Many hours of hard work can be wiped out in an instant if you're caught unprepared. Keep in mind, network and modem connections can also deliver a fatal blow, make sure they are protected too. One low tech solution is to unplug your computer and modem line during a thunderstorm.

2. Turn off unnecessary extensions in your system folder. You will save system resources and help reduce conflicts.

3. Write down any error messages you get (or try to do a screen capture), This will help us to troubleshoot your particular situation.

4. Back up, back up, back up.

5. If you have accidentally deleted files stop working on the computer. Files will have a greater chance for recovery if caught early.

Rebuild the Desktop file (Systems up through 9.2.x). Useful when desktop information becomes corrupted (for example, when some icons take on a "generic" appearance).

Turn off extensions

Start up the computer from a CD

Getting Out Of Freezes - a plus (+) sign means keys are held down together.

Cancel an operation in progress

Force a program to quit. Unsaved work will be lost.

Restart or shut down the computer (on some models). Unsaved work will be lost.

Force the computer to Restart (on some models). Unsaved work will be lost.

Other Useful Shortcuts

Close all open windows in the finder

Create a picture file (screen capture) of the entire screen.

Create a picture file of a rectangular section of the screen. After pressing and releasing the key combination, drag across the part of the screen you want to take a picture of.

Create a picture file of the active window. After pressing and releasing the key combination, click the window you want to take a picture of.