The most underrated tip for solving an IT problem

One of the most underrated tips for solving an IT problem is "restarting the device or system."

This simple step can resolve a multitude of issues across various devices and systems. Restarting clears the system memory, which can fix problems caused by memory leaks or programs not releasing memory properly.

It can apply system updates or patches that require a restart to take effect.

Restarting also resets configurations and settings that might have been temporarily changed or corrupted, resolving conflicts or errors. Additionally, it clears temporary files and caches, addressing issues caused by corrupted temporary data.

Restarting services and processes can fix issues related to services that have hung or failed.

Despite its simplicity, this tip is often underrated because users tend to look for more complex solutions or assume a basic action won't resolve their issue. However, many IT professionals know that a significant number of problems can be fixed with this straightforward step. It's often the first thing tech support suggests, and with good reason – it works surprisingly often.

Restarting is an effective first troubleshooting step that can save time and effort before delving into more complex diagnostics.

And “restarting the system” is not only applicable to IT problems but in many other areas of life and business, but I'll leave that for another time.