Fixing Computer Problems - Be Your Own PC Doctor

This basic guide is split into educational guide and tip sheet. There are 2 sections types; Know and Act.

The sections marked as Know explain why to do what is suggested. The sections marked Act give you the actual troubleshooting tip.

By knowing and acting, you can learn and improve your troubleshooting tips.

TIP 1

Know: The computer issue you are having could be hardware, software or even network related.

Act: Pay attention to the error message. It will clue you in on what is really causing the problem.

It is surprising how many people shut those error message down without reading them! Those error messages are one of the first things an IT technician would look for, so read the message for clues on what you can do to fix the problem. At the very least, by making a note of the error code, you have useful information to give to a professional technician, if you do end up having to call in help.

Try using your search engine to search for the error code. Chances are, someone else has had the same problem, and can offer a do it yourself solution!

TIP 2

Know: A sudden black computer screen usually indicates a memory failure in your computer. It is usually caused by having too many computer programs in use at once, or trying to process to much data at once. If you were multitasking and experienced a sudden failure, this might have been the cause. If this happens to you often, you may either need to work less, or upgrade your hardware.

Act: Simply shut down and restart the computer. A shut down stops all processes that your circuits where trying to perform, and allows them to start over. It is impressive what those little circuits in your computer can sort out just by having the chance to reboot.

Any call centre or IT technician you call will ask you to shut down as a first step in troubleshooting anyhow, so skip the call, shut down and restart, and see if you can fix the computer issue yourself.

TIP 3

Know: Many people are unaware that they are running multiple versions of the same type of software. This is especially true with antivirus. Running multiple programs may seriously slow down your computer, and cause performance to freeze.

Act: Check your list of installed programs. Uninstall unnecessary programs, and choose a single antivirus for everyday use.

Computers are complex, and it would be quite the feat to author a solution for every possible problem. Instead, take these 3 tips and use them to troubleshoot minor issues.

If you are unable to fix the computer issue, or if you begin to get frustrated, take a deep breath and call in professional help. A professional can quickly repair the issue and let you back to work quickly.

Tucu is Tech U Can Use. We make IT Pain Free for any small business with 2-50 computers.

Fast, expert results. No nonsense pricing. No hassle guarantees. Plenty of happy, referring clients.

Zoe Tsoraklidis is a Client Service Provider with Tucu. She helps business owners get the pain free IT support they need to run their business smoothly. Find her online at http://www.tucu.ca

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Zoe_Tsoraklidis