We do a lot of things without really thinking about it. When you fill up your car with gas there is a little tag on the door that says what type of octane to use. Cool, no problem. Taking medicine for a cold, take 2 every 6 hours. Sounds good. Of course these are all tested directions and recommended for a reason. However, when it comes to technology and the self-sustaining features that software and drivers have developed, taking the simple, recommended action may not always provide the intended result like a full tank of gas or sinus relief.
So when you’re in the middle of something and you hear that subtle chime followed by a gray box in the center of your screen, should you click ‘OK’? or ‘Update’? That depends on several things, but the safe answer is ‘No’. Would you pull your car up to any old gas pump and fill your tank? What if you grab the diesel handle by mistake? Would you just grab any item of the medicine cabinet and take it? Unnecessarily updating drivers and software can have the same disastrous effects.
Every computer is different and depending on the type of operating system you have, the age of the hardware and software and a number of other factors, updating drivers can have a variety of outcomes. Ideally, the software will be updated and perform better. However, if your operating system (iOS, Windows, etc.) is an older generation it may not support some of the latest features that a current driver has. This is where problems can occur.
While we are discussing this, it also a great opportunity to be reminded about data backup. A failed driver update can do more than rendering your computer unusable; it could also force you to start from scratch. This is just another reason to maintain a strong backup plan, either with on-site or off-servers, or a cloud-based solution.
When it comes to running unsolicited updates on your computer, avoid the temptation (if there is one) to accept them. They are designed to offer you the latest and greatest, and while the intention is noble, it is not possible for them to recognize the unique scenario that rests inside of your laptop or network. To avoid headaches, heartaches, lost work, lost time and lost dollars, entrust all of your system updates and maintenance to a trusted, certified IT professional. AtlasOne Technologies is certified across a wide variety of platforms and has experience with businesses of all sizes and types. Save time and money by leveraging the skills and resources of local managed IT services provider.
