When buying hardware/software for your Amiga...know who you are dealing with.  Only use reputable service centers and dealers...you will be better off in the end.

Make BACKUP copies of your Install disks

Should do:

A) Upgrade, it's worth it.If you want to get impressive things OUT of your Amiga, put impressive stuff IN your Amiga.

B) Put your keyboard-console based Amiga (A1200/A500) in a tower case with slots. Basically because the keyboard-console is an out-of-date idea which has been dead since 1998. Computers change rapidly and if you're stuck with one tiny upgrade slot, even on the Amiga you're in trouble.

C) Get a graphics card, you wouldn't believe what a graphics card does for any Amiga. Not only do flicker-free high-resolution screens look great, but get a load of what millions of colors do, the other side effect is it seemingly speeds up EVERYTHING. If you've been debating it mentally, the debate is over, do it.

D) One of the little tricks that's very easy to do is this: delete the file "ed-startup" in your System:s/ directory. This file basically limits the functionality of the "ED" editor command in your System:c/ directory. Ed is really not that bad of a text editor. You wouldn't believe all the options in the pull-down menus there are. So why limit what is there?  Plus, you can have a faster setup.

Make a Backup copy of your system directories C: DEVS, L, LIBS and S....If you have problems in the future you can always reload them from working backups.

Shop second hand stores and flea markets for great computer finds.

We have all made copies of commercial software. I have done it too, I won't lie.

But you are hurting the Amiga community if you don't buy some of the great software out there.

Shouldn't do:

A) Don't plug or unplug peripherals (this means Mouse / Joystick / modem / disk drives etc...) from your Amiga while the power is on! Only YOU can prevent hardware damage. 

B) Never use your computer on the floor. That is, don't put your Amiga down on the carpet in front of the TV set. Static electricity is the computer's ultimate enemy and is the biggest reason there are hardware problems with the machine.

C) When you open your computers case for any reason, don't touch anything inside unless you are properly grounded (or Earthed, if you're British). How do you do this? Touch your computers metal casing or better yet, wear a "grounding strap", which keeps you grounded at all times and is key when servicing computer equipment, and by all means KNOW what you are doing before you open the case.

D) Don't fool with the chips inside of your computer unless you know what they do. You could plug them in the wrong way or damage them. If you're electronically handicapped (meaning you couldn't tell an IC from a resistor), fooling with your Amiga's motherboard is not a good idea.

E) Don't solder anything on the motherboard unless you know EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING. That is..."This damned thing isn't working, maybe I'll try re-tinning some of the traces on the motherboard". Bad idea. Make sure you know FOR SURE what you're fixing before you fix it!

F) Don't try to fix an A1200, A4000 or Amiga clone without an SMD workstation. These Amigas all have something called surface mount technology which cannot be repaired by your average Joe Six-pack with a soldering iron. You're best off to send it off for professional service and if you don't follow my advice, you will definitely do more damage than you started with