Secret fix every experienced Tech knows..

experiencedtech"Have you tried rebooting?"

I'm sure you've heard this classic tech support question at some point. It's suggested for all kinds of gadgets, from tablets and smartphones to wireless routers and home entertainment systems. It even works for misbehaving computer programs.

It might sound like a cop-out, but there is a good reason why your repairperson suggests rebooting before anything else. To explain why, let me set up a non-techie example. Have you ever been writing a letter and gotten interrupted for just a second? You can pick up where you left off with very little effort.

But what happens if there's a string of interruptions, or a major interruption that takes you away for a few hours or even days? You can't just jump back in to the letter without reading it through from the beginning, or even starting over.

That's similar to how electronics work. A minor glitch usually isn't a problem. It will just slow things down for a minute while the system recovers.

A bunch of glitches or a really serious glitch, however, can completely interrupt the gadget's train of thought. It can't pick up where it left off. Everything might freeze, or you'll get an error like the infamous Windows blue screen of death or the beach ball on your Mac.

At that point, the only thing to do is start over. Rebooting lets the gadget begin from square one. In many cases, the glitches don't pop up again.

That's why tech support folks ask you to restart your gadget first. It's an easy, no-fuss fix that weeds out minor problems without requiring lots of time and money.

 


Leave a comment!

You must be logged in to post a comment.