People often ask me: “Moses, what is the most common computer problem that I see? They are then surprised when I turn around and ask them: “What week of the month is it?” Believe it or not, many computer problems are cyclical and often repeat. One week it might be computer freezes, the next virus infestation. Here are some of the most common computer problems we face and some simple solutions to try before you call a computer repair shop:
Computer freeze- Suddenly your computer constantly freezes in the middle of an operation. CTL-ALT-DEL doesn’t work and you have to shut down the computer (possibly losing all that data you just got through putting in).
Major Causes:
· Dirty Computers- Believe it or not, many of the problems that people face can be traced back to either a dust ridden computer or a dirty workstation (you wouldn’t believe the number of things we have fished out of keyboards and desktop computer casings!). No matter where you keep your computer, dust will find it. Remedy- Go out and buy an inexpensive can of ‘computer dust remover’ and air blast your system at least once every 3 to 6 months! This simple precaution will eventually save you hours of down time and a trip to the shop.
· Deadlines- these are usually due either at the end of a week or the end of a month. When deadlines are close people tend to have 6 or 7 different applications running at the same time, while they switch from one to the other either comparing or cutting and pasting in a flurry of activity. Remedy- Slow down! Make sure that you close all programs that are not absolutely necessary to finishing your project. Then give you computer time to digest and process each input.
· New Software installation- freeze can be a result of conflict between new software and old drivers. Make sure that the new software is installed correctly always opt for the ‘recommended’ install and never use ‘custom’ installation unless you know exactly what you are doing. Remedy- If your computer freezes right after a new application installation, then ‘uninstall’ the software and see if that fixes the problem. If it does then contact the software provider by phone and attempt to obtain on the spot technical assistance.
Internet disconnect- For apparently no reason, you suddenly find that you can no longer connect to the internet, or you find that the connection is extremely slow. Major Causes:
- Provider issues- believe it or not, it is not always your fault. Remedy- if you have this problem on a consistent basis, then call your internet provider and ask for technical assistance. Many times you will find that the provider is having network interruption and will inform you when they will be resolved.
- Modem issues- in many cases the problem is with the in-house modem. Too much input from various sources (routers, wireless networks, etc.) can cause the modem to ‘hiccup’ and lose synchronization. Remedy- unplug the modem for 20 seconds, then plug it back in. This simple procedure causes most modems to ‘reset’ themselves.
Virus infestation- The days of the common ‘friendly’ virus are gone. While no virus can be called benign (they all eat up memory) there was a time when virus programmers were happy to cause a message to scroll across your screen announcing their ‘achievement’. This is no longer the case. Now the majority of viruses are of the ‘harmful’ variety. They either destroy data or attempt to extract important personal or business information. Major Causes:
- Personal invitation- The majority of viruses are ‘invited’ into the computer system by the user. Either through the opening of enticing e-mail attachments or by the downloading of various ‘freeware’ offerings, virus are human activated. Remedy- Educate the user! Make sure that whoever is using the computer(s) know not to open or download any file that they do not recognize. It is better to lose an opportunity than to lose your entire system.
While these are the 3 most common computer problems people face, they by no mean represent the entire scope of the problems you will find, but if you follow these simple suggestions then you can extend the working life of your computer for years!
Post by Moses Nueman. Nueman Business Technology. "Business IT Simplified" http://www.Nuemantech.com - (704)644-1220
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