Many of us have one solution to try when something goes wrong with our computers: turn it off and back on again. We panic when that doesn’t work: “How am I supposed to do anything?” People often turn to a friend or family member for help at the moment. But computer repair is better left to experts.
Calling tech support (if that’s an option) can be time-consuming and frustrating. So, people turn to the nearest teenager or that cousin with all the latest technological gadgets. Think of it this way: Driving a car doesn’t mean you can fix one. Having a lot of cars doesn’t show the owner knows what to do when one of those vehicles breaks down.
Consider the investment you’ve made in your computer. Now, ask yourself: when was the last time I backed up? Please, say recently! If not, think about the value of the content you might lose if the computer is not handled with care.
READ MORE:What is the Best Way to Backup?
When a computer expert sets out to investigate the problem, they do so with utmost caution. Before doing anything, they’ll know to make a clone of your hard drive. Then, they know what is safe to try in identifying and solving the problem. They also know what actions to avoid.
The Price of Amateur Fixes
Your family/friend tech support might turn to the internet for help. Sure, Google and YouTube will provide some answers, but context matters. Will your oh-so-helpful friend know which answers are relevant to your situation? Trying different things can be dangerous if the approach isn’t suited to the problem.
Ask any computer repair expert. They’ll have stories about computers “fixed” by amateurs who made the problem worse. They may even have lost data along the way. Computer repair may look simple, but expert decision-making determines the best solution.
Computer experts draw upon specialized training and hands-on experience as with most jobs. They’re also up on the latest threats, technologies, and solutions. This helps them to diagnose the problem more quickly. They can go in and fix the problem right away because they’ve seen it before and read about the issue. Or perhaps they have colleagues who have done something like this before or researched the technology to identify different options. Can your Aunt Sue or friend Frank say the same thing?
Think also of your typical answer when someone asks you for help. You’re human. You want to help, even if you don’t know that much about the problem. So, when you ask a family member, they’re likely to say, “sure.” Even when they should be saying, “I don’t know how to fix that.”
When friends admit the repair is beyond them, you’ve already wasted time letting them take a crack at it. Worse, they may break your computer or lose important files. You have to go to the experts for that new part or in the hope of retrieving the data. Meanwhile, you’re not feeling so friendly towards the person who created the new problem, are you? They may also feel annoyed that you didn’t pay them for their services.
READ MORE:Repairing Your Computer Quicker for Less
Don’t jeopardize your relationships, and avoid doing more damage to your computer. Bypass the friend/family tech support solution and turn to the professionals first. Fixing a computer isn’t always straightforward. Get expert help to preserve as much data as you can, and avoid expensive replacements as long as possible.
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