- Tip #1: Search and Repair: Disk Utility
- Tip #2: Run the Maintenance Apps
- Tip #3: Get Some Disk Tools
- Tip #4: Defragment the Hard Drive. . .Or Not?
- Tip #5: Use Software Update
- Tip #6: If it Doesn't Work, Don't Use it!
- Tip #7: Get Some Backup Software (and Use It)
- Tip #8: An Excuse for a New iPod (As if You Needed One)
- Tip #9: Everything Else...
- A Happy Ending
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Tip #6: If it Doesn't Work, Don't Use it!
An insidious problem that sometimes follows updating the system software is breaking the driver software that goes along with external storage devices, printers, keyboards, scanners, etc. Many times these drivers are fine, but sometimes they become unreliable, and may even fail to work at all. As these are programs that work behind the scenes, it isn't always obvious that crashes or hardware failures are actually caused by these pieces of software, and zeroing in on the exact cause of a problem can be an exercise in frustration.
Before you update your system software, it's important to check the web sites of the manufacturers of any peripheral devices to see if their software remains compatible with the new operating system. Small system updates (the ones you download) usually aren't a problem, but the bigger system overhauls (the ones you buy as retail packages) are a much riskier proposition.
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Figure 6 Third-party software, particularly driver software, isn't always compatible with new versions of the Mac OS, so check before upgrading.