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A big reason that discourages some people from trying to become familiar with computers and other digital technology devices is that they seem far too complex to understand. While that can be true in some respects, in a lot of other ways, it’s not. In fact, most consumer-grade digital technology is being made more accessible and intuitive all the time.

Below is a listing of commonly asked computer questions and answers, and basic troubleshooting steps for operating systems, software, and computer hardware.Keep in mind that this is a select few of the thousands of questions and answers in our database. See our troubleshoot definition for a general overview of the steps that should be taken while troubleshooting a computer.

Part of that is making computers easier to fix when something doesn’t work correctly. And even computer troubleshooting isn’t always as difficult as you might think. To demonstrate, this article will give you some simple tips and techniques for how to fix a computer. Here’s a quick rundown of our agenda:

Stick with us, and soon you’ll be a basic computer troubleshooting whiz!

What is troubleshooting?

“Troubleshooting” usually describes the act of fixing problems that cause machines (especially computers) to stop working, work sub-optimally, or otherwise do something irregular. Specifically, though, it actually refers to a particular problem-solving system that works through several steps.

A basic representation of the troubleshooting process looks something like this:

Identify the specific problem – Determine exactly what it is your computer is not doing that you want it to do, or doing that you don’t want it to do.
Consider relations to similar scenarios – Think about problems that you may have had with your computer before that were like your current one. Recall how those problems were solved, and consider what was the same or different in those instances.
Hypothesize and treat common causes – Brainstorm some simple things that could make your computer not act in the particular way you want it to. Check and fix these things, and then see if that stops the problem and keeps it from coming back soon afterward. If it does, you’re done! If not, proceed to step 4.
Test relevant components – If none of the common solutions work, methodically check parts (all of them, if you have to) of each system on your computer that could be responsible for the problem.
Implement a solution on the problem component – If you think you’ve narrowed down what part of your computer is causing your issue, come up with a strategy for how to fix it, and then test it out.
Verify that the issue is resolved – After working on the allegedly faulty computer component, if the problem is gone and doesn’t quickly start reoccurring (and, therefore, your computer is working normally again), you’re done! If not, go back to step 4.

Now that you know what the troubleshooting process is and how it works, let’s see it in action! Here are some common computer maladies and how to work through them.

10 common computer problems and how to troubleshoot them

1. My computer runs slowly.

General description:

Your computer takes a long time to boot up, programs take a long time to open, and both system and application functions take longer than usual to respond to your inputs.

Common causes:

You have too many windows open at once, or too many programs running at once.
Your computer’s registry is fragmented or corrupted.
Your computer has installed a virus or other malware program.
Your computer doesn’t have enough RAM to run all the programs you want it to.

Troubleshooting suggestions:

Close any windows and quit any programs that you aren’t immediately using.
Go to your Control Panel and uninstall old programs that you don’t use anymore.
Open your Task Manager and stop programs or processes that don’t need to be running.
Install and run an antivirus program to repair infected files.
Take your computer to a repair shop to get its RAM upgraded.

2. I’m stuck on the “Blue Screen of Death.”

General description:

This is more officially known as a “STOP error,” and it shows up when your computer’s operating system determines that it can’t run your computer safely at the moment. It has various causes, some of which are more serious than others. Be sure to read the specific error message for hints on what went wrong.

Ballys ac casino map. Common causes:

A piece of hardware on your computer is malfunctioning or is not compatible.
The software controlling a piece of hardware (i.e. “driver” or “firmware”) is out of date.
Your main hard disk doesn’t have enough free memory space available on it.
Your computer has installed a virus or other malware program.
Your BIOS or other hardware settings are misconfigured.

Troubleshooting suggestions:

Use System Restore to revert your computer to a state where it was working.
Go to your Control Panel and uninstall old programs that you don’t use anymore.
Install and run an antivirus program to repair infected files.
Install updates for your operating system, device drivers, BIOS, and other programs.
Change the settings for your BIOS and hardware back to their defaults.
Make sure all hardware components of your computer are properly installed.
Test your computer’s hardware for failures (likely RAM or hard disk), and replace if necessary.

3. My computer won’t turn on.

General description:

You press the power button and your computer won’t turn on, or it powers up and then promptly shuts down. The good news (if you can call it that) is that this is almost always a hardware problem, so you can usually immediately rule out any software-related culprits.

Common causes:

One or more power switches to your computer system aren’t turned on.
Your computer’s power supply or power cord is missing, unplugged, or faulty.
One or more of your computer’s hardware components are improperly connected or faulty.
Your computer’s CMOS battery is out of power.
The power button itself isn’t working.

Troubleshooting suggestions:

Make sure each switch leading to your computer’s power supply is on.
Make sure all power cables on your computer are connected and set to the correct voltage.
Remove all intermediary power sources and plug your computer directly into an outlet.
Disconnect all peripheral devices (mouse, keyboard, etc.) before trying to start your computer.
Open your computer case and make sure all hardware components are properly connected.
Replace your CMOS battery.
Replace your hard drive or motherboard.

4. My computer continually or randomly restarts or shuts down, especially while it’s booting.

General description:

Your computer randomly restarts or shuts down on you while you’re using it. Or, shortly after booting up, your computer crashes and shuts down or forces you to restart it. Like the “Blue Screen of Death” (which is sometimes associated with this problem), this can be caused by a few different things, and some of them require more work to fix than others.

Common causes:

Your operating system is missing a key update.
One or more of your computer’s device driver programs are out of date.
Your computer has installed a virus or other mal