Listen
They always say that the best medicine of all is prevention and they could not have been more on the money when it comes to computers. Ask any static or mobile computer repair technician how many of their daily callouts would have been 100% unnecessary if the respective users of the computers had simply exercised a minor level of caution and chances are the answer would be about the 85% mark.
Yes, like many things in life it is the owner and user of the computer that is largely responsible for its health and wellbeing, though in most cases users just find it preferable to wait for disaster and then call in the pros. Pros that can be expensive to say the least.
But even more terrifying still is the scenario when and where the easily avoidable problem ends up causing catastrophic data loss concerning files that cannot be replaced. Again, it’s often nobody’s fault other than the respective owner of the thing, and thus the cycle continues.
So give that the best offense against computer maladies is a string defense, it really is about time more people started exercising proactivity to look after what’s important to them. With this in mind, what follows is a brief look at a few of the top tips collated from mobile computer repair callouts and instances where the whole nasty mess could and should have been easily avoided:
Back Up, Back Up, Back Up
Worth saying at least a dozen times because the message somehow never seems to go in – back it all up and you’re home free! Backing up data represents an insurance policy for your computer the likes of which is truly infinite in its value. Once everything of any value to you has been copied and stored safely elsewhere, it really doesn’t matter if your computer melts into a puddle right in front of you – you haven’t lost a thing of importance! Never fall into a habit of complacency when it comes to backing up and you can guarantee the minute you take it for granted, you’ll lose something irreplaceable and kick yourself for years to come.
Protect Yourself
It was so much easier to keep tabs on your computer’s safety before the advent of the internet, but of course computing was also a hell of a lot less fun. So the price you have to pay for all this freedom online is the minimal time and effort needed to protect yourself from nasties like spyware and viruses. It’s just a case of finding a reputable piece of software, installing it on your computer and allowing it to do its thing. Some are free, some cheap and some cost a fortune – it’s up to you how far you go in line with the value of your data. And remember – it’s always those that have an “It’ll never happen to me!” attitude that get caught with their pants down and pay the price.
Cut the Clutter
It’s a plain and simple fact that the less strain you put on the resources of your computer, the less likely it is to throw a tantrum and cause you a headache. Likewise, the more garbage you have strewn all over your computer, the bigger the strain it puts on everything to keep running. As such, you should always be making at least some effort to keep things as clean, clear and tidy as possible by getting rid of clutter you don’t need, ensuring you’ve always got plenty of spare hard drive space and generally remembering that a clean system is a happy system.
First Defense
And finally, when and where the time comes that you start to notice something isn’t as it should be, by all means try the DIY approach but don’t hold off on calling in the pros. From strange noises to burning smells to display discrepancies to frequent data loss to erratic behavior and anything else besides, there are plenty of computer problems that are easy to deal with at first but over time can destroy your whole system. Early detection and attention is often key, so don’t ignore the warning signs.
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Author Bio
Ilya Elbert is the nationwide account executive of AllIT, a full service information technology solutions company that serves to the rest of continental United States. Follow him on Twitter to receive IT news and updates.
