Lights Out Films

3 Things I’ve Learned in IT

For folks doing the sort of computer support that I’ve been doing these many years. Note: these are completely technical and it there isn’t a single one that deals with the way that you interact with people one on one. I could fill a whole book with that kind of advice. When there are computer problems though, try these things first.

1. Restart the Computer
There’s a logical reason behind this. It terminates active background processes that may be frozen in the computer, restablishes a network identity (IP via DHCP) and generally makes everything peachy-keen.

2. Email and Web Hosting Often Reset Themselves
When email times out, the website is not available, you shouldn’t jump to immediate action. Often times, the outage can last as long as a half-hour. For any outage longer than that, it’s probably safe to assume that something is wrong and needs your attention. Just make a call to the appropriate company. But making calls for shorter outages is going to be a waste of your time and energy.

3. Always Check the Physical Connections First
A loose ethernet connection can cause crashes, freezes, and a whole lot of other inconsistent and un-diagnosable problems. Make sure this and other connections are in nice and tight before running around like a chicken with your head cut off. I’ve been there.