If It isn’t Broke, Don’t Fix It!

A common saying around many forums, including our own, if your computer isn’t broke, don’t try and fix it.

You’d be surprised at how many times customers will upgrade video drivers, firmware, bios updates, software, or hardware because they can, not because its really needed. Several examples include:

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Person A sees new video card drivers out for his series of video card. He has not been having problems with his video card, and none of the issues that are said to be resolved in the update affect him.

Person B sees a firmware update for his wireless networking card that is supposed to add features that Person B wouldn’t use if he had. There are no updates that he would use, and no stability improvements.

Person C sees a BIOS update available for their brand new motherboard that adds support for additional processors – none of which he has. There are no stability / reliability improvements, and no new features in this update.

Person D is thinking about upgrading their version of AIM because AIM says he should. The new version has even more adware than the previous one, and is even more bloated. It doesn’t really add any more features that are needed.

Person E just built himself a new computer with the latest video card that will run every game on the market. A week later, a newer card comes out that improves the frame rate on a video game by 1 FPS.

—–

In all the above cases, unless there is an issue directly causing problems that needs addressed, it is often times a better bet to stay with a version that works than rush into an upgrade. Upgrades can sometimes be buggy themselves, and lead to problems you weren’t having before. Fixing a problem that was not there often times creates a problem that wasn’t there.

Try not to upgrade unless you need the upgrade for stability, reliability, or functionality reasons. Many times, it will save you a huge headache.

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  • alexander the great

    ahahahahaha! VERY true! to be honest i’m a little like that myself, i justify it by being able to fix any new problems or just go back to plan A. very good advice i must say.

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