MacLife: How to Survive the 17 Worst Mac Disasters

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11/13/2008
by Michelle Delio

Macs are pretty reliable computers, but that doesn't mean they're not vulnerable to user error, accidents, and, in some cases, just plain stupidity. We compile a list of the most common "uh-oh" moments on a Mac and show you how to make them all better--and prevent them from happening in the future.

No computer is trouble-free. Even Macs behave cantankerously sometimes, abruptly refusing to act like the well-mannered, delightful machines we know and love.

That said, while PCs can be perverse, Macs are rarely malicious. Usually they only act up when provoked--for example, if you splash your MacBook’s keyboard with a beverage or don’t tend to basic maintenance chores. And sometimes, just like people, our Macs get tired and overworked and just need a little TLC.

When disaster strikes a Mac, there’s usually a fix-it-yourself solution. Sometimes you luck out and the cause and effect are clear. If you update the OS and an app refuses to run properly, logic tells you that the app will also need an update, for example. More often, mitigating Mac disasters requires you to work through a few key steps, from the most obvious and easily addressed--is the computer plugged in properly?--to the more complex. In all cases, try to keep your head and resist the urge to throw things--especially the Mac itself.

Here we present 17 survival tactics for common Mac, iPhone, and iPod disasters, ranging from the truly serious to the merely annoying. If you have any doubts about your ability to deal with a problem, it’s always best not to tread into unfamiliar territory, lest you make things worse. In those cases, take your machine to a professional to sort the problem out. And—you knew this was coming--don’t forget to back up important data regularly. If you don’t back up, even a little problem can turn into a major crisis. (Leopard users, you have no-brainer backups built into your OS with Time Machine, so you really have no excuse! For a step-by-step how-to on keeping your key files backed up with Time Machine, see www.maclife.com/backup.)

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