Computers Common Troubleshooting

by **Nyakersmith** Thu Sep 30, 2010 10:47 am

Before you get started trying to fix a computer problem this site can give you some steps you will need. By using this guide you may save some money, If you fix your computer problem yourself, you can completely avoid what might end up being a several hundred dollar bill. No matter what your financial situation, free is a pretty good deal. That's a lot of money you can save by investing some time in trying to fix it yourself.

If you have time open a computer case and take a look inside. There is only 5V and 12V DC voltage supplied to the components outside the power supply. Those who have never seen the inside of a computer are often amazed by how simple it looks. Of course, still always power down and unplug the power cord first or if you want to make sure how to start the computer surgery you can find a free computer service manuals here or check other site for service manuals.

A word of caution: Static electricity can kill the circuitry inside your computer. Before you reach for anything inside that box, ground yourself by touching the metal computer frame.

Here are few common-sense techniques and strategies to solve common computer hardware problems.

Personal computers are highly modular by design. The easies way to trouble-shooting technique is to isolate the problem to a specific component by trial-and-error by swapping compatible components and see if the system still works or try different board on different machines and see if the same problem occurs. Make one change at a time.

Some computer problems are related to cabling and connections always check all cables if it’s connected firmly. IDE ribbon cables and power cables can often go loose. Make sure microprocessor, memory modules, and adapters such as video card and sound card are inserted correctly.

No Power, no lights, no beeps, no fan noise. What is the first thing you do? Be sure the power cable is plugged in! Even if you're absolutely certain that it is connected, double check. Assuming that it is plugged in, you probably have a bad power supply. This is a metal box located in the top and back of the computer. It is usually held in by four screws and the power cable connects to it. A fan blows air out the back. A wiring harness exits the power supply inside the computer. Numerous power connectors are attached to the ends of the wires. These plug into drives, fans and possibly other gizmos. The harness also will have connectors to the motherboard. It doesn't matter which wire connects where, as long as the connector fits. When you open the computer, this mess of wiring can be very intimidating. Study it, and you'll find it less mysterious.

Computer comes on, but nothing appears on your screen. In other words, Windows never shows up. You may have a monitor problem. Try using another known-good monitor on the computer and see if anything shows up on the screen. If the second monitor works, the first one is bad. Monitors are not worth repairing. Just buy a new one. Never open the back of a monitor to fix it. The capacitors inside monitors store electricity. You could be injured or even killed. If the screen is dark, it could be a video card problem. First, find the video card. This is a circuit board that fits into a slot in the motherboard. The cable from the monitor connects to the VGA (video graphics adapter) port, which sticks out through the back of the computer. If the VGA port is part of the motherboard, the video is built-in. You can't fix that. Otherwise, it will be part of the video card. Assuming you have a separate card, be sure it is firmly seated. The front end of the card can rise out of the slot inadvertently when the back end is screwed down to the computer frame. If you have a computer that is working perfectly, turn it off and remove the video card. Put the card that works in the problem computer. If the system works, you need a new card.

Don't be run out of patience by fixing computer problems. It is often the best opportunity to learn and familiarize the entire component inside. Trouble-shooting is part of the fun of owning a computer. Imagine the satisfaction you could get by solving a problem yourself..

Take notes of what you have done and all the error messages if you encounter the same problem later on it will be easy to open your notes. For instance, when you see an unusual blue screen with an error message, copy the entire message onto a piece of paper. In many situations, that message may point to the right direction in getting the problem solved quickly.