Technology meltdowns? Over the years, I've lived through plenty
of world-class ones. I'd love to blame 'em all on the products in
question. But as we were brainstorming the July issue's cover story, "How
to Survive the Worst PC Disasters," I was grappling with a truly
inconvenient truth: Many of the worst fates that have befallen me and
that have involved computers or other gadgets were utterly avoidable.
And the majority of these disasters were mostly or entirely my own damn
fault.
I'm not the only one who's been known to create PC disasters from
scratch--or to take minor incidents and turn them into full-tilt
fiascos. "The general advice I give people is, don't panic and don't
jump to the nuclear option as your first move," says Christopher Null,
author of "Disasters" and a frequent PCW contributor. "People tell me,
'I had this problem, I reformatted my hard drive, now what do I do?' By
that time, it's too late. Stop and think about the problem before you
take any action."
Good advice--and a mantra I will do my best to follow going forward.
Herewith, a few other sensible steps that can help make your life as a
tech user at least slightly less disastrous than mine has often been....
Don't act like a know-it-all
I tend to bristle at the notion that it might be logical to
read instructions before performing a PC task. That's partly a reaction
to all the lousy documentation I've encountered over the years, but
there's probably a Freudian component, as well: It feels like stopping
to ask for driving directions. (Yep, I have a problem with that, too.)
Note to self: Checking out the manual can't hurt, and it might even
help.
Treat delicate electronic equipment like...delicate electronic
equipment
Sure, we all have tales of gadgets that turn out to be
miraculously sturdy, like thumb drives that survive trips through the
washing machine. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't err on the side of
handling stuff gingerly. (I once blithely leaned over a running bath
with a Sony Clie PDA in my shirt pocket; you know what happened next.)
Remember: Upgrades are a form of surgery
Once you crack open a PC's case, your machine is a patient in
your care. Goal one should be to do no harm, which means proceeding
slowly and carefully. Not that you'd know it from things I've done, like
trying to force RAM cards into their slots backwards. Did I mention the
time I set fire to a motherboard while attempting to install a sound
card?
Be prepared
When I find myself needing to swap out a drive, reinstall
software, or rescue data, I usually waste time rustling through all the
detritus in my office to find the required tools, be they original
software disks or something like a TORX screwdriver. It's my own fault
for not keeping vital items neatly stored away for use in case of
emergency. (Okay, I do blame software companies for the fact that
license codes are so often printed on CD-ROM cases or registration cards
that don't mention the name of the product In question--separate the
disc from its packaging, and you may have trouble reinstalling an
application you paid for.)
Always be pessimistic
When tech disasters strike, I often turn sunny optimist and
assume that a backup I think I made or Windows' notoriously unreliable
System Restore feature will save my bacon. Sometimes they do. But it's
smarter to gird yourself for worst-case scenarios. And even before
anything goes wrong, it's worth giving some thought to how you'd recover
from common glitches.
