By Norm Morin

One thing we all learn during life's journey is that bad things happen. While there is no consolation to some of life's tragedies, computer issues can be easily overcome.

A good doctor can minimize a health problem and a source of good computer advice can minimize a computer problem. What would you do if your computer suddenly wouldn't power on? These kinds of things always seem to happen when you need a particular piece of information.

You should confirm that your assumptions about computer operation are verified.

"My backup drive doesn't work... I moved all of my pictures to the backup drive to save space...."

This is one myth that everyone should know is bunk. A backup drive is nothing more than another hard drive that is used to store information. That drive can fail. If you don't have any additional copies of your files, those files may be gone.

What is the advantage of a backup drive if it can fail? The backup serves as an additional source of your files. If the primary hard drive fails, you have a backup. If the backup drive fails, you have the primary and can recover your files. Replace the backup drive and copy any important files and you are good to go.

If you don't know how to do something, ask.

"If I keep trying to start my computer, eventually it starts..."

Your computer is not like an old car on a cold day. Older cars required longer starter cycles to start.


But computers should always start reliably. If your computer requires more than one attempt to start, something is wrong and should be diagnosed before it refuses to start.

Most people usually have upgraded their computers over time. Consider keeping your older computer as a backup. It shouldn't take up too much room. Keep it around in the event that the new computer fails. There is no need to keep every computer that you have ever owned, but one spare should keep you out of trouble.

There are some nice programs available that are able to assist you to repair your computer but you need to make sure you understand their operation. Can you reinstall Windows on your computer without a degree in advanced computer science? Yes, but you need to understand what happens during the Windows installation. You may lose your information if you don't understand the windows installation process.

While you may not be able to anticipate every bad computer situation, a little planning can minimize inconvenience. Don't become paralyzed with fear but consider, "What if..."
