We’ve all been there when our computer has failed and the nightmares occur in different forms as written recently in PCWorld: “Six Windows 7 Nightmares (and how to fix them)”. This article is a good read, as it provides fixes to the problems as they occur, but it got me thinking about simple preventive maintenance best practices, related to each nightmare, that can turn computer and software nightmares into sweet dreams.
Read below for part one of a two-part series on PCWorld’s common nightmares with Windows and the best ways to prevent them or at least make dealing with the computer problems less stressful.
Nightmare: Your PC Won’t Boot
Preventive Steps:
- Know Where Your Original Setup CDs are – organization is a primary key to mitigating problems. It’s a lot easier and less stressful if all of your setup/installation CDs are in one place. Don’t throw your disks away because you never know when you’ll need them but always keep them in one central location for ease of access.
- Create a System Repair Disc and add this disc to your collection of setup/installation disks. This is a good idea if you do not have the original startup disks and having multiple copies of an important disk won’t hurt and you’ll probably thank yourself if/when you misplace the other.
Nightmare: You Can’t Access the Hard Drive
Preventive Steps:
- Backup your computer and essential files onto an external hard drive or online storage service. Let me say that again – back up your files! We’ve talked about multiple services and devices to use in past articles: SugarSync and PogoPlug/Mozy.com.
Nightmare: Blue Screens of Death Attack Your PC Regularly
Preventive Steps:
- As PCWorld writes, Blue Screens of Death (BSoD) can be prevented by keeping tabs on your drivers and making sure you are using the most up to date versions. You can check your drivers using a piece of freeware called SlimWare – this program will notify you if/when your drivers are out of date and where to go to download the newest versions. Be careful, though, and consult an IT engineer before updating drivers as this could inadvertently cause the problem itself!
Stay tuned for more preventive maintenance relating to Windows like losing a PC Admin’s password, being infected with a virus, and losing an important file from your computer – coming in part 2!
Tell us what your worst nightmare is with your computer right now and we will provide any answers you might need.