When experiencing problems with your computer, remember that most issues can be easily remedied. Troubleshooters typically begin their investigations by checking cables and rebooting the machine.
Even with advancements in technology, computers still experience glitches from time to time. By quickly recognizing and implementing solutions for these issues, you’ll save both time and money with IT support costs.
1. Check the Power
Computers play an indispensable role in our daily lives, helping us stream television shows and stay in contact with family and friends while managing work responsibilities. Although computers are an indispensable part of modern life, they’re not immune from glitches – knowing how to troubleshoot common computer issues could save both money and hassle.
One of the most pervasive problems encountered when working with computers is getting them started again, either due to power outage or due to hardware issues affecting monitor, CPU or other parts. Whatever it may be, this situation can be frustrating and time consuming to resolve.
To resolve this problem, first check your power supply unit (PSU). Your PSU takes in electricity and sends it directly to the motherboard; if something goes amiss with this process, your computer won’t start. To check the PSU, disconnect all other components from the computer and trace any wires or white blocks connecting directly to it from within your case – add each back one at a time while booting up; if none work successfully you may require a new power source.
2. Check the Connections
Your computer is an integral part of life, whether you use it to design rockets, groom poodles or write a novel – but like all technologies it can sometimes have issues. Recognizing and fixing these issues immediately can save time, money and frustration — not to mention an immense amount of stress!
Sometimes it’s easy to identify computer issues through error messages or black screens; but what about when the issue is more subtle – such as slowness in program closing?
Before beginning to address any computer-related issue, take a moment to think back about when and why the issue began. Has anything changed in terms of hardware, software or connections recently that has affected how you can use the computer?
3. Check the Hard Drive
Technological advances have given us some of the fastest, most versatile, and reliable computers ever seen; however, even top-of-the-line hardware can develop problems from time to time. Modern operating systems provide access to free diagnostic and troubleshooting tools designed to quickly pinpoint what may be ailing your machine.
If your computer is making more noise than usual or the file and folder names have become disorganized, this could be indicative of hard drive failure. Traditional hard drives emit an audible clicking sound when nearing failure; other sounds include grinding or whirring sounds that indicate failing storage devices.
Other symptoms of a failing hard drive include frequent crashes and blue screens. These could be the result of malware altering system files, forcing your hard drive to constantly read and write data which increases mechanical wear. Overheating can damage or corrupt hard drives’ contents – you can prevent this by cleaning out vents and fans, uninstalling unnecessary software programs and monitoring temperatures with software tools.
4. Check the Software
At work and home, computers and technology play an integral part of everyday life; therefore, any issues with them can be extremely frustrating. Thankfully, many common hardware and software problems are easy to identify and remedy without needing professional intervention.
Start by identifying what caused the issue to begin with. For instance, if your monitor won’t turn on, it could be because it hasn’t been recognized by your operating system, or there might be driver compatibility issues.
Once you understand what caused the issue, try to replicate it and isolate its cause. For instance, an unresponsive keyboard could be due to dust accumulation under its keys or a poor connection; sometimes updating drivers or reinstalling programs will solve this problem; many helpful resources on the Web — message boards, manufacturers’ websites and help menus themselves can provide more specific guidance for troubleshooting issues.
