Top Common Computer Problems

If you own a computer, then you have probably encountered these computer problems before. Once you buy a computer, you must accept that sooner or later it will eventually crash due to a virus or some other massive error. If someone told you that your computer will last more than a decade, don’t believe it because it is just a myth or another sales pitch. But of course, you should take care of it if you want it to last for its third year without any defects.

However, there are many people that would prefer to buy a new computer than spend some time trying to fix or figure out the problem with their laptop or desktop. Usually after the first two years,
 you will need some kind of maintenance because your computer will tend to lose its original speed and performance. Well, here are some if the common problems that a computer user usually experience.

You may ask why your computer has problems. To tell you frankly, most of the time the biggest problem that your computer has is YOU – the owner or the user. There are many people that neglect the first signs of computer problems. You shouldn’t neglect those simple maintenance tasks that can enhance or prolong the life of your computer.

 Slowdowns

• PC owners should regularly clean their registry, empty cache files and update software. Five-year-old machines are typically still in good order if diligent maintenance is done. Generally, a visit to Start/Accessories/System Tools (in Windows XP) does the trick. Disk cleanup and disk defragmentation usually take a few hours and are well worth the down time. The tools needed to check your system (computer management and system performance) are under Administrative Tools.

Lockups

• Perform a few diagnostic steps to clean up spyware, which causes many system lockups. There are shareware anti-spy programs on the market that load the basic software onto your PC for free and have premium upgrades for a charge. Three reputable programs are Ad-aware, Cyber Patrol and Spybot.

Freeze and Crash

• When your computer cannot find an updated driver, it will lock up and freeze. Hardware drivers should be updated on a regular basis. It also helps to augment your computer's RAM by increasing your PC's virtual memory. (See Resources below)

Blue Screens and Unplanned Auto-boots

• Hardware issues can also cause computer problems. Attribute these problems to fading power supplies or defective parts, including cooling fans. Keep the fan cleaned and make sure all cables and plugs are tightly connected. If all of this fails, see the "Blue Death Screen" resource below.

Clicking Sounds and Vibrations

• This is another hardware issue. Noises like clicking, squealing, whirling or whining might come from damaged electronic components. Remove the computer case and let the computer run to see if you can find the problem. Save yourself some money and fix it yourself if you can, but your best bet is to call a technical expert if you're not confident with internal computer repair.