Top 5 Computer Problems

Computers today are always getting better: they're running faster and become more reliable. But that doesn't mean that problems are ended.

It seems like the more user-friendly a system gets, the more likely it is to develop new problems. Luckily, the ability to deal with everyday problems doesn't take a computer technician. All it takes is some resourcefulness and a little bit of know-how.

The following are five of the most common computer problems found on today's PCs. Use this guide as a way to fix PC errors and save you some major hassles.  By conducting some routine maintenance, you can avoid future headaches and make your computer run better and faster.

1. PC Slowdown Suddenly

The Best way to combat PC slowdown is to take control of the many programs that are trying to run at once. Programs are set to start up automatically when your computer loads, despite you want them to or not. To see which programs are set to run on startup:

• 1. Open the start menu and click the button that says run. This will display the "Run Dialog."
• 2. In this space, type the following: "msconfig" and press Enter.
• 3. This opens the system configuration dialog. Here you can see a series of Tabs.
• 4. Click on the tab that says "Startup". Here you can see a list of all of the programs set to run when your computer boots. Beside each entry is a checkbox that you can select/deselect to specify whether that application should run or not.
• 5. When you've made your selection, click OK.

Your computer will ask to reboot and when this is done, it will display a message telling you that you've changed startup configurations. Remember that deactivating a startup entry doesn't uninstall or disable the program in any way; it just prevents it from loading automatically. You can always load program from the start menu when you want to use it.

2. Lockups and Freezeups Frequently

A computer locking up is almost always caused by one of two problems.

• One is that the available memory for your computer is being consumed. Cut down on running process in your PC by opening the task manager. To do this click "Ctrl+Shift+Esc" at the same time. On the applications tab, de-activate any programs that you're not currently using. Simply select it and click "End Task" to de-activate.
• The second cause of computer freeze is overheating. Check your computer tower itself. Is it in a closed space where air can circulate? Inside of your computer case are heat-sensitive materials, especially things like the processor and the video card. There's a fan system in place to move air constantly over these parts and to cycle in cooler air. If that system is down, your PC may overheat. Check to make sure the fans are running and that air can circulate around the system. Also check for excessive build-ups of dust.

3. Data Loss Unexpectedly

The best way to prevent data loss is to back up your data. It's that simple. Moreover, in today's world remote accessibility is rapidly becoming as important as the ability to have digital media in the first place. There are many free storage services online that you can use to protect data like photos, music and videos. Often these resources are available but people don't know about them. For example, anyone with a Windows Live account is granted a free 25 GB of storage space on the Windows Sky Drive. Users of Gmail are granted several free GB of storage space for documents inside Google Docs and those of you who want to keep photos safe have numerous outlets, including Google Picasa, PhotoBucket, Twitpic, Flicker and more.

4. Problems Logging onto the Web

Diagnosing connectivity problems can be touchy because a lot of systems have to work in order for you to get (and stay) online. In the end, it may be necessary to rely on your Internet Service Provider for advanced help with your particular connection settings. There are, however, a couple of things anyone can try...

• 1. Open the Control Panel and access the Network Settings dialog. In Windows XP, there should be an icon for this. In Vista / Win7; it'll be in the Network Sharing Center where you can click on "Change Adapter Settings."
• 2. Once you're in the right dialog, it should say "Network Connections" at the top and there should be a list of connections.

Right click the one that's giving you trouble. Depending on which version of Windows you're operating you'll have different options. One thing you can always try is disabling and re-enabling that adapter.

• 1. Right click on the connection and choose "Disable". This should make the connection "gray out."
• 2. Then right click on that connection again and click "Enable."

5. System is out of date

It seems like such a simple thing, but many people suffer errors, compatibility problems and even Web malfunctions simply because they haven't updated their software. Windows needs consistent updates to keep your system protected and up to speed with developments. To update Windows:

• 1. Open the Control Panel
• 2. In Windows XP Click on "Windows Update." In Vista / Win7, you may have to click on "System and Security" first.
• 3. Now find and click the text labeled "check for updates.

Some people are afraid of getting overwhelmed with updates; they can't tell what's important and what's not. The good thing is that Microsoft won't force updates on you. Instead it will categorize them by level of importance. It's a good idea to always get updates labeled as "important" or "critical." Whether or not you use the others is up to you.

These five steps are certainly not the end all or can be considered be all for computer maintenance; but they are some of the best starting places. With an updated system, ready backups and controlled startup, you can find your pc is running really fast.