Most of the folks who write for this site know their way around a computer intimately. From the early days of IBM compatibles running DOS all the mode to modern gaming PCs and laptops, collectively we've done and seen near all of it.

Which makes it piece of cake to forget that the average PC user is non an obsessive tech geek. When things get incorrect with a computer, the boilerplate user is likely to pack it upward and take information technology to a business like Geeksquad for assistance. While there is nothing wrong with this, by and large you are paying a professional hundreds of dollars to set up something you could probably have done yourself.

While information technology's truthful that yous may have an result only a true technician can solve, the odds are that it'southward something inside your own reach. It's certainly worth a try earlier y'all hand your estimator over along with a large wad of cash.

Logical, Like Mr Spock

The first thing yous should know about computers is that they are very logical. This is true both when they are working correctly and when they aren't working correctly. There isn't a fundamental mystery to how a computer works. Yep, they are complex, simply "complex" isn't the same as "magic".

At that place are two wide classes of computer bug – hardware and software. Information technology's almost never the case where something goes incorrect with both at the same fourth dimension.

The Hardware

If you take a hardware problem, information technology means that one of the components in your computer is either faulty or non configured correctly.

The first thing you should practice is acquaint yourself with the main components of your computer.

  • At that place's the motherboard, which is the big circuit board that everything plugs into.
  • Then the CPU, which is the logical brain of the figurer. It does all of the number crunching.
  • And so there's the RAM (Random Access Memory) which is incredibly fast storage for programs that are in utilize.
  • The hard drive is permanent storage.
  • The power supply, well, supplies ability (plainly!).
  • The graphics processor makes pictures on your screen and the sound chip.

1 of the easiest ways to determine if a specific piece of hardware is at fault is by swapping information technology out for a known working part or putting the suspect part into a figurer you know works.

If your hardware works, merely the computer is non performing the way it should, and then something may take gone wrong on the software side of things. Allow's take a expect at the procedure of figuring out what's actually gone wrong with your PC.

The Diagnosis Trip the light fantastic toe

The most important step when repairing a estimator is correctly diagnosing the trouble. If you can't find the cause of your issues, and so you can't even begin to set them.

Only like a physician, yous need to gather information about the style the problem presents itself. In other words, you have to list the symptoms and circumstances of the issue.

Try to describe what information technology is the computer is doing (or isn't doing) in detail. For case:

  • My estimator won't plough on.
  • My reckoner won't kick.
  • My figurer won't connect to WiFi.

These are broad descriptions, merely it'southward a skilful place to commencement.

Effectively details volition atomic number 82 you lot to the correct reply more rapidly. If there are specific fault codes, write them down. If the trouble happen under specific circumstances note those too. If you did something new or different right before the problem started, well you should probably also make a note of that.

You lot will desire to gather information that seems relevant and descriptive. So what do y'all practice with that information? Well….

Google Is Your Friend

We'll permit yous in on a little secret – the guy at Geeksquad is probably going to Google your issue. The days of having to memorize massive amounts of tech knowledge or referring to thick technical manuals are long behind us.

More than importantly, the internet is filled with people who have about probable already solved the problem you take. If not, there are also people online who are willing to help you figure out the problem.

This is why beingness able to describe the symptoms of your detail issue is of utmost importance. The better the description you put into the search engine the more relevant the answers will be.

Best of all, you lot'll observe plenty of forums online where you lot tin enquire for help with your specific trouble. There are always a few friendly geeks hanging around these places willing to provide gratuitous tech support. All you have to do is provide them with the right information and follow instructions.

In fact, you should probably start past typing in your keywords correct hither on this site. The chances are we already accept a solution for yous.

The Sledgehammer Method

The advice to a higher place is really aimed at a surgical approach to getting your calculator back on its feet, merely at that place'south another arroyo that's fast and reliable. However, it too means potentially taking out your data.

Windows 10 allows you to reset your computer either to a pristine country or with your personal files left intact. Earlier you go and reset your PC however, you might first endeavor rolling it back to a restore point from earlier things went pear-shaped.

If your computer is so busted that Windows can't reset itself or your difficult drive is busted and you had to supervene upon it, y'all can reinstall the operating arrangement from a DVD or USB drive. If your computer didn't come up with any installation media, you tin use another calculator to legally download it from Microsoft's website. As long as yous have your license fundamental it's all fine.

Booting from installation media as well provides you with some repair options, which may let you save some personal data.

Of course, earlier you determine to nuke your calculator'due south difficult bulldoze from orbit, there is another more forgiving manner to set up some bug. Windows has a feature known equally system restore . Whenever you get an update, install a new plan or load new hardware drivers, Windows makes a sort of backup. Yous tin can then roll dorsum your figurer to the terminal point where everything was working OK.

This may not assistance you effigy out what exactly went wrong, but at to the lowest degree information technology can get you dorsum to a expert state for the car. It's as well a rough diagnostic for hardware issues. Since, if a restore does non fix the problem, the event may get beyond bad drivers.

Preventative Maintenance

Certain types of computer problems can be largely avoided by an ounce of prevention. You lot should, for example, have an antivirus packet running on your computer. If y'all are running a contempo version of Windows and so the good news is you have 1 built-in already. Practice be sure to cheque that in that location is one (and but i) active antivirus packet on your machine.

The almost important preventative maintenance you tin do is backing up your data. Whether yous're making deejay images on an external hard drive or bankroll up your virtually important files to the cloud, it'south admittedly vital that your only copies of irreplaceable data is on more than than one computer.

That style major problems such as difficult drive failure or consummate corruption of your Bone become small inconveniences, rather than world-ending expensive disasters.

To DIY Or Not To DIY, That Is The Question

In the end the cardinal question y'all have to answer is – what is your time worth?

By repairing your own computer, you are trading your time and effort for the price of letting someone else exercise it. We mostly enjoy working on computers, then it doesn't feel like a chore. If you are just trying to save money and then it'south non necessarily a fun experience.

The most important thing to remember is that almost all mutual computer issues are within your reach to repair. If you lot've washed it once, you'll never need help fixing that issue once more.