05/10/2020
Computer Troubleshooting
common computer problems and solutions
1. The Computer Won’t Start
A computer that suddenly shuts off or has difficulty
starting up could have a failing power supply.
Check that the computer is plugged into the power
point properly and, if that doesn’t work, test the
power point with another working device to confirm
whether or not there is adequate power.
2. The Screen is Blank
If the computer is on but the screen is blank, there
may be an issue with the connection between the
computer and the screen. First, check to see if the
monitor is plugged into a power point and that the
connection between the monitor and computer hard
drive is secure. If the problem is on a laptop, then
you may need to get a professional to fix it as
some of the internal wires may be worn.
3. Abnormally Functioning Operating System or
Software
If the operating system or other software is either
unresponsive or is acting up, then try restarting your
computer and run a virus scan. To avoid having this
happen, install reliable anti-virus software.
4. Windows Won’t Boot
If you are having troubles booting Windows, then
you may have to reinstall it with the Windows
recovery disk.
5. The Screen is Frozen
When you computer freezes, you may have no other
option than to reboot and risk losing any unsaved
work. Freezes can be a sign of insufficient ram,
registry conflicts, corrupt or missing files, or
spyware. Press and hold the power button until the
computer turns off, then restart it and get to work
cleaning up the system so that it doesn’t freeze
again.
6. Computer is Slow
If your computer is slower than normal, you can
often fix the problem simply by cleaning the hard
disk of unwanted files. You can also install a
firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware tools, and
schedule regular registry scans. External hard drives
are great storage solutions for overtaxed CPU’s, and
will help your computer run faster.
7. Strange Noises
A lot of noise coming from your computer is
generally a sign of either hardware malfunction or a
noisy fan. Hard drives often make noise just before
they fail, so you may want to back up information
just in case, and fans are very easy to replace.
8. Slow Internet
To improve your Internet browser performance, you
need to clear cookies and Internet temporary files
frequently. In the Windows search bar, type ‘%temp
%’ and hit enter to open the temporary files folder.
9. Overheating
If a computer case lacks a sufficient cooling
system, then the computer’s components may start
to generate excess heat during operation. To avoid
your computer burning itself out, turn it off and let it
rest if it’s getting hot. Additionally, you can check
the fan to make sure it’s working properly.
10. Dropped Internet Connections
Dropped Internet connections can be very
frustrating. Often the problem is simple and may be
caused by a bad cable or phone line, which is easy
to fix. More serious problems include viruses, a bad
network card or modem, or a problem with the
driver.common computer problems and solutions
