Computer Repairs – You Can Do Most Yourself
Posted on 23. Sep, 2009 by Sheli Sod in computer repair, Software
Many people may be frightened by the prospect of dealing with a computer failure or problem. However, the following article which is enhanced a bit from the one that I wrote for EzineArticles, will enable you to handle most problems with confidence and even fix a number yourself.
Click the link to see the Computer Repairs article
A computer is a complex device with hardware and software components. Although modern computers are generally pretty reliable, almost everyone will face some sort of computer problem or issue eventually.
How to Handle a Computer Problem
The following discussion applies mostly to Windows based computers
The first step in solving a computer repair issue is to find the cause of the problem. This is known as troubleshooting.
Windows computers provide an event viewer. This is a record of all errors that the system detects. You should review any error reports in your event viewer to see if they identify the problem and suggest a fix. To use the event viewer, click start->run, type eventvwr.msc and enter. Click on system and look for any error reports in the right column. If there is a link in the error report, click on it to get the details. The link will often provide you with a possible solution.
Do the same for application and the other choices on the left hand side until you find something that applies to your problem.
Your operating system also provides help from the start menu. It provides step by step guidance on a great number of problems.
A web search for the symptoms of your problems will come up with a number of sites that provide step by step guidance in determining the exact cause of your problem.
Fixing the Problem
Once you have determined what the solution is, you can decide if you want to tackle it yourself.
If you are handy, many common problems are not difficult to repair such as replacing or adding memory, replacing a DVD drive or replacing a video card. This fix computer problems article has illustrated articles on fixing a number of hardware problems.
Software problems can be fixed by downloading patches or running some repair programs.
The Most Serious Problems
The Windows operating system is the heart of your system. Just as in a human being, heart problems affect the entire body in the most serious and total way, similarly operating system problems can make your computer severely sick or totally unusable. If you have a serious virus infection, constant or crippling BSODs (blue screen of death), frequent crashes or extremely slow performance, operating system repair is probably required.
In the case of XP systems, Microsoft has provided for a repair install operation which can bring your computer back to new. The best source for information about how to do the repair is provide by Michael Stevens Tech.
However, this process can be complicated and you may need to be somewhat technical to pull it off. If you don’t do it right, you might get your system back but you will lose all your programs and data.
If you are using Windows XP, Reimage can automatically fix your computer without losing any of your programs or data. This can be a life saver and it’s cheaper than going to a repair outlet.
Best of luck in solving your repair issue.
To find out all about computer repairs and service and the best way to get your computer fixed see computer repairs
If your Windows XP system needs serious help, see repair windows XP
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Chicago Joe
24. Sep, 2009
Great advice. I dont know how many times I have to tell people the very same things. Glad I’m not the only one.
admin
24. Sep, 2009
@ Chicago Joe,
Great minds think alike.
Central Florida Business
15. Oct, 2009
The internet is allowing more and more people to have access to repair/virus information. Still so many computer users have no clue what reformatting is or even how to load safe mode. I encourage trying to figure it out yourself definitely, but some would never figure out complex issues.
admin
15. Oct, 2009
@ Central Florida Business,
This is true and I probably should provide a link for doing those things.
There will always be a need for a service like yours. Especially for those with no taste for tinkering with electronic devices.
I know someone who started a business to hook up VCRs which is little more than connecting 2 wires. Providing help for computers with all their issues is certainly warranted.
Computer running slow
17. Jul, 2010
One of the snags is that every time Windows tries to make the interface easier, it gets harder to find the information that you need to fix problems. It’s finding the solution that is often the problem & knowing what other people have called it, then applying it is usually easy.
admin
18. Jul, 2010
@Computer running slow,
This is generally true but sometimes people need more guidance in fixing a problem.
Computer Repair Ventura
10. May, 2011
A lot of people who experience computer problems are those who aren’t really computer savvy, or else if they were, they’d know how to prevent the most common issues from happening. Now, it’s always good to inform yourself about computers and how to fix problems. It can also serve as a great way in learning what causes these issues so you can eventually learn to prevent them with proper computer care and maintenance.