Recent computer problems reminded me of something I read several years ago in a book about sailing. One particular statement said, "There are only two types of people. Those who have been seasick and those who will be seasick." To adapt a corollary, "It's not a question of if you'll have computer problems, but when you'll have computer problems."
Hardware Problems
Let's get this one out of the way first. Computers are pretty dependable. I have several old computers stored in my basement that still work perfectly, including a Mac Plus that I bought in 1987. It came with a whopping 1 MB of RAM, an internal 800k floppy drive (a huge step up from 400k), and cost over $3,000 — an indicator of how far we've come in features and price. So I never suspect a hardware problem first when something isn't working right. However, if you end up calling tech support, you will be asked some seemingly obvious hardware-related questions. Is the computer plugged in? If the computer is not starting up properly, is there a floppy disk in the drive? Are your monitor, network, and printer cable connections plugged in and secure? Thus, it's not a bad idea to check out those items first.
It should go without saying that eating and drinking while using a computer is not a good idea, because a spilled drink in the keyboard or crumbs in the mouse can result in problems. Save the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning your keyboard and mouse and make it a point to clean them regularly. If the keyboard ends up with a sticky, sugary liquid spill, unplug it, clean it, and dry it before attempting to use it again. If you are not sure it's completely clean, it's probably safer to get a new one!
If you use the computer in a clean environment, it should not get dirty inside. However, if the environment is dusty or smoky, you'll need to open up the computer and clean it regularly. Be careful to ground yourself first so you don't "fry" any components with static! Canned air is helpful for blowing dust away without touching the delicate computer parts. Be judicious in its application and follow the instructions on the can's label.
Software
Software is where most problems arise. Maybe if you never added anything to your computer and only used the programs installed when you purchased it, things would always be well, but I doubt it. Besides, most of us have to install additional programs to accomplish our work. Then we read about this or that "must have" utility that will make our computing experience faster, easier, more fun, or whatever. After installing a few interesting screen savers, programs that organize and remember passwords, and other utilities, we shouldn't wonder that the "blue screen of death" starts to crop up more frequently.
System Software
Most of us are using some flavor of Microsoft Windows. So check out Microsoft's Web site from time to time for program patches and updates to your system software. If you notice that you receive a specific error message several times, click the "details" button on the error message window and copy the message into a text editor and save it. Go to the Microsoft support center and you can then paste pertinent words and phrases into the search engine to get information on a particular error and steps to take to fix it.
Additionally, check out the Microsoft product support newsgroups (http://support.microsoft.com/newsgroups/ default.aspx) where you can read about problems and solutions experienced by other users. The newsgroups are set up by product, version, and even get as specific as set-up versus operation. Fortunately, the newsgroups are searchable so you don't have to wade through every post to find the information you need. The chances are good that someone else has encountered the same problem you are having. There are some very savvy folks reading the posts and offering help, including volunteers termed "Most Valuable Professionals."
Application Software
Even "shrink wrapped" software from well-known companies can have bugs. I remember one early version of Microsoft Word for Macintosh being jokingly referred to as "3 point oh no," but you are much more likely to experience problems with freeware and shareware programs.
Keeping a log of programs you install can be of help when trying to figure out what is causing a problem. Naturally, if you start experiencing problems immediately after installing a new program, you might suspect the new program itself as the culprit. Try uninstalling the program and see if that helps. To uninstall, first, check to see whether the program has its own uninstall program. If it does, it will be in the folder with the program (you did write down where the program was installed, didn't you?). If not, try the Add and Remove programs utility in your control panel. Using either of these methods will offer the best chance of cleaning out all of the files that were stored in places other than the program folder. If you simply delete the folder, those files will remain behind and eventually may cause problems that are difficult to track down.
Sometimes problems don't reveal themselves immediately, so the log will help you remember what (and when) you've added to your computer.
Preparing for the inevitable
Despite your care, over time your computer system and application files may develop problems and may need to be reinstalled.
I reached that point last week. The blue screen of death was showing up on a regular basis and programs were crashing. Despite saving frequently (it doesn't take very many times losing a couple of hours worth of work to learn that lesson), I was frustrated with how often programs suddenly froze. Of course I tried Control+Alt+ Delete to gracefully quit a program that was not responding, but it was necessary to use that key combination too many times each day. And most times, I ended up needing to do a cold boot (turn off the computer and then turn it back on again) anyway.
Before you take the ultimate step (well, not quite the ultimate step, which would be buying a new computer) of re-formatting your hard drive and starting over, there are some things you need to do to prepare.
Organize and back up your files. I've been good about backing up since I got my newest computer with an installed CD-RW drive. CDs hold a lot of information and data and are easy to store. However, I needed to back up the work from the previous few days. And, I needed to really think about what I'd need in addition to the obvious — documents I'd created over the years.
If you store everything in your "My Documents" folder, you'll only have to look in one place for your documents. However, if you've been creating documents for any length of time, you've probably concluded that storing everything is "My Documents" isn't really a good idea and have instead organized your files into folders with more meaningful names, such as "correspondence with X Company" or "photos_Disneyland_2001."
Pay attention to where documents are saved. While, by default, Microsoft programs offer you the "My Documents" folder, other programs are set up differently. Some default to the program folder, others to the last folder you saved into. Look at the path name when saving and navigate to a different folder (or create a new one) if appropriate.
Backup your mailbox, if you want to save e-mail messages. I use Outlook, so I also have calendar items I wanted to save. If you use Outlook, find the .pst files and back them up onto removable media. Later, you can restore those files to the new installation of your mail program. If you use a different mail program, you'll have to determine what files you'll need to back up.
Backup financial files to removable media. If you keep track of financial matters using a program such as Quicken, be sure to backup them up as well. I failed to think about this and now have about four weeks of data to re-enter.
Record your settings. You will also need the settings for Internet and e-mail access, so look at the "Accounts" in your browser and mail programs and write down the settings. If you've accumulated a list of personal favorites in your browser, you can search for that file and copy it also. Starting with a fresh system and applications will mean that you will lose any cookies unless you copy them too. Some you'll be happy to lose, but others enable you to access things such as Hotmail because they "remember" you when you return to a site.
Record registration information. I've purchased some shareware programs (e.g., EditPlus), so I wrote down my registration/serial numbers. Those are usually found in "About (program name)" on the "Help" menu of the program. It's a good idea to print out any e-mails you get that relate to registration of programs you purchase online — they should include your registration information. It would also be a good idea to save the installation program you downloaded from the Internet when you purchased the program. It is smaller than the actual program and, more importantly, will enable you to do a complete install in case there are files that need to be added to the system or other folders.
Call tech support. If your computer is still supported by the manufacturer, give them a call before you reformat and reinstall. Two very nice tech support people at Dell whose job is to "walk you through" the reinstall process were very helpful and reassuring. During my initial call, the technician told me that many people are afraid to do a reinstall and simply buy a new computer and start over. The process is demanding, but worth it. My computer is running much better, and what's more, I avoided a $2,000-plus purchase.
So, don't be afraid, wipe that computer clean! Just be prepared to spend several hours reinstalling all of your software and files — and experiencing the joy of a smoothly operating computer.
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