Chapter 20
When Good Mac Laptops Go Bad
In This Chapter
Avoiding the blame (righteously)
Putting basic troubleshooting precepts to work
Using Mark’s Troubleshooting Tree
Getting help
I wish you weren’t reading this chapter.
Because you are, I can only surmise that you’re having trouble with your MacBook, and that it needs fixing. (The other possibility — that you just like reading about solving computer problems — is more attractive but much more problematic.)
Consider this chapter a crash course in the logical puzzle that is computer troubleshooting: the art of finding out What Needs Fixing. I tell you what to do when you just plain can’t solve the problem yourself.
Oh, and you’re going to encounter a lot of Tips and Mark’s Maxims in this chapter. I learned all of them the hard way, so I recommend committing them to memory.
Repeat after Me: Yes, I Am a Tech!
Anyone can troubleshoot. Believe it, and put these common troubleshooting myths to rest:
- It takes a college degree in computer science to troubleshoot. Tell that to my troubleshooting kid. She’ll think it’s a hoot, because ...
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