In all the time I've spent fixing computers, there's one problem that's heartbreakingly common: machines being damaged by a voltage surge. I say heartbreaking, because it is the most easily avoided of all reasons for computer downtime. An ordinary surge protector, costing only a few dollars, can save hundreds.
Occasionally, someone I know will have a modem hit by a voltage surge. If they're technically proficent they'll perform the standard fix, replacing the modem. Soon, their machine will be up and running.
Then, six months later, the computer goes utterly haywire, taking important data down with it.
Surely it didn't have anything to do with the voltage surge!
Surely it did. People should realize that a computer hit by a voltage surge is suspect. The motherboard is often damaged in ways that may not reveal themselves for weeks, or even months.
Another oft repeated tale is that of the online gamer, so absorbed in his pastime that he didn't notice the approach of a thunderstorm. In the blink of an eye, a $2000 dream machine is turned into a worthless box of wires.
To prevent such grief, every computer user should have a surge protector, with a jack for their modem, and electrical outlets. These are often incorporated in a battery backup system that in case of a power failure will give you time to safely shut down your equipment without losing data.
Michael Quarles is the author of Building a PC for Beginners. |
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