1) Before trying to fix your computer try and back up your data.
Before you start following directions over the phone and tearing your system apart, make sure you have a backup of all your important documents, e-mail, and other data. Although many fixes will be as simple as downloading a new driver, you'll be glad you have a backup if you find yourself reinstalling the OS. You should also have your original CDs around in case you need to reinstall apps.
2) Check your connections.
This may sound obvious, but check all the cables to make sure they are plugged in securely. Don't ignore this step. Cables have a way of working themselves loose and causing problems. Also make sure all the boards are seated properly and the cables connected inside your PC. If you get a beeping tone when you boot, and no video, start by opening the machine and reseating the graphics board in its slot.
3) Reboot.
Windows sometimes gets into a confused or panic state, and by simply rebooting you can clear the memory and set things straight. Similarly, if you're having a problem connecting to the Internet, try rebooting your cable/DSL modem and router by unplugging and replugging them. But this isn't something you should have to do often. If you find yourself rebooting more then once a day, the problem is a bit deeper.
4) Scan for disk errors
Check your hard drive for errors. Open My Computer and right click on your hard drive icon (most likely C drive). Select Properties and in the window that opens select the Tools tab. Place a checkmark in both boxes and click on Start. You get a message that you will need to restart your computer for the check to take place, click on Yes. Restart your computer and wait (a longtime) for the check to run.
5) Check for damaged system files.
Click on Start menu and select Run. Type in CMD to obtain a command line window. In the command line window type sfc /scannow and wait for the scan to run. It to will take a long time to run.
6) Update your operating system and software.
Check for updates to any applications you use, especially any that seem to be related to your current computer problem.
Microsoft is always updating Windows with minor patches and bug fixes. Depending on whether you use Windows Automatic Updates, keeping the OS up to date may require some diligence on your part. In Windows XP, select Start All Programs Windows Update. (Other programs will often include update options on their Help or File menus
7) Roll back your system.
Windows XP and Windows Me offer System Restore, which lets you roll back your computer to an earlier configuration. By default, Windows creates periodic checkpoints either on a scheduled basis or when you make changes to the system. In case of a problem, the System Restore wizard lets you step back to a prior state when your system was running better; it won't delete data files, but will restore system files and Registry entries. To get to the System Restore wizard, go to Start Accessories System Tools System Restore..) When you are done rolling back your system you will have to run the update function once more.
8) Make sure that you are using the latest drivers for your hardware.
Make sure the drivers for your hardware are up to date. An old driver and cause conflicts with new hardware. Go to http://driveragent.com for a free scan of your systems drivers. You can then update the drivers yourselft for free. Download the current driver for the hardware makers web site and then open the device manager (Control Panel System Hardware Device Manager), select the device with the driver you want to update, right-click, and open its Properties. Under the Drivers tab, you can update,.
9) Roll back a driver.
Remember when we said to update your drivers? Well, sometimes that can backfire on you. If something breaks when you update a driver, you should use the Driver Rollback utility, which works much like System Restore but only on a specific device driver.
To roll back to a previous driver, open the device manager (Control Panel System Hardware Device Manager), select the device with the driver you want to roll back, right-click, and open its Properties. Under the Drivers tab, you can update, roll back, or uninstall the driver.
10) Read article at PC World for more fixes.
Read the article Ten Sure-Fire Fixes for a Problem PC at the following URL for more fixes:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,126459/article.html
11) Gather information and call tech support for computer maker, hardware maker, or software maker
Resolving a problem over the phone requires a series of questions, often having to do with the specific hardware, OS, and software you're using. You can get a lot of information from System Information (Start l All Programs l Accessories l System Tools l System Information)
Try to remember any new software, no matter how small or insignificant, that you've installed or noticed lately. It can also help to jot down any services running in the background. To access a list of what is running on your Windows XP system, press Ctrl-Alt-Del and select Task Manager. You can also get very detailed info from Start All Programs Accessories System Tools System Information.
Try to isolate when and where the problem happens. If, for example, you discover your printer isn't working from Word, check to see whether it works from Notepad or IE. Many times the problem is just a wrong setting.
If your USB camera stopped working when you plugged in your printer, try removing devices and putting them back one by one to see exactly when the problem occurs. Maybe you can print when you first boot up, but it seems to go haywire after you send some faxes? Does the problem occur all the time or only after the machine has been running for a while? Is the problem repeatable? Observing what situations lead up to a problem can be a great help in determining what is causing it.
When a crash occurs, an app called Dr. Watson saves info about your memory and configuration to a crash log file. In Windows XP, the default location is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Dr Watson. The crash log is a text file called Drwtsn32.log, which can be read in Notepad or sent via e-mail to a tech-support person. Dr. Watson can also create a crash dump, which contains similar information but is readable only by a debugging utility.
Once you have all the information you can find call tech support. They will treat you better if you have done your homework.
Before you start following directions over the phone and tearing your system apart, make sure you have a backup of all your important documents, e-mail, and other data. Although many fixes will be as simple as downloading a new driver, you'll be glad you have a backup if you find yourself reinstalling the OS. You should also have your original CDs around in case you need to reinstall apps.
2) Check your connections.
This may sound obvious, but check all the cables to make sure they are plugged in securely. Don't ignore this step. Cables have a way of working themselves loose and causing problems. Also make sure all the boards are seated properly and the cables connected inside your PC. If you get a beeping tone when you boot, and no video, start by opening the machine and reseating the graphics board in its slot.
3) Reboot.
Windows sometimes gets into a confused or panic state, and by simply rebooting you can clear the memory and set things straight. Similarly, if you're having a problem connecting to the Internet, try rebooting your cable/DSL modem and router by unplugging and replugging them. But this isn't something you should have to do often. If you find yourself rebooting more then once a day, the problem is a bit deeper.
4) Scan for disk errors
Check your hard drive for errors. Open My Computer and right click on your hard drive icon (most likely C drive). Select Properties and in the window that opens select the Tools tab. Place a checkmark in both boxes and click on Start. You get a message that you will need to restart your computer for the check to take place, click on Yes. Restart your computer and wait (a longtime) for the check to run.
5) Check for damaged system files.
Click on Start menu and select Run. Type in CMD to obtain a command line window. In the command line window type sfc /scannow and wait for the scan to run. It to will take a long time to run.
6) Update your operating system and software.
Check for updates to any applications you use, especially any that seem to be related to your current computer problem.
Microsoft is always updating Windows with minor patches and bug fixes. Depending on whether you use Windows Automatic Updates, keeping the OS up to date may require some diligence on your part. In Windows XP, select Start All Programs Windows Update. (Other programs will often include update options on their Help or File menus
7) Roll back your system.
Windows XP and Windows Me offer System Restore, which lets you roll back your computer to an earlier configuration. By default, Windows creates periodic checkpoints either on a scheduled basis or when you make changes to the system. In case of a problem, the System Restore wizard lets you step back to a prior state when your system was running better; it won't delete data files, but will restore system files and Registry entries. To get to the System Restore wizard, go to Start Accessories System Tools System Restore..) When you are done rolling back your system you will have to run the update function once more.
8) Make sure that you are using the latest drivers for your hardware.
Make sure the drivers for your hardware are up to date. An old driver and cause conflicts with new hardware. Go to http://driveragent.com for a free scan of your systems drivers. You can then update the drivers yourselft for free. Download the current driver for the hardware makers web site and then open the device manager (Control Panel System Hardware Device Manager), select the device with the driver you want to update, right-click, and open its Properties. Under the Drivers tab, you can update,.
9) Roll back a driver.
Remember when we said to update your drivers? Well, sometimes that can backfire on you. If something breaks when you update a driver, you should use the Driver Rollback utility, which works much like System Restore but only on a specific device driver.
To roll back to a previous driver, open the device manager (Control Panel System Hardware Device Manager), select the device with the driver you want to roll back, right-click, and open its Properties. Under the Drivers tab, you can update, roll back, or uninstall the driver.
10) Read article at PC World for more fixes.
Read the article Ten Sure-Fire Fixes for a Problem PC at the following URL for more fixes:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,126459/article.html
11) Gather information and call tech support for computer maker, hardware maker, or software maker
Resolving a problem over the phone requires a series of questions, often having to do with the specific hardware, OS, and software you're using. You can get a lot of information from System Information (Start l All Programs l Accessories l System Tools l System Information)
Try to remember any new software, no matter how small or insignificant, that you've installed or noticed lately. It can also help to jot down any services running in the background. To access a list of what is running on your Windows XP system, press Ctrl-Alt-Del and select Task Manager. You can also get very detailed info from Start All Programs Accessories System Tools System Information.
Try to isolate when and where the problem happens. If, for example, you discover your printer isn't working from Word, check to see whether it works from Notepad or IE. Many times the problem is just a wrong setting.
If your USB camera stopped working when you plugged in your printer, try removing devices and putting them back one by one to see exactly when the problem occurs. Maybe you can print when you first boot up, but it seems to go haywire after you send some faxes? Does the problem occur all the time or only after the machine has been running for a while? Is the problem repeatable? Observing what situations lead up to a problem can be a great help in determining what is causing it.
When a crash occurs, an app called Dr. Watson saves info about your memory and configuration to a crash log file. In Windows XP, the default location is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Dr Watson. The crash log is a text file called Drwtsn32.log, which can be read in Notepad or sent via e-mail to a tech-support person. Dr. Watson can also create a crash dump, which contains similar information but is readable only by a debugging utility.
Once you have all the information you can find call tech support. They will treat you better if you have done your homework.
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