Rebooting is always a good first step to fixing computer problems

@RonElFran (1214)
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
December 15, 2015 1:33pm CST
As a former IBM engineer, I am the computer guru in our family, even though any teenager could probably run circles around me. But one thing I have discovered is that when things go unaccountably wrong with your computer, your first step should be a reboot. People don't realize it, but any computer nowadays is dependent of every one of its billions and billions of bits of stored information being in the correct state. If just one bit gets flipped in a sensitive place, perhaps because of static electricity, or a voltage surge from the power line, or just the vagaries of quantum probability, a running program, or perhaps the entire computer, can literally lose its mind. The way back to cyber-sanity in such cases is simply to reboot the machine. Then everything gets put back into its proper state. So, if your computer suddenly and for no particular reason starts doing things it shouldn't, don't panic. Shut the machine down, wait a few moments for power to go all the way to zero, then turn it back on. Probably 9 times out of 10 that fixes the problem. If a reboot doesn't fix it, that's time enough to panic.
8 people like this
6 responses
@jstory07 (148701)
• Roseburg, Oregon
16 Dec 15
My one son has said many times unplg your desk top and wait a few minutes and plug it back in again.
4 people like this
@RonElFran (1214)
• Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
22 Dec 15
Actually unplugging the machine gives you the best chance that you can clear the problem through a reboot.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
22 Dec 15
yup, same advice always given to me. shut down, unplug, wait 2 minutes, plug in, restart.
@marlina (154103)
• Canada
15 Dec 15
You are right on this one!
4 people like this
@jstory07 (148701)
• Roseburg, Oregon
16 Dec 15
He sure is. Rebooting works wonders.
2 people like this
@kaka135 (14994)
• Malaysia
22 Dec 15
Thanks for this advice. This is what I usually do when I have totally no idea what'd happened to my computer, as I don't know what else I can do. Glad to get this advice from the computer guru! Yes, I started to panic when reboot doesn't work, and it's even worse that it can't be reboot.
@celticeagle (189793)
• Boise, Idaho
15 Dec 15
A reboot would reset things and most situations that is enough
2 people like this
@JudyEv (381739)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Dec 15
Good advice - but I hate rebooting when I'm in the middle of something. Why can't it just sort itself out?
3 people like this
@JudyEv (381739)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Dec 15
@RonElFran Exactly! Shouldn't be to hard.
@RonElFran (1214)
• Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
22 Dec 15
Sort of like, computer, heal thyself? I wish it worked that way!
1 person likes this
@whiteream (8567)
• United States
22 Dec 15
I usually reboot first, that must of the time fixes the problem. But when it doesn't that's when it's time to call someone who knows what they are doing.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
22 Dec 15
same here. sometimes i try to search for the answer online to get an idea and mention it to the one who's going to fix it for me.