Guide to Computer Troubleshooting and Repair - PC Troubleshooting

Do you wish you could use some magic pixie dust to fix your computer trouble? Sometimes, these four things can work that way. These are the first, simplest steps to take when you need to do troubleshooting of computer problems. Follow these four steps first, before panicking and worrying and getting further help for computer gremlins. It's amazing how often these things can actually somehow solve your computer woes.

Step 1 Shut down your computer completely. To do this, click the start icon. Select "Shut Down." Follow the screen prompts to shut it down completely.
If your machine is frozen, then you'll need to shut it off by holding down the power button until the little lights go out. Only shut it down by the power button if you absolutely can't shut it down by using the screen prompts process.
Do not restart it right away. Wait for a few minutes, and then restart it from scratch. This process of shutting down the computer and then restarting it is called "rebooting" your computer.

Step 2 If step one didn't work, go on to this step. Make sure all the cords into the wall are connected securely. Gently jostle these cords. Make sure your power strip light is on and that the connection is tight. Make sure that none of the cords are pulled tightly, thus becoming stretched.
Reboot your computer.

Step 3 If step two didn't work, check all the cords coming out of the back of your computer. Jostle them gently. Make sure they are tight. Make sure everything's connected.
Reboot the computer.

Step 4 If none of the steps above solved your computer troubles, shut down the computer. Then unplug the computer from the network and from the wall. Let it rest for a long time. Letting it sit like this overnight can help a lot.
Start the computer again tomorrow. Hopefully, the positive pixies will have done their work, and your troubles will be gone. If not, get help from other sources.
Scroll down for tips and warnings about troubleshooting computer problems.

How to Troubleshoot a Computer

Step 1 Restart the computer. Many software problems will correct themselves when you do.

Step 2 Check your cables. Keyboard not working? Make sure it's plugged in. Mouse not responding? Make sure it's plugged in.

Step 3 Check the electric power. Plug a lamp into the same power outlet that's connected to your computer to make sure the outlet is working.

Step 4 Make sure the computer and monitor are plugged in.

Step 5 Disconnect peripheral devices (such as a printer or external Zip disk) and restart the computer.

Step 6 Listen for unusual sounds. Is the cooling fan running? Is the hard drive making noises?

Step 7 Look inside the computer for wires that aren't plugged in all the way or other faulty connections

Step 8 Start the computer from an external start-up disk, such as the system software CD that came with your computer.



There is nothing more upsetting for a PC user than when there is a problem with their machine. This upset can turn quickly to frustration when the problem seems to be impossible to solve, or even to understand. Every PC user has experienced these feelings, but it is in most cases possible to both diagnose and correct most problems with the typical PC. And with some help, you can usually do it yourself.
The most important resource you can have at your disposal when you are trying to troubleshoot a problem with your PC is: experience. Those who have done a lot of work diagnosing and correcting problems with a wide variety of PCs develop a knack for recognizing problem situations that they have seen before. They also learn (and invent) techniques that make it possible for them to get to the root of a problem quickly.
There's no substitute for experience, but I'm hoping that this Guide will be the next best thing. I have accumulated here the experience of myself and many other knowledgeable PC users, upgraders and maintainers, to help you learn how to detect and correct many common problems that plague PC users. This includes both general rules of thumb regarding how to troubleshoot your PC, as well as information on dealing with vendor warranties, and repairing your machine.