The first question most IT people ask when end users call for support is the good old “Have you tried turning it off and on again?”. While this may seem annoying, the reality is that many issues are fixed with a reboot. The longer you keep your computer running without a restart or shutdown, the higher the chances of encountering problems or issues.

When left running, it is normal for a computer to exhibit decreased performance when left running without a restart for a long time. The phenomenon occurs because a reboot effectively resets the devices memory, restarts applications and eliminates temporary files accumulated from various applications.

A computer restart can also be a solution for network drive-related problems. If you encounter difficulties in connecting to one or all of your network drives, performing a computer reboot forces it to make another connection attempt.

Rebooting your computer also resolves freezing and unresponsive issues. In situations where your computer becomes unresponsive, and you cannot access the start menu to perform a restart, you can manually shut it down.

This process is done by pressing the power button for 10 – 20 seconds until it turns off and then after waiting 10 seconds, pressing the power button again to turn it back on.

Whenever you install a Windows update, it is essential to restart your computer as the changes may only take effect once the computer has rebooted.

Frequently rebooting your computer, especially when encountering the described problems, can significantly reduce IT issues and support inquiries.

If you are still experiencing ongoing issues after a reboot, contact us today for a no obligation talk about how we can improve your IT.