Pinpoint The Source Of Your Computer Problem
As time goes on, PCs continue to increase in complexity and our reliance upon them continues to grow. More often than not, both increases are perfectly complementary, as millions of people across the globe turn their computers on each day to use them for research, leisure, entertainment, or learning. But that paired reliance—us relying on our PCs and our PCs relying on us for maintenance— isn’t always a happy fairy tale; sometimes the experience breeds frustration, especially when the PC just doesn’t work, and we don’t know why. Thankfully, however, troubleshooting a PC is largely an exercise in the process of elimination; following a standardized procedure with the right tools can go a long way toward diagnosing your computer’s ailment and getting you back on the right track. Knowing what is broken is the cornerstone of knowing how to fix it, so read on to become a pro at investigating your problem and discovering that crucial cornerstone.
Before You Dive In
Although it’s tempting to start troubleshooting your PC as soon as it displays symptoms, you’ll save yourself a potential headache if you back up your digital valuables first (assuming that your PC’s problem doesn’t prevent you from doing so). Sure, the average software conflict, driver re installation, or loose monitor cord isn’t much of a threat to your files, but we’ve seen seemingly small problems turn into PC-crippling disasters before. If you’re in the “better safe than sorry” camp, jot down a quick list of the files you want to protect: documents, music or video files, emails, and maybe that list of Internet Explorer Favorites you’ve built up over the years (in Internet Explorer, click File, Import And Export to start the wizard that lets you back up Favorites). Move them to removable media or (if you don’t suspect that your PC has a virus) to another PC on your network. Now you can tackle your PC’s problem without worrying about losing your data. Hardware Or Software? It’s not always easy to determine whether your hardware or software is to blame, but it’s a good place to start troubleshooting: If you’re fairly confident that the problem is one or the other, you’ve eliminated several troubleshooting steps. Ruling out causes is the best path to troubleshooting success. Look for common hardware symptoms. Hardware problems, such as damaged components or loose cables, generally cause obvious, dramatic problems. For example, if your computer won’t power on at all, you’re looking at a hardware problem, rather than software. You should also suspect a hardware problem if your computer powers on, but no images appear on your monitor. If you can’t access any software (even the BIOS [Basic Input/Output System]), you’re not looking at a software issue. Of course, not all hardware issues display such obvious symptoms, and some hardware problems exhibit symptoms similar to those caused by software problems. For example, if your PC runs slowly, it may have too many unnecessary programs running at once, or a virus or adware may be crippling your system; obviously, these are software problems. On the other hand, these same symptoms can be caused by an overheated processor, something that’s just as obviously a hardware issue. Look for common software symptoms. Whereas hardware problems often reduce your computer to an oversized paperweight, software issues are often more subtle, and usually let you access most parts of your computer. A conflict between two programs, for example, may prevent you from accessing certain applications, but may not crash Windows itself. In many cases, the software that’s experiencing trouble will display an error message. Unfortunately, many error messages don’t offer much immediate help: The message will likely display a cryptic warning or a bunch of numbers and letters that don’t mean anything to anyone other than a programmer. Unless you receive an error message saying that hardware is to blame, the error message is a good indicator that you’re facing a software problem.
If your problem doesn’t prevent you from accessing the Internet, try looking up the error message at Smart Computing’s Tech Support Center. The site offers an online database of error messages for hundreds of programs, including the Windows OS (operating system). To learn more about an error message, visit
Tech Support Center and then click Browse Error Messages Alphabetically or Search By Error Message Text. If you choose the Search feature, enter the text of the error message word-for-word to get the best results. Each error message in the database includes an explanation of the message’s meaning and at least one potential solution. Consider recent events. If you call a tech support service, one of the first questions the tech will ask is, “What were the last things you did before the problem occurred?” Remembering any actions you’ve taken over the past few days may help you narrow down the problem. If you moved your computer to a different room and now find that it won’t power on, for example, you should kick off the troubleshooting by identifying the components that may have changed during the move. Check the wall outlet to make sure it is functioning properly, and check the power cord to make sure it is plugged firmly into the outlet and the PC’s PSU (power supply unit). (Don’t forget that transporting a computer any significant distance can result in video cards and other devices vibrating loose.) This approach will also help you determine whether you have a software problem. If you installed a new program last night and now your Desktop doesn’t display the family photo you were using as a Desktop background, you’re probably not facing a hardware issue. The longer you own a PC, the more often you’ll find that the simplest explanation for the problem is often the right one.
