Q&A for How to Maintain Your Computer

Some of this is just common sense. Don't put food or drinks on it, set it somewhere safe, and wipe it with a dry cloth before dust builds up. The other thing you want to do is make sure you don't use any abrasive chemicals to clean the tower or screen.

You definitely want to use a malware scanner to keep your computer virus-free and working smoothly. Malwarebytes is a free option that jumps to mind, but there are other programs out there that do this. Also, clear your cache and empty your recycling bin. That will keep programs moving smoothly.

Check your storage space. The more stuff you have on your computer, the clunkier it's going to feel. If you have any programs you aren't using, delete them. Also, make sure you scan your downloads folder. A lot of people forget to clear that out every now and then.

You can try to clean your mouse and see if that works. If it doesn't, then I would recommend buying a new one. They aren't that expensive and there is a wide variety to chose from.

Yes, it's safe. But, your battery will degrade faster than it normally would if you always keep your laptop plugged in.

Yes. Games are incredibly intensive on all computers -- one of the most intensive tasks you will do, short of editing high-quality videos.

It depends on where the fan is installed. Generally, stopping a chassis fan doesn't affect the working of your PC at all because that can be either for taking out the hot air outside of the case or for in-taking cool air. However, if your CPU heat sink fan stops, then that may result in very high CPU temperature which may result in thermal throttling.

Yes, you can remove an external disk when the computer is on. Just make sure to eject it first though.