COMPUTER FAILURES
Ray Rose-Meek Geeks
(639-5056 or esorose@msn.com)
Eventually all computers will encounter a failure to boot (start up). Two of the most common and devastating causes are hard drive or motherboard failures.
In most cases these failures occur without warning and in the case of hard drive failures ALL data is lost. This can result in the needless permanent loss of financial records or priceless photos. A little preplanning and effort can prevent this.
Everyone should back up their drive on a regular basis. This may be done by backing up or copying files to another hard drive, DVDs, or a commercial online resource. One of the most convenient ways to accomplish this is to purchase an external backup hard drive (a hard drive in a case with a USB cable and software) for about $125. After connecting to your computer just follow the instructions for installing and scheduling the backup program. Check periodically to be sure the program is continuing to backup your drive as scheduled.
Motherboard failures are less common and data can usually be recovered from the hard drive. A major cause of motherboard failure is overheating from clogged vents or setting laptops on soft surfaces or laps thus blocking ventilation. Be sure your computer has good air flow.
It is easy to say this will not happen to me. While most users go years without a failure, experience shows failures after the first year of use. In the last week five people have contacted me with failed drives – only one had backed up their