Does your computer need rebooting? The science of PC computer rebooting is not easy – you don’t just shut down your laptop or press the power button to turn off your desktop.

To restart your computer the right way – and to avoid serious operating system foulups and registry problems that could cause major headaches, read this article. I’ll provide five steps to properly reboot any PC or Mac computer without damages to apps.

Sometimes even a slow computer needs rebooting to speed it up!

Step 1. Shut down and save programs

If your computer isn’t completely frozen, make sure to close and save all programs and data. When computers reboot, they automatically dump and delete short-term memory. This means that any Adobe Photoshop file that you were working on will be erased unless you manually SAVE IT.

Step 2. Make sure there are no running processes

If there are running scripts like a hard drive defragment or system restore, these actions could be terminated and cause major damage to both the software installed itself as well as any files associated.

Step 3. Do a “soft computer reboot” through the Start Menu

I’m talking just to Microsoft Windows users now, but the same logic applies to Apple Mac users as well. Find the Shutdown options on your PC, and click “Restart”.

Step 4. If that doesn’t work, do a hard PC reboot

This is when all else fails and your PC laptop freezes or a soft reboot “Restart” isn’t working. Find your power button, and hold it down. Don’t let go! That’s key – hold it down until your monitor shuts down (usually in 5-10 seconds).

Your PC computer has been made to power down – what’s known as a hard reboot. This can cause major data loss and in the wrong circumstances, corrupt applications and operating system files.

Step 5. Once your computer has rebooted

Do a thorough check of main apps that load on startup. Often these are the first to get nukked during rebooting and restarting. Remember, proper rebooting removes the need to find computer repair parts!