the fallout: on the other side

Everybody runs into those puzzling, unfix-able computer problems.

There is a suprisingly simple yet often unthought of solution to most of these problems: google it! You don't even have to know what your problem is, just put in what you do know, and hit search. It's like magic.

Example one: You took your computer in to the school techs to have your data transferred from an old tower to a notebook. Now the CD drive doesn't work, and they say there's a driver missing that's impossible to reinstall. All you know is that the rogue driver is labeled i.link cdrw 1394 ieee. Having no clue what this might mean doesn't matter! Outsmart your school techs: google it!

If you google i.link ieee, you'll begin to get the idea that this drive is an external drive or part of a docking station. You'll also notice that you're not the only one running into trouble with these drivers disappearing and not reloading.

One of your search results will probably send you to Microsoft's support site, which is a very valuable tool in itself. Here, select your operating system (that's the name you read when your computer turns on: Windows ME, 98, 2000, XP, ect.), then search for your problem. In this case, selecting Windows 2000 and searching IEEE brought up a list of articles. I clicked on the headline, "IEEE 1394 Device May Disappear" . . .

Boom. Two minutes of reading and you'll have a clearer idea of what's wrong and, more importantly, how to fix it!

Then print out the page and hand it to those undereducated IT guys!