That icky feeling when a client calls with a downed server and you have no clue how to fix it (idea)

What happens here is simple. Get your favorite brand of music, a good set of headphones and plant yourself in front of the machine for a while. Usually you know how to fix it, you just can't think of it right away. Ben Folds Five or R.E.M. have proven to aid me immensely in such mental explorations.

Headphone design is very important -- it must allow you to hear system sounds, but conveniently ignore screaming people right behind you.