Today, computers have become part of our lifestyle because it simplifies our tasks. They help you to shop online, do lot of research online and also stay in touch with your friends and family online. Indeed, computers are crucial for the smooth functioning of our day-to-day activities. But what will happen if something goes wrong with your PC? Do you know how to repair it? Or do you need the help of a computer technician?
But before you rush to call a technician to fix your PC, try diagnosing the PC problem on your own. Diagnosing computer issues get easier once you decide where to start. Here are some simple tips to help you diagnose your PC problems.
Check POST upon turning on
As soon as you switch on your computer, check the results of “power on Self Test” (POST). The POST results appear before loading of the operating system. It will let you know if there are any problems related to the hardware which is interrupting your PC from boot. It will also show you signs of problems that are interfering with the critical functions of the operating system.
Observe the load time of the OS
If the OS takes more time to load, it means the hard drive is facing seek errors.
Check out the hardware or software
If your PC is performing slow, one of the first things to do is check whether there is enough RAM. Does the C drive has enough free space? And if you suspect some network related issues, check whether the lights on your data card are blinking on or not. If everything is fine with your network don’t jump on to the decision that the problem is software related as there may be issues related to hardware.
But before you move further to check for hardware problems, confirm that everything is okay with the software. Once you confirm that there are no issues related to the software, get back to hardware and run a drive test or defrag.
Check programs that are running simultaneously
Most of the times, some programs run automatically and slow your PC performance. If there are many programs consuming more RAM than the PC can support, the operating system will slow down.
To check computer RAM usage right click on the taskbar and select “Start Task manger.” Next click on the “Processes” tab. This shows you a list of programs running and how much RAM they’re consuming. You can then deactivate unnecessary programs that are interfering with your PC performance.
Check any new software or hardware
Many times operating systems fail to function properly upon installation of new hardware or software. This is because they may require more resources than your PC can actually afford. To identify such problems, you need to check the Device Manager. Go to the Control Panel and click on the System security icon. Next click the System icon and select the Hardware tab and click on the Device Manger. This displays the hardware properties of your PC.
Look for Virus issues
Internet users who frequently download a lot of stuff fall prey to these issues. The virus attack can interfere with the performance of your operating system. Running antivirus programs can help detect any problems and protect your PC from any issues in future