(continued)<25D9> CD-ROM drives — cheap CDs and dirt are their enemiesThe heart of CD-ROM drive is the head, which reads information off the surface of compact disks. When the drive is reading slowly or refuses to read, it is due to a problem with the head. What are the reasons affecting the operation of the head?The most likely reason is dirt. As much as dirt is the enemy, it is important never to use alcohol or other chemical agents when cleaning the head. It is recommended to use a gasbag to blow the dirt off the head.Shoddy CDs are also proven enemies of CD drives. Believe it or not, DVCDs popular in the market are most dangerous for CD drives. DVCDs have a more compact format of data arrangement compared with ordinary CDs, which makes it extremely difficult for the drive to read them. <25D9> Keyboard — keep away from damp and dirtDirt and damp leave a keyboard with poor contacts. For instance, if the contacts connected to the letter F wear out, the key might stick or not work at all, which is very inconvenient.You should not smoke near your computer, and a cup of coffee sitting near the keyboard is an accident waiting to happen.<25D9> Mouse — no dirt A mouse, like a keyboard, is a device that is handled a great deal and is therefore subjected to a fair bit of abuse — and dirt. However, a mouse is more sensitive to dirt than a keyboard. The reason is simple: the ball that rolls on the the desk to provide movement picks up dirt. <25D9> Monitor — away from high temperaturesThe monitor is more subject to failure from wearout than most other PC components. This is because the CRT, its major component, has a limited lifespan that is related to the number of hours it is left on. Therefore, it is crucial to turn off the monitor when your system is not in use.Monitors consume a lot of power, which brings us to the issue of thermal stress. Remember to put the monitor in some place with good ventilation.