Have you ever experienced a sudden computer breakdown that prevents you from doing regular computing tasks? For instance, you were not able to complete your thesis because you were not aware of the common workaround procedures that you can try to fix minor computer issues.
Sometimes, computer problems are not tech-intensive, and you can handle them quite easily without employing any third-party app. Other times, determining the reasons why it shuts down or leads to other issues is not that simple.
Reading this article will help you to rectify common computer problems without contacting technical support. Take time to learn these tips as they can turn out to be useful, provided that you are using a Mac.
When you notice that your Mac computer is running slow, freezes frequently, or locks down all of a sudden, you can try these workaround tips.
A pro tip is that you should restart your Mac as it can resolve more than half the problems. Other simple fixes will help you optimize your computer for better performance in the long run.
Mac Doesn’t Start
If you are not able to turn on your computer, there can be multiple possible reasons that might be preventing it from turning on. Try to restart your Mac by pressing down the Power button available on the keyboard for approximately 10 seconds and releasing it slowly. Once again, push the Power button normally to restart the computer.
If it doesn’t help, check if the power cable is connected properly and that the wall outlet is working appropriately. On MacBooks, the battery might have drained fully, due to which you are not able to switch it on. Recharging the MacBook battery by plugging it into the power outlet can resolve the issue.
If the battery is charged, but the computer is not turning on, there might be a problem with the display. So, make sure to check the device from different aspects before you plan to replace its components or get a new one.
Mac Starts & Crashes Suddenly
If your computer starts normally but crashes all of a sudden after startup, there might be a software-related issue. You need to try these solutions carefully based on the kind of computer you own.
On the Intel-based Macs, navigate to the Apple menu available in the top-left corner of your computer and click Shut Down. Now restart the system by pressing down the Power button and holding down the Up arrow key. Wait for the login window to appear. Now turn the computer on in Safe Mode. Now leave the Safe Mode. To do that, you will need to restart the MacBook and not touch the keyboard while the device loads.
On Apple Silicon chip Macs, click the Apple menu and click Shut Down. Now hold down the Power button to restart your computer and wait for the Startup Options to appear on the screen. Select the Startup disk, press down the Up arrow key for a few seconds, and select Continue in Safe Mode. To leave the Safe Mode, restart the device without pressing any keys.
Reset NVRAM or PRAM
On Intel-based Macs, you can deal with a variety of hardware issues simply by resetting the NVRAM or PRAM settings. If the volume on your Mac doesn’t respond or you find difficulty scrolling down the webpage with the mouse, resetting NVRAM may help. It can also resolve issues with display resolution, AirPort issues, keyboard problems, and more.
Please note that the below-mentioned steps will not work on Apple Silicon-based devices and applies to Intel Macs only.
To reset NVRAM and PRAM, shut down your Mac and press the power button. Now press Command + Options + P + R keys altogether before the grey screen appears. Now hold down the keys and wait for the computer to restart. Wait till the device expels the startup sound for the second time; once you hear it, release all four keys, all at once.
For computers that integrate T2 Security chips, press and hold down the Command + Options + P + R keys simultaneously until the Apple logo appears. Release all keys together once the Apple logo disappears for the second time.
After you reset the NVRAM and PRAM, some of the computer settings such as the time, keyboard preferences, mouse settings, volume controls may disappear. Need not worry, as you will be able to reset or resume these settings back to normal with easy tweaks. If you think that the breakdown is due to any internal or external component, running a hardware test can also help identify the problem.
The Conclusion
So, next time you find difficulty in running your Mac smoothly, try these workaround methods to resolve the problem. Make sure to backup your hard drive before you tweak any settings. It will help you restore data to the hard drive in its original format if anything goes wrong. You can use the Time Machine backup utility to do the job or can move data to cloud storage.