A basic guide to solving many common computer problems…

by Rick Sheridan

Preventing problems-

Avoid secondhand smoke near the computer, avoid using long cables (4-5 foot) because of signal degradation. Peripherals (printers, etc.) should be the first items on and the last items off. Always use the Shut Down commands to turn your computer off. When you turn off the machine let it cool for a few seconds if you plan to restart it. During a thunderstorm or extended vacation, unplug your computer. Don’t transport a ma-chine with a floppy disk in the drive. Don’t cover the vent holes on the computer or monitor with books or other items. Don’t place the computer right next to a TV, stereo or other device emitting large amounts of electromagnetic waves. Backup your important projects on Zip or CD drives regularly and keep a copy away from your house or apartment in case you have a fire or burglary.

Computer won’t turn on-

The power strip may be broken even if the light is on, test with another outlet. Make sure that all the cables are plugged in tightly. Check to see if there is an additional power switch on the terminal box, monitor or on the back of the power supply.

Monitor problems-

Check the monitor resolution buttons, if that does not work, look in Control Panel/ Monitors. Check that the cable from the monitor to the computer is snug. Sometimes monitors are affected by devices that use lots of power such as air conditioners that are on the same outlet. Test another monitor with your computer to help isolate the problem. Sometimes games require different monitor settings and the machine auto-matically makes the change but does not return to the original settings. Degauss (demagnetize) your monitor with the degauss button on the unit.

Mouse problems-

Take the ball out and clean the rollers inside. Test your computer with another mouse to verify the problem. Restart the computer and hit F8 when it says „Starting Windows” & choose Safe Mode. If this allows you to use your mouse, turn off the machine. Restart and use the diskette that came with your mouse to reinstall the mouse software. Go to Settings/Control Panel/Mouse to adjust settings such as speed. If you have a second port for the mouse on the back of your computer, try it. If none of this works, you have a hardware problem.

Floppy disc problems-

Remember that floppies are for temporary transport from one machine to another. They are often cheaply made and are not designed to last more than 1-2 years. Floppies are sensitive to dust and magnetic effects. Be sure that your data is backed up elsewhere and replace discs as necessary.

Printer problems-

Try to isolate the problem- it is often either a corrupted document, software program or a printer software/driver problem. Experiment by printing from several documents and several software applications. Try the printer’s self-test. This is usually done be turning off the printer, turning it back on and holding the „test button” on the side or back. If the test page prints but you can’t print from the computer, you probably need to reinstall the printer driver and software. There are many Internet sites that offer free printer drivers. Install the new driver and printer software by going to Start/Settings/ Printer. Insert the printer software disc and click install. If this does not help, try replacing the printer cable. Check the printer port assignments and make sure your computer is sending the data to LPT1. If none of this works it is probably a mechanical repair that requires a technician. Paper jams- these are usually caused by too little or too much! paper in the tray. Sometimes a small bit of paper caught in the printer can cause a jam. Open the cover and clean out any paper pieces. Poor quality prints- if it prints too light or dark, try changing the density setting by going to the Print window or under Options/ Settings. If you are getting streaking or uneven printing, try taking out the toner cartridge and shaking it gently.

Modem problems-

Make sure the modem is tight in it’s expansion slot. Go to Settings/Control Panel/ Modems, and see if your modem is listed. Remove other modems that are listed. Go to the Diagnosis tab and click Modem/More Info, or try going to System control panel and open the Device Manager tab. Click Modem/ Properties. If it reports conflicts, it will prompt you what to do. Also- ask the telephone company to test the line from the main office and also report the problem to your Internet service provider. Be sure to disable call waiting while using your modem. Try a different phone jack, line or modem to help isolate the problem. Consult the specific troubleshooting section in the manual and/or reinstall your modem software if necessary.

Scanner problems-

If the scanner does not work, check the connections. Isolate the problem by doing a test scan. If you hear movement inside the scanner, the problem is probably with the computer. If the scanner is silent, the problem is probably with the scanner itself. Try reinstalling the driver and check the owner’s manual.

RAM „out of memory” errors-

Often all you need to do is restart your computer. Otherwise consider adding RAM or getting a memory optimization program such as RAM Doubler.

Sound card problems-

Check power supply, connect-ions and volume controls. See if you can get sounds from the headphone jack.

Warranty & tech support-

Before you buy your next computer, look at the warranty. One year is average, three is great. Will the technician come to you or do you have to bring the machine in? What is the average turn around time for their repairs? If you are expected to deal with telephone technical support, test the number to see if you get constant busy signals. Check out Consumer Reports and other publications dedicated to evaluating warranties. I generally recommend buying locally if the price is anywhere near what you can get via mail order. An extended warranty is usually worth it.

What to do when your mouse and screen freeze-

You’re working in a program, and suddenly something goes wrong. Your mouse or your screen is frozen, you can’t close the program or get to shutdown. Here are the steps to try: If you’re working on a document, try to save it by using the Control S shortcut command. Usually, you can then use Control F4 to close your file. OR- hold down the Alt key, and press F to open the file menu. Use your arrow keys to navigate down to Save, then press enter. Use your arrow keys then to select Close and close your file. Also- Hold down Alt, and slowly press tab to nav-gate through your other open programs. Close each of them using the above procedure. Another option for ending a task that is locked is to hold down Control, then Alt, then Delete. If this does not work, press the reset button on the back of the computer.

More information about freezes and lockups-

Application lockups occur only when using a specific software program. Document lockups occur only when you are editing or modifying a specific document you created with a software program such as Word or Excel. Device lockups always occur when you are using a specific device such as the printer or scanner. Try to isolate which category that your lockup is in and reinstall the application program, delete the defective document, or replace the damaged device.

Creating a rescue disk-

Emergency rescue discs are important to have since you can get Windows to start (when it normally would not), and then you can run ScanDisc or other repair program to try to correct the problem. How to create your emergency rescue disc: Put in a new floppy disc and go to: Start/Programs/ Accessories/System Tools and then click Backup.

Additional Tips-

1. For many common software problems a complete soft-ware reinstallation is simple as long as you have the original discs (or CD), and a backup of all the materials that you personally created.

2. Your system comes with two built in utilities, ScanDisc and Disc DeFrag. Run every two months or use the Maintenance Wizard to automate the process. Be sure to purchase a good virus checker that can be updated regularly.

3. In the safe Mode, go to the Device Manager and remove any unnecessary or duplicate items.

4. Test the various Startup items to look for conflicts. Go to Run and type msconfig to temporarily disable startup items. Test the computer with all of them disabled and add one at a time to test for conflicts (see manual for details).

5. Run the System Information- this can resolve some common problems caused by buggy application setup programs. To run System Information, select the Start Menu/Programs/Accessories/SystemTools/System Info.

6. Use the Windows Update feature (from the Start menu). This device compares what’s on your current sys-tem with what’s available from Microsoft’s master database, then recommends and installs updates that are specific to your computer (with your permission). Keeping these drivers and system files updated improves your chances of avoiding problems.

7. Anytime that you get an error message be sure to write it down exactly before moving on. These specific messages can be looked up (by you or a technician) and help focus on the necessary repairs. Many common problems can be diagnosed by going to Microsoft’s Knowledge Base site at www.microsoft.com or the sites listed below.

References-

The Geek Squad Guide to Solving and Computer Glitch, by Robert Stephens and Dale Burg. Simon & Schuster, NY, 1999.

Upgrading and Repairing PCs, by Scott Muller. Que Publications, NY, 2001

Troubleshooting, the Book of Simple Solutions for Most Computer Problems, by PC Novice magazine, 2001.