With the economic downturn last year resulting in a higher cost of commodities, consumers nowadays are trying to find ways on how to save money. A simple black out on your computer can make you hundreds to a thousand dollars poorer by just paying for the technician to fix computer problems.

In the past, a consumer would usually pay $1,000 dollars to fix computer errors for an actual cost of $300 or even less! It will usually take an average user the whole day figuring out what to do and only minutes for the technician to troubleshoot the problem. In addition, the cost of repairs usually matches the actual price of buying a new computer.

However, the problem is the saved data in your broken computer. You will not have a choice but to have it repaired so you can retrieve your important files. Then you will be in the predicament where you pay twice, once for paying to fix the computer problems and second for paying for the new computer.

The solution is to learn how to fix computer problems. Computer problems may seem enormously difficult at first look, but most are quite simple to fix. Here are the some of the ‘how to’ fix computer problems.

Power Supply Troubleshooting. The first thing to do is to check if the power supply is working properly. Power supplies that come from affordable computers usually have a substandard power supply. The usual symptoms of a broken power supply are the computer reboots by itself and the computer not turning on. You can check if this part is not working by opening the CPU case without unplugging the computer and use a multi-tester. Although this is not an easy fix computer problem, it can save you money because you can already get people from the computer shops to install the power supply for you. It will save you money rather than paying for the services of a technician.

Fix computer problems with Video Card Failure. This usually starts from freezing to no picture on the computer monitor. Video card failure is a common problem because this computer part can lose contact with the main board. Freezing images usually caused by software that has higher demand for video bytes, either you upgrade your video card or try to minimize video usage. On the other hand, no picture in the computer is usually caused by a broken video card and usually gives an annoying sound when computer is turned on. Replacing a video card is a very simple ‘fix computer problems’ that when ranged from 1 – 10 for difficulty, it only registers as 2 or 3.

Virus and Malwares attack. Buying anti-virus and anti-malwares is the best thing to do. It cleans and protects your computer files and programs. Most shops will charge you approximately $300 just to clean your computer from viruses and malwares.

There are other ways to fix computer problems that can be researched. It is timely to start learning to fix computer problems because the computer is already part of our lives and not knowing could really be heavy on your pocket.

source: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Importance-of-Learning-To-Fix-Computer-Problems&id=5916818

Just imagine you are in the middle of your project and your computer locks up without any apparent reason. How would you feel? Surely, this is the most irritating feeling and betraying experience. Plus, if you have not saved your work, you are most likely to lose all the valuable information and efforts that you have just put in. In such a case, if you do not know how to fix the computer lock then reboot is the only solution. The bottom line is that you can fix it on your own with the basic information of computer.

First of all, it is necessary to understand as to why your computer locks up? It happens for various reasons. There may be problems with your hard disc or your registry has encountered error threatening to lock up your computer. If you still go on to use your computer without having to ascertain the actual cause of the problem, you will face the same situation after a little while.

In order to prevent computer lock, you can ensure some basic checks. Firstly, make sure that your computer is up to date. Ensure that the windows updates are properly installed. The programs that you run should be well supported by memory. Check to see whether your hard disc is full or completely fragmented.

Ensure that your computer is fully protected from all kinds of viruses. Run an updated version of anti-virus to check whether any registry items are flagged as suspect or changed. In case your anti-virus fails to check the registry items then you may have found the problem. Always remember, registry errors can do all the inconvenient and unpleasant things to your computer all of a sudden.

Registry serves as the most important and sensitive part in a window operating system. It keeps the most important settings and information of Windows. All the device drivers, system programs and software are dependent on it. When you run a program or software, Windows requires data (settings and information of the program) from registry to load the desired program or software. Registry tells your Windows how to run the program, your preferences, and gives information while the program is running.

But if the values in registry are corrupted by viruses or anything else you face the uncalled for experience of computer lock-up. In other words, if the data is invalid, incomplete or incorrect the registry does not allow for proper running of the program hence the lock-up.

To fix the computer lock, you need to repair the invalid and corrupted information in the registry. This may turn out to be a dangerous task for your computer. It is better to ask the professionals to fix the problem in the first place. But even if you are willing to fix it on your own then use registry repair software with extreme precaution. Keep in mind that improper efforts to fix the lock-up problem may leave your computer useless. Otherwise, registry cleaner software is the most preferred option to fix the lock of your computer.

source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Common-Computer-Problems-and-How-to-Fix-Them-in-a-Jiffy&id=5730597

Are you experiencing game crashes on your PC? Certainly you are not alone suffering with this issue. There are lots of people reporting that while playing games on laptop or desktop machine, the system randomly crashes. Some of them believe that there is virus and others think that its problem with the game itself. This may be true but mostly there is Windows internal problem.

Common Causes of Games Crashing are:

- Errors in registry.
- Outdated drivers.
- Windows internal setting problem.
- Low Disk Space.

In order to fix games crashes, below are given simple steps.

Remove and Re-install the game:

First thing to do is to remove the game that you are trying to play on your computer. This step would ensure you that you are not playing a game that has damaged or corrupted files that keep it crashing so often. Follow these instructions.

1. Click on Start button.
2. Go to Control Panel.
3. Double-click on Add or Remove Programs.
4. Locate the game.
5. Click on Remove button.
6. Follow the instructions.
7. Reboot your machine and re-install the game on your computer.

Update drivers:

Some games have very advanced graphical elements. In this case your graphics card can either be outdated or incompatible that is causing game crashes. To fix this issue, follow these instructions.

1. Right Click on Computer.
2. Select Properties || Hardware tab.
3. Click on Device Manager.
4. Right-click on sound card driver and updates it.
5. Repeat step 4 with graphic card.
6. Done.

Update Windows:

It may the reason that you are playing games on an outdated version of Windows. Follow these steps to solve the problem.

1. Click on Start || All Programs || Windows Update.
2. Follow through and download all available updates.
3. Restart your machine.

Repair Registry:

Last but not least, most common issues players encounter are within the registry of the computer. Windows registry is central database where all sensitive files such as DDLs (Dynamic Link Libraries) are kept. Overtimes when we play games on computer then registry is accumulated which causes game crashes.

source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Fix-Games-Crashes—Learn-Easy-Steps-to-Fix-a-Computer-Game-Crash-Instantly&id=5635472

Hard drives are destined to fail. It’s just a matter of when. As terrifying as its sounds, it’s true. It’s scary because your entire life can be on that drive in the form of valuable documents, pictures or other data. It’s important to backup and be prepared for this fact before you boot up the computer and get the dreaded No Operating System Found error. This can be a bad error or a really devastating error. The following will help you how to tell if your hard drive has died or whether there is another reason why it is not booting.

Hard Drive Problems

With the exception of new Solid State Drives (SSD), hard drives have a lot of moving parts. Because of this, there is a lot that can fail mechanically as the result of a manufacturing defect, heat, or simply normal wear and tear. If your hard drive has a physical problem, it has failed. You can take it to a business that specializes in recovering data, but it will probably cost you more than the computer’s worth to get that data back.

The hard drive can also fail due to electrical issues, and as with a mechanical problem, it will cost a lot to retrieve the data on the disk.

Lastly, the drive can simply be corrupt, which means it cannot boot but can be repaired by either reinstalling the Operating System or running a repair install from your Windows disk.

No Operating System Found

If you get the No Operating System Found error, this means the BIOS was in the process of handing boot control over to the hard drive and its Operating System but could not proceed because it could not locate an OS. The following could be some of the reasons for this error:

* There is a disk in the CD drive, floppy drive or USB port. Depending on how your BIOS is configured, it could be trying to boot to a drive other than the hard drive. Remove all disks and try booting up again. If Windows loads, go into the BIOS and specify the hard disk as the first boot device.
* The hard drive is unplugged. Open the case and confirm both the power connection and the data connections are securely attached.
* Jumpers are not configured properly. This problem will not just happen by itself. Unless you have been changing drive configurations or have recently added a new drive, this likely will not be the problem.
* Drive does not show up in BIOS. Change the power connector from the power supply, replace the data cable and perform other steps to determine why the drive is not recognized in BIOS. If the DVD drive shows up when you swap it out with the hard drive, this eliminates the motherboard controller and cables as being the problem. The next likely reason a drive does not show up in the BIOS is because it has died.

Fixing A Corrupt Hard Drive

You can quickly fix a corrupt hard drive if you have a Windows disk. If you have Windows XP, you can proceed to the Recovery Console by pressing the R key when prompted, then type chkdsk /r from the command prompt to repair Windows. Both Vista and Windows 7 have a Startup Repair option available when you boot to the Windows install disk. Windows Vista and Windows 7 will repair the drive automatically when you click the Startup Repair link.

In conclusion, to determine if your hard drive has died, the first place to look is the BIOS. If it’s not listed there–and if you have not performed any recent upgrades–then the hard drive has probably suffered a catastrophic failure. Also, pay close attention to your computer. If it begins making grinding sounds, if it crashes frequently, or if files suddenly begin disappearing, then this can be a sign of impending doom and you should take appropriate actions to replace it as soon as possible.

source: http://www.pctechbytes.com/hardware/hard-drive-has-died

Computer problems are frustrating. Becoming frustrated during the troubleshooting process will only lead to more problems. So the important thing to do first is take a deep breath, think happy thoughts, and plan out your course of action. Have tools ready, restore disks and drivers. This will save you time and patience.

Before you begin, jot down notes about any recent activity you have taken: Have there been any software changes? Did you recently add any new hardware? Did you unplug the PC and move it across the room?

If there have been no changes to the PC or its environment, then its time to pay attention to precisely what happens, if anything, when the PC boots.

Your first clues will be given during the POWER ON SELF TEST (POST). A successful test results in a short, single beep. This means that the BIOS received no errors from the hardware initializing during the boot process. If there was a problem, the BIOS would issue a beep code specific to the BIOS manufacturer that describes the nature of the problem. It is important to know what BIOS is on your motherboard. You can determine this by watching the name that flashes in the upper left corner during boot, or by opening the case open and looking for the BIOS chip. Common BIOS manufacturers are AMI BIOS, AWARD and PHOENIX. An example of an Award BIOS beep code for a video card problem would be one long beep followed by two short beeps.

If you get no beep code, and everything seems to be spinning inside the case, then the main culprit is probably the processor.

Memory – Memory errors could generate a “201: Memory Error” message on the screen. Any error codes beginning with 2 indicate a memory error.

Keyboard – a problem with the keyboard will result in a “301: Keyboard Failure” error message followed by a short beep. System may halt or may ignore the error.

Floppy – any problems will result in a “601: Floppy Disk” error code appearing on the screen.

The Power Supply, or PSU, is another main culprit in hardware failures. The Power Supply is the first connection to the outside world and can be damaged by unclean power, brown-outs, spikes and blackouts. The PSU will appear to function normally, but may actually be damaged. If you’re lucky nothing will happen when you press the power button. Nothing at all. But usually the lights will flash, the hard drives will spin, and you will immediately eliminate the PSU because it appears to be functioning correctly. Thus, you are taken down a frustrating road of trial and error while attempting to find the source of the hardware problem.

Since power supplies are relatively inexpensive and by far the easiest piece of hardware to swap out. We recommend replacing this first if there are no POST codes or hints to any other device being bad.

Software Troubleshooting

If the PC passes the POST, the hard drive begins to load the operating system into memory. Software no w takes over and will sometimes generate errors at this point. If you cannot boot properly at this point in the game, then you should first see if you can get into SAFE MODE. Safe Mode is accomplished by repeatedly pressing the F8 key during this critical moment . A new menu will appear with boot options. You can choose Safe Mode here or a Step by Step Confirmation that will ask you to confirm when loading devices and drivers. Keep your note pad handy because if you choose this option, you will need to know exactly what failed.

If, by luck, you are able to get into Windows, you can then run Scandisk (or CHKDSK) to determine if something is wrong with the file structure. Or you can navigate to the Device Manager in the Control Panel (under SYSTEM) to get a visual on any devices that have errors or or conflicts. You can disable hardware here or update drivers.

Conclusion

Whatever the problem is, it’s important to take a step back and look at the situation. Is it hardware or software? Did I change anything? Do I have a backup? Maybe I should simply reformat and reinstall? Or perhaps I have a virus or Trojan?

Routinely backup your important documents, do basic preventive maintenance on the fans and keyboard with compress air, use an Uninterruptible Power Source for your power supply, routinely update your virus definitions, and defrag monthly. These are a few of the basic techniques that will keep things running smooth.

source: http://www.pctechbytes.com/troubleshooting/computer-troubleshooting-tips

Your hard drive contains all of your important data, like the Windows Operating System, pictures, music, and other data you do not want to lose. Keeping track of the health of your hdd is a dubious chore. Unfortunately, most people do not realize there is a problem before it’s too late and they lose all of their data.

You can spot early warning signs of imminent failure if your hard drive has SMART technology. SMART stands for Self-monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology and will often give you a notice if the drive is experiencing problems. If you see a warning like that at boot, be sure to backup you data and buy a new drive.

Using Third Party Software to Monitor Your Drive

You can use applications that help keep an eye on your drive. HDD Health is one of those aplications. It can give you valuable info about the the disk’s temperature and overall health. It can also give you all of its SMART statistics.

It also shows valuable hdd information, such as the model number, partitions and remaining space.

But unless there is a glaring problem with the drive, there is no way to tell if it is about to fail. In fact, hard drives can fail suddenly and without warning. These tools should be used in addition to the SMART technology built into the drive.

How to Diagnose Problems With Your Hard Drive

Generally speaking, if you begin getting errors or blue screens that you cannot recover from, or if you occasionally cannot boot into Normal Mode or Safe Mode, then your hard drive might be on the way out. Problems will start intermittently and gradually grow worse. If you start experiencing these problems, you can try running chkdsk. Chkdsk will repair errors (if you specify that) and make sure data is no longer written to those areas of the disk. To run a chkdsk, right click the hard drive and select Properties. Under the Tools tab, click Check Now in the Error Checking area. A box will pop up. Choose Automatically Fix Errors and Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors. You will likely need to reboot before the check begins and it could take quite a while.

Make sure the size of the hard drive appears correctly in the BIOS and in My Computer. For instance, if the drive once reported it was 20 Gigs and now reports as 13 Gigs, there could be a problem.

Listen for strange noises from the hard drive. You have been using your PC for a long time, if the hard drive begins making scraping, churning or any other sounds out of the ordinary, then it could mean the drive’s actuator arm is damaged or perhaps the ball bearings on the spindle are starting to go.

source: http://www.pctechbytes.com/troubleshooting/hard-drive-troubleshooting-2

Computer sound problems are often difficult to troubleshoot. There are a lot of components that can affect the playback of sounds on your PC. These can be either hardware or software related. So diagnosing the source of the problem is the first step in repairing your computer’s sound capabilities. If you have a major brand name PC, such as a Dell, HP, Acer or similar, you should should be able to quickly find troubleshooting information of those respective websites. The tips you’ll find below might require the installation of drivers, which you can also find on those sites.

Steps to Troubleshoot Sound Cards

It’s easy to accidentally turn off or mute your sound. If you have a laptop, check for any function keys (FN) that might be used to disable sound. For laptops and PCs, be sure to check the speaker icon in the system tray by your clock. Double-click the icon and make sure all levels are up and not on Mute. It’s also possible to turn off the sound card altogether. To confirm this is not the case, press the Windows key on your keyboard along with the Pause key in the upper left. This will open the system properties screen. Click the Hardware tab, then Device Manager. Scroll down and find your sound card and make sure there are no red “X”s or error messages associated with the sound device. If the device has an “X” over it, right-click to enable it. If there is an error, click through and read the error message for more details.

You should also rule out problems with the speakers. If you have powered speakers, make sure they are turned on and properly connected to your PC. Generally, computers will use a green connector, but your PC may vary. You should also connect a spare set of speakers or even a set of headphones to the back to make sure there is not a problem with the speakers themselves.

If everything checks out so far, try going to Start>Run and in the dialogue box type dxdiag and hit return. Next, click the Sound tab and then click the Test DirectSound. You may not hear anything or you may see error messages displayed. This diagnostic displays the sound device and the driver version for your computer. Write down this information, then visit the manufacturer of the computer or the sound card and look for an newer driver version. The driver can then be updated through the Device Manager.

Windows also has a troubleshooter included in the Operating System. To run through it, click Start>Help and Support and then look for Fixing a Problem. You then need to find Games, Sound and Video Problems. This will walk you through several things to try with your PC.

source: http://www.pctechbytes.com/troubleshooting/computer-sound-problems

If your computer monitor is blank, you need to determine if the problem is the monitor or the PC. But it can also be caused by bad power and video cables, or even a bad power source. So if your monitor is blank, these steps should help you determine isolate the problem. Keep in mind there are a lot of factors that can contribute to a blank monitor, such as a bad video card, motherboard or power supply in the PC. On the monitor side, you could have issues with its power supply, cables or the LCD backlight itself.

Troubleshooting Computer Monitors

The first thing you should determine is if the monitor is a CRT or a flat panel. CRTs are older and prone to fail with buzzing sounds, such as a TV would. Flat panels can have a backlight go, which means it needs to be replaced. You should check to make sure the monitor is getting power, then play with the buttons on the front to confirm the brightness is turned all the way up. If you still see nothing, disconnect the video cable from the computer and see if a monitor disgnostic image comes up on the screen. Most newer monitors will display this image when there is no power to the monitor. It is a way to easily tell users that the monitor is okay but that there is no signal coming from the PC. If you recall seeing this diagnostic in the past but it does not show now the monitor is probably bad. Try it on another PC if you can to confirm.

You should also go directly into an outlet and by-pass any power strips you might be using. Plugging into an electrical outlet you know works can help narrow your power issues. You should also check any external power supply the monitor might have. Depending on the model, some have the power supply located in the cable, just as a laptop would. If this is the case, there should be a light on the power supply indicating it is OK. If you have a standard power plug, try replacing that with another.

Troubleshooting The Computer

If you have determined the problem is with the computer, you should make sure all connections are secure. Remove both ends of the VGA cable and inspect the entire cable for damage. Confirm the pins are not bent and then reconnect the cable. If the computer has a second video input, try the second one. Occasionally, a computer will have an on-board graphics adapter as well as a card that was later added by the user. Try going back to the original and see if this helps. If so, you may need to tell the BIOS which output to use. If the monitor comes on when the PC first boots but then shuts off when Windows loads, you probably have a bad video driver. Try tapping the F8 key at boot to get into Safe Mode. From here, you can download a new graphics driver from the manufacturer or roll-back the old driver from within the Device Manager. If the monitor is blank from the instant you turn on the computer, you have a computer hardware problem that could be the graphics card, motherboard or even the power supply.

source: http://www.pctechbytes.com/troubleshooting/computer-monitor-is-blank

If your computer will not start, meaning it seems like it is dead or partially dead, then you probably have a bad power supply. There are, of course, other components that can cause a no power issue, but usually we need to start at the source and check the power supply first. The power supply is at the rear of the PC, usually near the top of the case, and it is what gets plugged into the wall or power strip. If you open the case, you will notice the power supply is more complex inside. You will have a main power connector that is either a 20-pin or a 24-pin. You will also have multiple connectors that go to various components in the case, like the hard drive, optical drives and sometimes even the video card.

There are a couple of ways to test the power supply. The easiest is to purchase a cheap Power Supply Tester. You can also use a multimeter to check for proper voltages of 3.3, 5.5 and 12.

You can also try running a jump from the PS_ON pin–the one with the green wire to a black ground lead. A paperclip can be used for this test.

Power off the computer, disconnect the power supply from the wall outlet. Insert one end of the paperclip down into the space where the green wire attaches to the power supply plug. Do the same for the black wire using the other end of the paper clip.

If the computer fires up, then you have a bad power supply. You can buy new power supplies straight from the manufacturer or go through your local computer repair shop. If you know exactly what type you need, you can purchase them online, as well.

Resolution Summary:

Check the power supply with a power supply tester.

You can also use a multimeter.

Jump the PS-ON lead to a ground wire.

source: http://www.pctechbytes.com/troubleshooting/computer-will-not-start

Your computer’s power supply is the single most important component in the case. But it’s also the most boring, so when it comes time to skimp on costs, the power supply is often a generic or budget brand. Sometimes this is okay. But often the power supply acts erratic, causes restarts and errors because other components are not getting the consistent voltage they require. If you are experiencing problems you cannot quickly isolate, be sure to test the power supply and rule it out before spending too much money.

Tips on Troubleshooting a Power Supply

Most families have a other computers of similar size. Before you spend money on a tester or a new power supply, you might try just swapping in a power supply you know works. That is the low-tech solution, but it often takes a lot of extra effor that people aren’t willing to expend.

Buy a Power Supply Tester
You can buy a power supply tester for relatively cheap. While a multimeter is a better overall solution because you can use it for other things, a power supply tester is a fast and easy way to tell if the PSU is good.

Check For Proper Voltage
Check the voltage setting on the back of the power supply. While this is not likely the problem, just confirm it is set correctly for your region. If the computer was recently moved, it’s possible the switch was moved. 115v is typical for the United States.

Make Sure Power Supply Fan is Working
If you have an older PC, you should make sure the fan on the power supply is working. If it’s not, you need to replace the power supply immediately. You can sometimes blow them out with compressed air, but if it is not spinning at all, the power supply must be replaced.

Is the Power Supply Powerful Enough?
Lastly, you should make sure your power supply is rated high enough for your needs. If you built the system a few years ago, you have probably added extra hard drives, a more powerful graphics card and maybe some new RAM. Make sure your power supply has enough voltage to handle it all. Try this Power Supply Calculator.

Resolution Summary:

1. You can swap out the power supply with a known good one.
2. You can buy a cheap power supply tester.
3. You must make sure all necessary power supply connectors are attached.
4. Check the voltage setting in the back of the power supply and make sure it’s set for your region.
5. Make sure your PSU fan is working.

source: http://www.pctechbytes.com/troubleshooting/how-to-check-a-power-supply