to electronic components, especially your computer, and especially the modem. Lightning strikes can cause huge electrical surges in the power and phone lines entering your house. Over longer distances this gets filtered out, but at close range it can be devastating.

Often modems and other phone line devices are more vulnerable to this than other computer components that depend on the better-shielded power lines. Of course, if your modem is built into your motherboard, it's not looking good for you.

You should not be using your computer if lightning is striking anywhere close to you, and for its safety, unplug the modem from the phone jack. If you are in an area that sees frequent lightning strikes, I can help you get a decent UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) that also monitors and conditions power and has a phone line/network cable surge protector. This will provide protection against sudden surges and other lightning-triggered electrical problems through the power, phone, or cable modem LAN.

Every computer system should be covered by a surge protector at the very least. Better to buy a UPS if you can afford one. For maximum protection, buy a UPS that conditions power to make sure that the voltage being fed to your precious system stays consistent.

We've all heard about the dangers of static electricity and computer systems, and believe it or not, some of what's said is true. While static zaps may not be the lethal reaper of components that they are made out to be in some circles, the fact is that they can destroy your expensive components if you are careless. While the average static shock like you'd get if you walked across industrial carpeting then touch a doorknob may seem minor, the fact is that these jolts pack a voltage that can be lethal to delicate electrical components that are used to being spoon-fed only highly conditioned, minimal current.

When you are going to be working on the inside of your system for any reason, make sure you have a 'ground' source nearby to touch, to disperse any static electricity you may have accumulated. Do this every time you've moved away from your desk and you should be fine.

USB Devices

USB mishaps and short circuits seem relatively rare, but are a risk nonetheless. A device might work perfectly for months or even years with a given system, then kill it the next time it is plugged in. The problem with USB is that it transfers more power than most other interfaces, so a short circuit can have disastrous consequences for the rest of your computer. Another possible cause is that the 'hot pluggable' nature of USB interfaces means that they are plugged in and unplugged much more than other I/O devices, leading to increased wear and tear and more chance of an electrical mishap.

There's no easy way to avoid this besides not using USB devices, which is not something I'd recommend. Taking a little time and care when plugging and unplugging your devices is probably the best path to safety. Some of my customers mentioned having problems specifically with devices that provided front-mounted USB ports, so you might want to reconsider using one of these if your computer case does not normally have front mounted ports. My recommendation is to put a USB hub on the desk, or use a USB port extension cable when plugging in devices frequently.

Computer Abuse

Sometimes we really are to blame when our computers kick the bucket. This category belongs to users who, through negligence, accident or direct physical violence, caused their systems to die. Throwing it against the wall might be satisfying, but take a deep breath, and count to ten. Your computer is just a machine, it did not mean to crash and lose your last two hours of work, and it's not laughing at you.

Over-Clocking

An example of overclocking is forcing a CPU to run at a higher clock speed than listed on the manufacturers specification. Overclocking a CPU increases its performance, although it can result in system instability and may cause damage to the CPU.

Overclocking has become so routine these days that it's hard to believe that it can actually have consequences; remember though, that overclocking still voids your warranty with any hardware manufacturer you care to mention. Overclocking places a strain on your components, as does the increase in voltage which successful overclocking often requires. This will shorten the life of the affected components, though it's unlikely to kill them outright.

Don't overclock your system. I can tell you from personal experience that overclocking is simply not worth the risk of damaging your entire computer.