If you move your laptop around when it’s on – don’t.

Laptops are super-convenient and portable – but don’t move them around when they’re on...

There are some very finicky and fragile components in there that are working while it’s on - and if they bump into the hard drive they could be damaged. Chris Kramer, director of technical support for Micro Center, says a lot of people close their laptop and throw it in the case before the hard drive has shut down completely. He says we need to put it into “sleep” or “hibernate” manually BEFORE closing the lid – and then wait a few seconds. If you can hear the computer or see any lights – be patient. This rule applies to netbooks and Macbooks too.

When you unplug your laptop, make sure to pull the cord out by the end piece, not by the line. Tugging on that line stresses both the cord’s wiring and the contact points in the computer. Damaged cords and contacts are a really common problem and can slow or prevent your charging. They’re expensive to replace so it’s worth your while to baby them a bit.