Ways to Diagnose a Computer Problem

Computers and technology seem to have progressed at a rapid rate, offering amazing benefits and convenience for everyone, so it only makes sense that people vow to one day never touch a piece of paper again, right? But what happens when you need help with your computer or phone problem? There may be some simple ones that you can fix yourself…

Disconnect all networking cables to Diagnose a Computer

A computer will often have issues recognized by the error message “Windows has stopped responding” or “Blue screen of death.” Unless it is an operating system issue, this will not be fixed unless you properly diagnose and repair the issue. The first step to take is to shut down your computer, remove all cables from your PC (network cable, power cable, peripheral connection), wait 10 seconds before plugging them back in, then restart your PC. This may fix a hardware related error. If this does not work, go to System Recovery Options > Command Prompt and type system restore in the box bar and press enter.

Test your Internet connection to Diagnose a Computer

Because browsing the Internet on a computer can become challenging if your connection is faulty, it may help to test your internet connection. To start testing your connection, do not touch anything on the computer once connected and just see what happens. If you notice writing scrolling by or no websites loading, you might need to address an issue with the router.

Update Direct X and your Operating System

Every computer is constantly being updated by the companies that built it to help make it run efficiently. How can you update your operating system? It’s generally easier if you have a disc with it called the “Microsoft Windows installation disc.” If this is the case, read on!

Reroute windows audio and video

If you’re having trouble hearing or seeing your computer, there are a few surefire ways to figure out what’s wrong. By adding this line to the file c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe (and rebooting), whichever audio card is plugged into your computer will be used instead of the default one.

Change your power settings to Diagnose a Computer

You might have a computer with hardware issues that you need to get rid of, or your device might be acting up because it is missing some software updates. Whatever the circumstance, you should try these different options to determine whether or not your computer’s working.

Test your hard drive

There are many different ways to diagnose and fix computer problems, although some of the more common concepts would include repairing or replacing a hard disk drive that is failing, an issue with RAM (memory) configuration, access errors, and intermittent issues related as to losing power.

Test the RAM or Ram cache

RAM, or Random Access Memory, is not used to store a computer’s operating system. RAM stores our current work on the machine to avoid losing information. When the RAM has reached its maximum allotment, computers have problems loading files and we are asked to close background applications out for more space

Test the CPU and cooling system, exhaust fans

Are your computer’s fan running at maximum speed? Is the CPU working too hard and overheating? One way to find out is to enter the PC’s BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) and running a timer for 30 seconds. If allowed by your PC, you can use the timer from another application like Task Manager. If the CPU temperatures rise by more than 40 degrees Celsius, a thermal shutdown will occur.

Disconnect your computer from the internet and disconnect it’s power

Computers are getting thin clients, a new upgrade that greatly enhances their performance, but many don’t know how to diagnose the problem and repair the issue if they do. If your computer is running slowly or restarting incessantly, you may want to check this list of ways that could be causing technical errors in your hardware.