5 common computer problems solved Q. My computer has given me that blue screen of death four different times. Any time I try to watch a video - sometimes even on your site - it blue screens on me. Do you know what's causing the problem? Will I have to buy a new computer? -Anna, from St. Catharines, ON, listens to my national radio show on CKTB 610 AM.
A. Ah, the dreaded blue screen of death! If there's one question I get more than anything else, it might be this one. There's plenty you can do before junking your computer, Anna! My hunch tells me that this issue is a case of bad memory. Here's how you make sure. Try to load one of my great videos again. You're just trying to duplicate the error, so any video works. Once you get the error, look for the error number (It will look like 0X######). In Windows 8, the blue screen gives you more detailed information about what caused the error. Either way, look up the code or message online. Microsoft has a list of what a few common errors mean, too. The problem is often faulty hardware or a bad driver. Instead of junking the whole computer, you can buy a new part or update the driver yourself to save some cash. You can save even more by replacing the part yourself or enlisting the help of a tech-savvy friend. While I'm talking about this common problem, I should probably bring up some other common questions I hear all of the time. Though the computer world changes rapidly, there are a handful of problems that seem to never go away. I've picked four more that I see too often to count. Here are the fixes to each one. 1. The zombie spyware plague - You're surfing the Web when a scary message pops up saying you have a virus! Fortunately, for a "low" fee, the advertised "state-of-the-art" program will take care of it for you. You should shell out that cash immediately, right? Wrong. If you pay for the program, your problems will never stop. Your computer is likely infected with a type of malicious program called spyware, or sometimes adware. You don't need to pay for any special program to get rid of it. Most anti-spyware programs will take care of it. Pick up some anti-virus software while you're there for proactive virus protection. 2. Dead computer - You turn your computer on first thing in the morning and nothing happens. No noise, no lights, not even the sound of the fan. Your computer is dead. Time to shop for a new one, right? Don't count your old friend out just yet. First, make sure it's plugged in. Don't laugh; this has happened to the best of us! It never hurts to double check. If everything is as it should be, your problem could still be a power issue. Computer power supplies can die, but they're relatively easy to replace on desktops. On a laptop, it could just be a dead battery. In the case of a dead power supply, the fix is much cheaper than a new computer. Bonus tip: Don't forget that many desktop power supplies have a power switch on the back as well. Make sure this switch didn't get turned off. Either you or a friend can open up the computer - make sure you unplug everything and ground yourself to avoid static electricity! The power supply is usually in the upper rear with wires connecting it to most other parts. Look on the side to see the power rating - expect it to be 200 to 400 watts. Go to the electronics store or look online for a near match - you should find one for around $50. Back with your computer, take out the old supply but don't remove the wires. Install the new power supply and then plug in the wires, one by one. When you're finished, put everything back together and turn your computer on. 3. Random freezes - If your computer is moving slowly, it's only a matter of time until freezes and crashes become the norm. These make may you want to junk your whole computer, but fixing them might be simple. If the freeze happens every time you launch a particular program, the program itself is probably causing the problem. Uninstall the program, and then try reinstalling the most recent version. If the freezes are happening randomly, it's probably something taxing your memory. Find the culprit with a program like Starter, Process Explorer or Speccy. All of these will search for what's wearing your computer down and using up resources. If these don't find anything out of the ordinary, it might be time to replace your RAM. Use memory scanner to help you find the right kind of memory to add to your computer. You can buy right from the site too, but you might prefer to shop around. 4. Slow, unsafe Wi-Fi - Wireless Internet is convenient, but it comes with a host of special issues. A slow connection that drops off randomly is one of the complaints I hear. From household objects to a simple beer can hack, there are plenty of ways to boost your signal. The problem might not be a bad signal at all, though. It might be people nearby using your wireless network for all of the wrong reasons. They can illegally download music and movies or worse. Any illegal Internet use will be traced back to you, and you'll look like the culprit! You don't even want to know what sort of shady things a hacker can do to your network and your computer if you leave it unsecured. Source: http://www.komando.com/tips/index.aspx?id=14215 -- "Life is like a piano. White keys are happy moments & Black keys are sad moments. But remember both keys are played together to give sweet music." "Focus on your abilities, not your disability." Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starhoze Skype ID: star.hoze Warm Regards, Hozefa... Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with the subject unsubscribe. 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