Troubleshooting Your Personal Computer



Posted: Monday, January 15, 2007

by
Samaritan Enterprises

Does your computer sometimes seem to have a mind of its own? One day everything seems fine, then the next time you boot the computer, something goes drastically wrong. Do you spend too much down time waiting on the computer tech or taking your machine to the shop for minor glitches that could have been resolved with a little investigation and technique? It sometimes seems that the more integrated an item becomes in our lives, the more we may take the item for granted, and the more impacted we are by its inoperability. The computer has become such an item. We use them for even the most basic tasks and cannot imagine our lives without them, but if something goes wrong, we are at a loss to correct the problem.
Basic troubleshooting techniques and a systematic approach will at the very least leave the user better informed and able to relate to the technician the nature of the malfunction. At best, these will assist the user in isolating and possibly correcting the problem. These steps of troubleshooting your PC will help you to be a more educated, more confident, and more aware of the capabilities and vulnerabilities of the common personal computer.

Preventative Maintenance. You hear this term applied to everything from healthcare to automotive care, but the fact remains: The best way to avoid future problems is to prevent them from becoming problems in the first place. Many volumes could be written about this subject, but a brief overview will suffice most users. Preventative maintenance as it applies to computers must be divided into two equally important facets: The hardware, and the software. Preventing hardware problems include keeping the computer clean by occasionally dusting the components with a soft brush or compressed air. There are many products available for these purposes at your local computer retailer. Exterior surfaces may be cleaned with a damp cloth and mild detergent. Avoid subjecting the computer to smoke, excessive heat and humidity, moisture, dust, and electrical interference. Surge protectors are the minimum amount of protection advised for the home user, but more sophisticated equipment may be needed to protect home businesses or other delicate configurations.

Preventative maintenance should be applied to the software in the form of scheduled maintenance tasks. Registry and data backups should be performed monthly and even more so if the data changes frequently. In the event of a system crash, the data and configuration can then be copied onto this or another computer. Check the manufacturer documentation or use utility software programs to perform these tasks. Scandisk and disk defragmenter are system utilities that should be performed weekly. Scandisk checks the data and disk surface for errors, and disk defragmenter regroups data and applications on the hard disk for faster load and retrieval times. Your system may contain other applications necessary for optimal performance so you should refer to the manufacturer documentation for information.

Sudden computer malfunctions can be frustrating, but the best approach is to remain calm and clear-headed. Attempt to isolate the problem. Do not overlook the small details. Be sure the computer's cables are connected properly and the machine has power. Does the machine come on, but no display? Does the problem seem to be hardware or software related? Take notice of any discrepancies from the last time you used the machine. Document the steps taken and actions performed in this investigation for later referral. If there seems to be a malfunction of a hardware component (i.e. monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc.) check for hardware conflicts by right-clicking the desktop My Computer icon and select properties from the drop down menu. Select the Device Manager tab. If you see a yellow "?" in front of a device, there could be a hardware conflict and outside advice may be in order. If you are able, disconnect one of the devices that is conflicted and try rebooting the computer. If this yields no results, try to replace that component with one you are sure works. Perhaps you have spare parts, or a friend with a computer that is willing to allow you to do some investigation using their computer to swap components. Check your Help file for troubleshooting wizards if you suspect a single component.
If you feel that there is a software problem, is it confined to one application? Try other programs or other functions within the same application to see if they work properly. Sometimes simply rebooting the computer will correct software problems. Run the anitvirus program to check for viruses. Run Scandisk and Disk Defragmenter to correct software malfunctions. Did you recently install a new program? You may need to uninstall the application and see if that corrects the situation. If you get error messages, pressing ALT and Print Screen keys simultaneously will place a copy of the error message on the clipboard which can then be pasted into a word processing, photo, or drawing document and saved for later referral.
As in any troubleshooting scenario, always try the easiest, cheapest, and least intrusive method first, then work your way up. This may provide leads suggesting other avenues to inspect. Be sure to know your limits. Do not attempt any operation that you are uncomfortable with and do not be afraid to ask your local computer technician for advice. More intense troubleshooting methods are outside the realm of this article and may be researched further by advanced users wishing to expand their knowledge of these methods.

You can isolate and fix many common computer problems by a simple method of troubleshooting. There are many great resources available in bookstores and on the net for repair, maintenance and troubleshooting techniques. Taking it upon yourself to learn basic troubleshooting can save a ton of money not to mention the downtime and accompanying frustrations. It's easier than you think.


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Ferrel Kenda is an internet a webmaster and author and is a certified PC tech.

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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)
» left by ranjeet patel from mumbai 347 days 7 hours ago.
how to learn to fix problem online?

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