When you buy a laptop computer for hundreds of dollars, you probably want it to last as long as possible so you can get your money's worth out of it. However, if you're not careful, your laptop could be running sluggishly within a few years, or even just a few months. Here are five ways to keep your notebook running smoothly for the long run.

Avoid Overheating

If you keep your laptop in a place that is not well ventilated, it may experience a few unwanted malfunctions. Make sure that the air vents are not obstructed so you can avoid overheating. When your notebook overheats, the internal components may get damaged, which will prevent it from running smoothly and shorten the life-span of the machine.
Experts recommend that you place your laptop on a flat, hard surface instead of on a bed, which is covered in a soft, cloth material where the vents can be easily blocked if you're not careful. Another common remedy is to buy a laptop fan that runs via USB power, and provides both a buffer and cooling air flow.

Anti-Virus Program

Viruses can slow down your computer severely, even corrupting the operating system beyond repair. Avoid downloading things from suspicious sources and set up a firewall for additional protection. By purchasing a good anti-virus program that will scan everything that you download, it is possible to avoid those complications. Be sure to update the program frequently so it is fully able to defend your computer from attacks.

Free Up Space

Every so often, go through the list of programs you have installed. Chances are that you will encounter a few that you haven't used in months. It is recommended that you delete the programs that you never use to free up space. By doing this, your notebook will be much less cluttered and you will have more memory as well. The more memory your computer has, the faster it will run and retrieve data. You will also have more room for programs that you actually use instead of useless programs that only take up space.

Every few months, run Scandisk and Defragmenter. This will make your hard drive as efficient as possible. To remove files from the recycling bin and delete accumulated files, run Disc Cleanup. You can find these three programs by searching for them on your control panel.

Chameleon Startup Manager

Whenever you turn on your laptop, you probably have a few start-up programs that automatically launch and slow the loading of your operating system. You can use downloadable software like Chameleon Startup Manager to handle what programs are allowed run. With it, you can delay the start up or the order that some of the software. You can also manage which days a program may run.
There are both free and pay versions available online in multiple languages, though it's only available for the Windows platform.

Whether you're a college student or a stay-at-home parent, you're going to want your laptop available and functional. Fortunately, you can keep your notebook running smoothly for years with a little routine maintenance and forethought.

Adam Greene is a financial writer earning his masters in taxation to further his career.