When to Restart Your Laptop and When to Reach Out for Help

It’s easy to feel stress or even panic when your laptop stops working correctly or stops working at all. No matter what is going on with your laptop, there is no reason to panic in most cases, especially if you buy an extended laptop warranty.
Even if you buy one of the best computer insurance plans available, you don’t necessarily go straight to the insurance provider. Sometimes, though, it makes more sense to see what is going on to determine whether you can fix it and how or if you need to call in reinforcements for repair or replacement. Or do you simply need to restart your laptop?
Let’s explore some common issues that might spark concern over your computer and whether each situation calls for a restart.

Common Issues That Cause Worry for Laptop Owners – Should You Restart It?

According to Reliance Digital, many things can cause laptops to stop running optimally. The laptop is, in many cases, the most widely used device outside of smartphones. People use them for work, email, internet browsing, and gaming.
Most laptops tend to work pretty well and consistently, so it’s unsettling when yours presents issues. Let’s face it, most of us expect our digital gear to work constantly, but as usual, that isn’t the way life goes.
Everything falters once in a while, and your trusted laptop is fallible. However, you don’t need to panic. Instead, take a deep breath and start assessing the situation if something goes wrong. Take a few moments to see if your computer problem resembles any of the following and whether you should restart your computer in each case.

Your Laptop Charger Isn’t Taking Or Holding a Charge

If you are having this problem, don’t panic. It happens to many laptop owners and is among the most common problems. In nearly all cases, the battery itself is at the core of the problem. Of course, it’s easy to panic in these cases, worried that you’ll run out of battery before you finish an important project. Fortunately, there is an easy way to figure out what is going on by following these steps:
  • 1. Detach the battery from your laptop.
  • 2. Plug the charger into the laptop without the battery inside.
  • 3. If your laptop still works without the battery, it means your battery is the culprit.
  • 4. Here, you need to either buy a new battery, consult your manufacturer, or reach out to your warranty company.
According to Digi Effects, you should press and hold the power button for 30 seconds when you need to reattach the battery. Once you have reattached the battery, keep the charger connected for at least one hour without the power on to let the battery recharge.

Your Keyboard Isn’t Working

You need your keyboard for full functionality and productivity. However, suppose your work largely relies on typing up articles or reports. In that case, the chances are your keyboard takes a beating, especially specific keys, depending on how your fingers strike the keyboard.
Here are some things to do:
  • First, consider whether there might be an obstruction under one or more of your keys. Perhaps a crumb has fallen inside. So try turning your laptop upside-down and shaking gently to see if you dislodge any materials. Then, consider using some canned air or an air compressor to clear things out.
  • The keyboard drivers might be faulty, so go into Device Manager to see if there is an indication there is a problem next to your keyboard icon. If so, you might need to re-download the correct drivers. Visit your manufacturer’s page to download the correct drivers for your laptop’s Keyboard.
  • Use an external, USB-powered keyboard until you resolve the issue.

Blue Screen of Death

The dreaded blue screen of death (BSOD) strikes fear in the hearts of all computer owners everywhere. If there is one issue that sends laptop owners running to local repair centers, it’s this one, and understandably so. It’s easy to feel helpless when you aren’t getting any feedback on your computer screen.
The first thing most laptop owners do here is to restart their computers. It’s a good first step to try. If this doesn’t resolve the issue, things get complicated, and you might find yourself reaching out for professional repair assistance.

Why Will a Laptop Restart Solve So Many Issues?

Sometimes things get jumbled up in computers due to troublesome code, so a restart helps clear everything out by freeing up RAM and other issues. It’s always worth a try.
In the end, if you have an extended insurance plan from Upsie, you have nothing to worry about. Upsie warranties will protect your laptop from drops, liquid spills, and other sources of damage. Best of all, Upsie customers can make unlimited claims up to the purchase price of the laptop.
Upsie’s warranties are affordable as well. For example, warranties from Upsie cost up to 70 percent less than warranties sold by manufacturers or retailers. Customers can purchase an Upsie warranty for laptops bought in the last 60 days.
If you have any issues that a restart doesn’t fix, reach out to file a claim.

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* This article is over 6 months old and may or may not be updated.