School is back in but your machine’s not running right! What can you do? Let’s go over these few steps that you can take on both your Mac and your PC to make sure that things are in the right place! That way when you start your machine, it’ll be there when you need it.

One of the first things you can do is make sure the machine has not been asleep.

This goes for both Mac and PC. This includes closing the screen and opening the screen (1 sleep cycle) or not going to the shut down button on your machine before stepping away (the sleep feature can start automatically). Sleep doesn’t allow the programs to let go of the processes that the computer is expecting. The sleep “feature” will actually change some of the operating procedures and cause the machine to think one thing when it’s actually doing another. Long story short don’t put it to sleep! If you can, always shut down.

Windows One of the best things you can do before you start any big process is to check for updates. start menu –> settings gear/cog –> updates. It sounds silly, but with Windows 10 updates are one of the most important steps you can take before running any software on your machine. Why? Because Microsoft has decided that the updates are more important than user functions and give updates a priority over everything else. So try to make it a habit of checking for updates when you first sit down. Do it before you start any other process. Your Microsoft computing world will be much happier.

Macs Head up to the apple –> app store –> check for updates. If your machine needs an operating system upGRADE, hold off until you know you have time to process the update.

Another tip for this week is to not pay Microsoft for their expensive software! If you use Microsoft Word PowerPoint or XL and don’t have $130 at the moment, you can download a piece of software called libre office. Libre office is a free fully functional Microsoft Office replacement. With this software you can write, read, and save in Microsoft formats and no one would know you’re not using a Microsoft program. It’s free and downloadable right now. Computers are designed to allow us to do work faster and enjoy life. Use these tips to get back to life quicker! until next time, stay positively charged!

Visit Luigi Oppido at 1824 Soquel Ave, Suite B. Call him at (831)464-2220. Email at PleasurePointComputers.com or visit his website at pleasurepointcomputers.com. Listen to his radio show every Tuesday at 7 p.m. on KSQD-FM (90.7) and KSQD.org