It’s a simple fact: that beverage next to your laptop poses a greater threat to your computer than any hacker ever could be to it. Essentially, our own hands have a greater potential for causing damage to our laptop computers than any external force. We expect our laptops and computers to be virtually unbreakable, but there is one factor that even the most advanced technology cannot withstand: the possibility of human error. In many ways, we set up our own computers for hard drive crash by allowing for preventable accidents to happen. We humans are careless, and we are prone to making the same mistakes over and over again, many of them requiring laptop hard drive repair. Here are some of those laptop killing mistakes, and why you should avoid them!

1. Leaving your laptop unattended on the ground

A number of us treat our laptops in the same way we treat our clothes; we place them on the floor until we need to use them again later on. This situation would be fine if the ground wasn’t beneath your feet—not to mention the dog and the cat’s feet. Putting your laptop next to a lazy boy or rocking chair is a bad idea at any time of year. Not only will you break or heavily crack the screen, but you may also cause damage to your hard drive as a result. To put it another way, make sure your laptop is safely stored and is never left unattended on the floor.

2. Accidentally dropping your laptop

No matter where we go, we always have our laptops with us. We transport them to and from work, school, and other destinations. Dropping a computer isn’t surprising; it’s the extent of the damage that often takes us by surprise. When you drop your computer, you run the risk of experiencing a “hard drive head crash.” The fact is, the most severe consequences occur while your computer is still operational. Any kind of drop can cause the read-write head to “crash” into the platter, and either physically damaging the platter or deleting some of the data on the drive. A head-crash has the potential to corrupt hard drive data indefinitely. As a result, be cautious when transporting your computer. It is best not to move around too much while the computer is running in order to avoid a catastrophe.

3. The King Of The Laptop Disasters: The Spill

There have been many bloggers, students, and business professionals who have made the mistake of spilling beverages on their computers. Even though spilled soda or hot drinks are typically the most damaging, any type of liquid can cause significant damage to your portable computer’s internal components. Your hard drive does not have a water-resistant seal.

Meanwhile, sometimes a computer addict will make the mistake of accidentally dropping their computer into the bathtub. While enjoying a relaxing bath, why not browse the web? There’s nothing more calming than a good book, and not a “notebook”.

This is a terrible idea in every way. Not only will you destroy your computer, but you may also injure yourself in the process. Despite the fact that you are not throwing a toaster in with you, it is still an electrical object submerged in water. To put it another way, keep your laptop the heck away from the water.

4. Excessive heat

We all want to bring our laptops to bed with us, but smothering the vent and fan with your sheets can sometimes result in an overheated computer. This is a lot less of a factor these days, as chipset cooling is fairly advanced, but it can happen. The temperature of the hard drive should not be higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. By placing your laptop on a piece of thick fabric, you will cause your computer’s temperature to rise above the critical line, putting you one step closer to a failing hard drive.

These blunders are fairly obvious. Water should not be kept near laptops, and playing on Facebook should not be done in bed, as we all know. So be smart, save your data and be careful with your laptop – it will reward you for doing so.