Thursday, February 24, 2011

New Owners Guide On Computer Repair

By Lee Highbridge


We hate to see it. Your computer wont turn on at all. Or you get some weird screen you have never seen before. Error messages are always around. Even a reboot right in the middle of doing something important. It would seem that a computer repair is imminent.

Computer issues come in two varieties, hardware or software. One can cause issues with the other and vice versa. Knowing how to properly troubleshoot the root cause of a problem is of key importance.

Hardware based problems are a bit easier to detect and fix. Part of it is it either works or doesn't, replace what doesn't. Many issues are based on the power supply. When there is an issue, you get nothing from the power button. When it does this look at the fans. If they bump, or dont do anything at all, the power supply is bad. If the computer starts partially, or shuts down after about 2 minutes, you have a cooling fan problem usually on the processor.

The other main problem with hardware is the video card. Either you get nothing on the monitor, or the monitor itself is bad. Many basic computers have a built in video onto the motherboard, so you cant change it out. But sometimes you can get an aftermarket video card that adds on, not removing the original, just adding an extra. Of the other components, they rarely fail, and are not detrimental.

Software is beyond the largest culprit in failures. Your computer right now probably has 20 software issues you don't know about. You just haven't found them yet. The operating system itself is usually the key cause of concern.

The operating system is what makes everything work, without a computer wouldn't work. It is what allows a printer to work, the keyboard to type, and the video card to function. With literally thousands of things to deal with it is no wonder why it isn't 100% perfect. Small changes in code can mean the world. And incompatibilities cause many of the issues. You also have to consider that there is limited resources that all have to be shared.

You can save quite a bit of time and frustration with some simple troubleshooting and observation. Some repairs can be tried yourself like a new power supply or video card. Those require little knowledge and about 20 minutes to change out. Anything more and a computer repair professional might be needed.




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