Troubleshooting a Slow Computer
By Wolfdave
Computers are meant to be fast and reliable, they are meant to be used day after day without any dramas, or issues. And for most of the time, they obey this simple rule. But just occasionally however, they wake up in a bad mood, if they wake up at all that is. Or they may start to act in a strange way, slow down or just stop working for no apparent reason.
When your computer starts running slow, you could take your computer to the repair shop, or perhaps you have a friend who might be able to help you out. Or, you could have a go at fixing it yourself. It is a fact that the majority of slow computer troubles can be dealt with quite easily using your computers own, System Tools.
This article highlights the most common slow computer problems with tips and advice on how to get your computer working properly again.
Please Note: Before using any System Tools, you should Back-Up your files and also create A System Restore Point.
The Slow Computer
Is your Hard Drive cluttered up with unused programs and files?
Check your Hard Drive Space by clicking on Start, then My Computer. Next, right click on your hard drive icon and select Properties from the drop-down menu.
You will now see a Pie chart showing your Hard Drive. It will show how much Free Space you have left. Note also the ‘Disc Clean-Up’ button. This is a System Tool that will delete any files it considers you no longer need, like Temporary Internet Files.
If you are really short of space on your hard drive, you will need to take action to free-up some space. Windows needs a certain amount of hard drive space to move files around in, the less space available the more time it will take to load and run programs. Your computer also uses the free space on your hard drive as Virtual Memory, to supplement system memory. So, once again, the less space available means less available Virtual memory and a slower computer.
Click on the Disc Clean-Up button and Windows will examine your hard drive and advise you how much space it can free up. If, after running this tool your hard drive is still short of free space, then you will have to seriously think about freeing up some space by uninstalling any programs you no longer use. You should also consider copying some of your music files and photographs onto CD’s then delete them from your computer. Music files can take up a lot of disk space.
Another reason for causing Programs to load more slowly is the fact that files, sometimes end up in the wrong place, so Windows has to go searching for them. Your computer has a Tool for checking files and fixing any found to be in the wrong place, or damaged.
So after running Disc Clean-Up, click on the Tools tab, at the top of the same dialog box. The top one in the new window ‘Error Checking’ is the one we want. It checks your hard drive’s volume for errors and will attempt to fix any it finds.
Click on the Check Now button then tick both of the ‘repair automatically’ boxes. Your computer will probably advise you that it is unable to perform a disk check right now, so ask it to schedule the task for the next time you start Windows. This check can take up to an hour to complete and you will not be able to use your computer during this process. If you have the time, do it now or remember to allow for this task to complete when you next turn on your computer.
To remove any Programs you no longer need, use the Add/Remove tool found in Control Panel. After Windows populates all the programs on your computer, look for any you would like to remove, click on the Remove button and follow the instructions. Do not remove any Windows Updates or Security programs.
You may also want to consider stopping programs from automatically starting when you turn on your PC. Programs such as Music and Video editing for instance use a lot of system resources. Also the PC suite for your Mobile Phone and Digital Camera. There is no need for these programs to be running in the background all the time; you can easily access them when you want to through the Start button, then programs.
You can stop any program from automatically loading with Windows using another System Tool. After clicking the Start button, rest your pointer over ‘All Programs’ until the full program list appears. Near to the top of the list you will see Start Up. Rest your pointer on Start Up for a moment and you will see a list of all programs that automatically start with Windows.
To delete a program from the start up menu, right click on it and choose delete from the pop-up menu. This does not delete the program; it just removes it from the start up menu. If you make a mistake and delete the wrong program, immediately press ctrl+Z and the item is returned.
If you are getting messages advising you that ‘Windows is short of Virtual Memory’ there is a Tool for re-setting Virtual memory, found in Control Panel – System. I cover this process in more detail in another Blog, look for it in the right hand column of this page.
Another Tool found in Control Panel – System, is the Device Manager. If any hard ware devices are causing conflicts or are not properly installed, this will affect your computers performance. This tool will highlight them so you can rectify the problem.
There are many more System Tools but as well as Windows System Tools, most Security Suites also have utilities for checking your hard drive, files and programs. Sometimes these will do a more thorough job and can often repair any errors.
If you are a little nervous or are unsure about using any of these procedures, then seek help from a qualified Computer Technician. Or you could buy one of the many DIY computer repair guides available, which may give you more confidence to have-a-go yourself.
Many of these guides are aimed especially at beginners and often show in simple step-by-step detail how to fix most common computer issues. Some are available on CD; others are available as a digital download. However both of these types assume that your computer is working, otherwise how are you going to access them when you have a problem!
Personally, I would recommend you buy a computer repair book so that you have a clear, visible guide right in front of you, no matter what. And of the many choices available in book form, the best one I know of, and one which even I refer to from time-to-time is: Troubleshooting Your PC for Dummies.
This book is like having a first-aid kit for your computer, it will help you to diagnose the problem and get your computer running smoothly again, in a fun and easy way. It covers most types of hardware and software problems. With picture guides and explanations in plain English, this book is an essential reference for any home computer owner.
Check this book out yourself by following the Amazon link at the bottom of this page.
Sunday 3 October 2010
Tuesday 18 May 2010
What Can cause My Computer To Run Slow?
What Can cause My Computer To Run Slow?
By Wolfdave
To understand why your computer is running slow, you need to ask yourself if it has suddenly started to run slow, or has it gradually gotten slower over time, or as it always been slow. I have covered ‘suddenly slow’ in a recent article. There are many reasons for a PC that has always been slow or has had a gradual slowing down of performance. In this article I will focus on the most common causes in these two categories.
First thing I need you to do, is check under the hood of your computer, to see what is powering your machine. So, click on Start then Control Panel. There are other ways to find this information, but this is the simplest. Once you have the Control Panel, look for ‘System’ and double-click to open it. You will now see your system information panel and on this panel will be shown the type and value of the Processor and Memory installed on your PC.
If you are running Windows XP, you need at least a 1Ghz CPU and 512Mb Memory. This will give you an average performance, maybe a bit slow to start-up and load everything, but once loaded will deliver an acceptable level of power. For a faster start-up and a better overhaul performance, I would recommend a CPU of 1.8Ghz or faster and 1Ghz or more of memory.
Check the values on your System Information Panel, if they are lower than 1Ghz/512Mb, then you have found the reason for your slow computer. XP will operate with a CPU as low as 600Mhz and only 256Mb RAM, but it will struggle. This also applies to computers gradually becoming slower. A couple of years ago, your computer may well have performed ok with just 256Mb of RAM. However, many programs and utilities, such as your Security Suite, are now much more powerful than they were even two years ago. And as such, they demand more of your system resources. More memory = more resources.
If the CPU and Memory values are ok, you can close the System Panel and the Control Panel. Next, I would like you to check your hard drive for free space. You may have a ‘My Computer’ short-cut on your desktop, if so double-click on it. No short-cut? Click on Start and then click once on My Computer. Next screen, look for your hard drive, usually labelled HDD (c). Right-click once on this drive. From the drop-down menu click on Properties, near the bottom of the menu. You should now see a Pie Chart of your hard drive’s storage. Blue is Used Space, pink is Free Space.
How much Free Space do you have? Three quarters in pink is excellent, even half still pink is ok, and you have no worries here. However, if you only have a quarter or less Free Space, then you have found another reason for your computer running slow, you will need to take action or performance will suffer further. This is because your computer uses the free space on your hard drive as Virtual Memory, to supplement System Memory to make programs load and run faster. In effect, Virtual Memory is like a Back-Up to the RAM installed on your PC.
You may even get a warning message, Virtual Memory Low! So, the less free hard drive space you have means less available Virtual Memory and a slower computer. Not only that, but your hard drive also needs a certain amount of free space to be able to move files around in. If this space is reduced then programs will also be much slower to load.
Check out my other free articles on Disk Drive maintenance and dealing with Low Virtual memory. As well as several other, Slow Computer, articles.
By Wolfdave
To understand why your computer is running slow, you need to ask yourself if it has suddenly started to run slow, or has it gradually gotten slower over time, or as it always been slow. I have covered ‘suddenly slow’ in a recent article. There are many reasons for a PC that has always been slow or has had a gradual slowing down of performance. In this article I will focus on the most common causes in these two categories.
First thing I need you to do, is check under the hood of your computer, to see what is powering your machine. So, click on Start then Control Panel. There are other ways to find this information, but this is the simplest. Once you have the Control Panel, look for ‘System’ and double-click to open it. You will now see your system information panel and on this panel will be shown the type and value of the Processor and Memory installed on your PC.
If you are running Windows XP, you need at least a 1Ghz CPU and 512Mb Memory. This will give you an average performance, maybe a bit slow to start-up and load everything, but once loaded will deliver an acceptable level of power. For a faster start-up and a better overhaul performance, I would recommend a CPU of 1.8Ghz or faster and 1Ghz or more of memory.
Check the values on your System Information Panel, if they are lower than 1Ghz/512Mb, then you have found the reason for your slow computer. XP will operate with a CPU as low as 600Mhz and only 256Mb RAM, but it will struggle. This also applies to computers gradually becoming slower. A couple of years ago, your computer may well have performed ok with just 256Mb of RAM. However, many programs and utilities, such as your Security Suite, are now much more powerful than they were even two years ago. And as such, they demand more of your system resources. More memory = more resources.
If the CPU and Memory values are ok, you can close the System Panel and the Control Panel. Next, I would like you to check your hard drive for free space. You may have a ‘My Computer’ short-cut on your desktop, if so double-click on it. No short-cut? Click on Start and then click once on My Computer. Next screen, look for your hard drive, usually labelled HDD (c). Right-click once on this drive. From the drop-down menu click on Properties, near the bottom of the menu. You should now see a Pie Chart of your hard drive’s storage. Blue is Used Space, pink is Free Space.
How much Free Space do you have? Three quarters in pink is excellent, even half still pink is ok, and you have no worries here. However, if you only have a quarter or less Free Space, then you have found another reason for your computer running slow, you will need to take action or performance will suffer further. This is because your computer uses the free space on your hard drive as Virtual Memory, to supplement System Memory to make programs load and run faster. In effect, Virtual Memory is like a Back-Up to the RAM installed on your PC.
You may even get a warning message, Virtual Memory Low! So, the less free hard drive space you have means less available Virtual Memory and a slower computer. Not only that, but your hard drive also needs a certain amount of free space to be able to move files around in. If this space is reduced then programs will also be much slower to load.
Check out my other free articles on Disk Drive maintenance and dealing with Low Virtual memory. As well as several other, Slow Computer, articles.
My Computer has Started Running Slow
My Computer has Started Running Slow
By Wolfdave
If your computer has suddenly started to run slower than normal, then this is usually easier to fix than a computer that always runs slow. Suddenly slow, is almost always caused by a recent addition to your computer. This could be a new piece of hardware or new software. The problem becomes harder to fix, if you have installed or added more than one new item, at the same time.
I have already covered many issues affecting computer performance in previous articles, including: Viruses, Spyware, Resources and Low System Memory.
If you have read any of my earlier Articles, you will know that I keep ‘banging on’ about only adding one new thing at a time to your computer. If you add one new piece of hardware, for instance, and your computer starts hanging or crashing or suddenly it runs a lot slower, then you know what is causing the problem. You also know how to fix it. Simply remove the new hardware.
Why your new hardware is causing issues, is another matter. It could be faulty or it may not be compatible with your motherboard. It is also possible that the software or drivers for your new hardware are causing a conflict. Check out one of my previous articles for help with this. But for now, you know what has caused your computer to slow down and you can return it to its previous state.
So what happens if you install two new pieces of hardware and your computer starts dragging its feet. You could for example, upgrade your Video card and at the same time add another memory module, as many people do without any problems. How do you know now which component is causing the trouble. It may be both, there could be a conflict between the two components own memory and your systems memory.
You will now have to remove both components and any associated drivers and then install them again, one at a time so that you can determine which component or its drivers have caused the problem. Once you have identified the culprit, contact the manufacturer to see if there are any know issues or updated drivers.
It is for the same reason that you should only install any new software, one at a time. If after installing a new PC Game or utility your computer runs slow, you can simply check for any ‘patches’ on-line to fix the problem, or uninstall it. But what if you installed a new game and during the same day, you downloaded a new media player for instance, and maybe a video or a couple of music files. How are you going to figure out which one is the villain. And as we all know with any software, there is always the added possibility of viruses to think about. So you will now have to run a virus scan on your computer even if you know which software to uninstall.
So, if your computer has suddenly become slower, try to determine exactly when you first noticed it. If you have fitted any new hardware, then you will have to remove it. If you have installed any new software, including Games, downloads or updates around the time it first started to be slow, you will need to uninstall these.
You can do this one at a time if you want, you might just get lucky and uninstall the rogue software first time. Do not uninstall any Windows or Anti-virus updates.
It is a fact that sometimes you do get damaged or corrupt software, particularly downloaded software. If you have managed to identify and uninstall the software causing the problem, you may find that a second download and installation will work just fine. Remember to do a Full System Scan with your Anti-Virus suite, just in case, after any download.
An alternative solution for software glitches is to use System Restore. Choose a point before the problem started. This will turn your computer back in time, to a point when everything was fine. This method will however, remove all software installed since that point, apart from your saved files.
Quite recently, I had a customer with a slow computer who had installed a new Video card and he had also installed a downloaded version of a well known Security Suite. I will leave you to guess which one was causing the slow-down.
By Wolfdave
If your computer has suddenly started to run slower than normal, then this is usually easier to fix than a computer that always runs slow. Suddenly slow, is almost always caused by a recent addition to your computer. This could be a new piece of hardware or new software. The problem becomes harder to fix, if you have installed or added more than one new item, at the same time.
I have already covered many issues affecting computer performance in previous articles, including: Viruses, Spyware, Resources and Low System Memory.
If you have read any of my earlier Articles, you will know that I keep ‘banging on’ about only adding one new thing at a time to your computer. If you add one new piece of hardware, for instance, and your computer starts hanging or crashing or suddenly it runs a lot slower, then you know what is causing the problem. You also know how to fix it. Simply remove the new hardware.
Why your new hardware is causing issues, is another matter. It could be faulty or it may not be compatible with your motherboard. It is also possible that the software or drivers for your new hardware are causing a conflict. Check out one of my previous articles for help with this. But for now, you know what has caused your computer to slow down and you can return it to its previous state.
So what happens if you install two new pieces of hardware and your computer starts dragging its feet. You could for example, upgrade your Video card and at the same time add another memory module, as many people do without any problems. How do you know now which component is causing the trouble. It may be both, there could be a conflict between the two components own memory and your systems memory.
You will now have to remove both components and any associated drivers and then install them again, one at a time so that you can determine which component or its drivers have caused the problem. Once you have identified the culprit, contact the manufacturer to see if there are any know issues or updated drivers.
It is for the same reason that you should only install any new software, one at a time. If after installing a new PC Game or utility your computer runs slow, you can simply check for any ‘patches’ on-line to fix the problem, or uninstall it. But what if you installed a new game and during the same day, you downloaded a new media player for instance, and maybe a video or a couple of music files. How are you going to figure out which one is the villain. And as we all know with any software, there is always the added possibility of viruses to think about. So you will now have to run a virus scan on your computer even if you know which software to uninstall.
So, if your computer has suddenly become slower, try to determine exactly when you first noticed it. If you have fitted any new hardware, then you will have to remove it. If you have installed any new software, including Games, downloads or updates around the time it first started to be slow, you will need to uninstall these.
You can do this one at a time if you want, you might just get lucky and uninstall the rogue software first time. Do not uninstall any Windows or Anti-virus updates.
It is a fact that sometimes you do get damaged or corrupt software, particularly downloaded software. If you have managed to identify and uninstall the software causing the problem, you may find that a second download and installation will work just fine. Remember to do a Full System Scan with your Anti-Virus suite, just in case, after any download.
An alternative solution for software glitches is to use System Restore. Choose a point before the problem started. This will turn your computer back in time, to a point when everything was fine. This method will however, remove all software installed since that point, apart from your saved files.
Quite recently, I had a customer with a slow computer who had installed a new Video card and he had also installed a downloaded version of a well known Security Suite. I will leave you to guess which one was causing the slow-down.
Saturday 6 February 2010
Why Does My Computer Keep Freezing
Why Does My Computer Keep Freezing
By Wolfdave
Part One. Overheating.
A computer that keeps freezing can be very annoying especially if you are trying to do something important; unfortunately there is no ‘magic button’ to fix this problem as there are many reasons that can cause this to happen. It can be a corrupt or damaged system file, a program that has become unstable, a corrupt software installation, malicious software or a virus, failing hardware or overheating.
If you are not comfortable working with system tools, or indeed any of these procedures, then you should contact a Qualified Computer Engineer.
Overheating is a common cause of freezing and many other errors in Laptops. If your Laptop keeps freezing, first look and listen to check that your fan is working. If your fan is working then take your Laptop to a cool room or even outdoors and see if it performs any better in a cooler location. If it does work better in a cooler location, then you should consider buying a cooler pad for your Laptop. A cooler pad sits under your Laptop to help prevent the unit from overheating.
In 25% of cases of Freezing with a desktop PC, overheating is also the cause. If the CPU or other internal components overheat, they will lock up, to prevent permanent damage. Again, the first step is to make sure all the internal fans are working. You will have to open up your computer case to check this. If you are not confident doing this, then ask a friend who is competent working with computers, or seek advice from a qualified computer engineer.
With your case open, turn on your computer and check if all the fans are spinning. If they are working, then power down your computer and remove the lead from the mains socket. Look for build up of dust and fluff on your cooling fans blades. It is best if you can remove the fan from your computer to clean it, if this is not possible, then use a soft clean paint brush to brush the dust and fluff from the fan. I would recommend wearing a dust mask whilst you are performing this task. Repeat this procedure with all of your computer case’s air vents. Cans of compressed air can be purchased to blow the dust away, but please do use suitable protection to prevent breathing in all the dust particles.
The CPU really should be removed for cleaning, use a soft clean paint brush or similar to gently remove any dust from the CPU and its Heat sink and fan. Then wipe away any old thermal grease and sparingly apply new grease. Once again, if you don’t want to remove your CPU, then at least brush or blow the dust from its heat sink and fan and from around its base. Whilst you have your case open, it is a good idea to remove all of your Memory Modules and re-seat them. Studies have shown that this simple procedure can cure many cases of freezing or slow computers. This has worked for me many times.
Before performing this operation, and indeed any internal task, you need to take precautions against static electricity. Ground yourself by touching anything metal or wear an anti-static wrist band. If you have more than one memory module, please take note which slot they are in and make sure they go back in exactly the same slot, even if the modules both look alike. Next, flip back the plastic locking levers and gently remove them from your motherboard. Use your soft brush to wipe over the contacts of the modules, try not to touch the metal contacts with your fingers, and also brush the module slots on the motherboard. Then, reseat the modules and close the locking levers. Brush or blow off any other dust from your motherboard and check that all cables are firmly connected.
Part two of this article will attempt to deal with freezing caused by software.
Part Two. Software.
Freezing caused by unstable files, software or programs can be quite difficult to cure, mainly because you simply do not have time to run Anti-virus or Anti spy ware or diagnostics, before the system freezes again. Sometimes your computer may freeze during start up. If this is the case with you, then you most probably have one or more damaged or missing system files. To overcome this problem, you will need your original operating system CD. There is usually no need to do a complete fresh install, you can most times, repair or replace the damaged files by running a ‘Repair Install’ from your CD.- I explain how to do this in one of my free articles.
If you suspect that you have a virus or malicious software, then the only way to scan your hard drive is to hook it up to another hard drive (internal or external) with the same or a later operating system. You must configure your hard drive to be the ‘slave’ and the other good hard drive to be ‘Master’.- Another of my free articles explains this procedure in more detail.- You then use the anti-virus suite on the ‘master’ drive to scan your hard drive. You can also use this procedure to save your precious files. Just copy them over onto the other hard drive.
If, on the other hand, your computer starts and runs ok but always freezes after 5 minutes or so, then you do have a chance to identify the program or software causing the problem. As soon as your computer has loaded, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete together. This will bring up Windows Task Manager. Quickly familiarise yourself with the operation of the Task Manager. Click on the ‘Processes’ tab at the top (This is usually the default display) look at the column below CPU. Scroll down to the very last one System Idle Process, this will have a reading somewhere between 95 and 99, this is normal. Most other lines will display a reading of 00. Scroll slowly back to the top and look for any other processes with a high number. If you have not opened any other programs then there should be no more high readings. There may be one or two processes, such as your security suite, showing low value readings between 05 and possibly up to 35 or 40.
Any other processes with a reading of over 90%, for more than a few moments should be stopped. You do this by clicking the process to highlight it, and then click End Process, bottom right. If everything looks normal and you know your computer always freezes after 5 minutes or so, keep the Task Manager in view and watch for any processes which suddenly show a high reading. There may be more than one. If you have time, make a note of the offending process then click to highlight it and hit the End Process button. If you were a little slow in ending the process, you will have to restart your computer and try again. Quite recently, I had a computer in for repair for Freezing, by using this procedure I was surprised to see a well-known music & media program with a CPU reading of 95% and it wasn’t even in use, it was just running amok in the background, what it was doing or trying to do, I have no idea.
Once you have successfully stopped the rogue software, and your computer has not frozen, keep watching for a little while longer in case there is another one. When you are confident that your computer is running ok without freezing, then you need to find the program or software responsible for the high CPU usage. When you have identified the culprit, even if it turns out to be your security suite, temporarily disable the program and see if your PC will now run without freezing. Once you have confirmed that everything is fine, your only option is to uninstall the software. Please use the Add/Remove programs utility in Control Panel to make sure everything is removed properly. Do not simply ‘Delete’ it. Doing so will leave files and fragments of the program behind in your Registry.
Software and programs that cause most problems are downloaded versions, particularly from third party vendors. Always try, were possible, to obtain Genuine software on a CD. If you have to download software, including updates, use the vendors own web-site, where you can also check for any known issues or alternative versions.
Freezing caused by damaged or corrupt system files is the most difficult one to fix. Mainly because the Tools available to find and fix problem files, can take some considerable time to run. So how can you use these if your computer keeps freezing? If your computer loads normally, the first one to try is the System File Checker. Click Start, go to All Programs, Accessories and right click on Command Prompt. Select Run as Administrator if asked, in the command prompt window type, SFC/SCANNOW and press enter on your keyboard. If your computer freezes during this operation, you will at least be able to see which file the computer stopped at, make an exact note of this file.
The second option is to run Check Disk with the ‘F’ fix option. Click Start and then Run, in the box type CHKDSK/F and press Enter. This Tool will probably not run immediately, but will ask if you want to schedule the check the next time you start Windows. This is good, as the check will occur before anything else has loaded, look for a button to Automatically Fix Errors and click YES! Restart your computer and keep everything crossed until the check has completed. In the unlikely event that this also fails to stop your computer freezing, then your last option is to contact Microsoft with the details of the damaged file obtained from the System File Checker.
Some computers only Freeze, when they are connected to the Internet. This is usually caused by Browser Add-Ons, particularly ActiveX controls. Connect to the Internet and open your Browser. If you are using Internet Explorer look along the top for Tools. Click the little down arrow on the right hand side and choose Manage Add Ons from the drop down menu. Any from Microsoft should be fine, of the others, look for any that are, Not Verified and disable those first. Don’t worry about disabling anything here, they will return next time you restart Windows. If that fails to stop Freezing, then you will have to go through them all one-by-one until the freezing stops occurring. Uninstall the corrupt add on, if you need to re-install it, download a fresh version from the vendors own web site.
It may also be a good idea to have the Windows Task Manager visible whilst you are on the Internet. Then you can keep an eye open for any sudden excessive CPU usage. This could of course be quite harmless; perhaps Windows or Your Anti-virus is checking for updates, on the other hand, it could be Spyware or other Malicious Software, trying to call home!
If you are uncomfortable using system tools, or need more help, click HERE
By Wolfdave
Part One. Overheating.
A computer that keeps freezing can be very annoying especially if you are trying to do something important; unfortunately there is no ‘magic button’ to fix this problem as there are many reasons that can cause this to happen. It can be a corrupt or damaged system file, a program that has become unstable, a corrupt software installation, malicious software or a virus, failing hardware or overheating.
If you are not comfortable working with system tools, or indeed any of these procedures, then you should contact a Qualified Computer Engineer.
Overheating is a common cause of freezing and many other errors in Laptops. If your Laptop keeps freezing, first look and listen to check that your fan is working. If your fan is working then take your Laptop to a cool room or even outdoors and see if it performs any better in a cooler location. If it does work better in a cooler location, then you should consider buying a cooler pad for your Laptop. A cooler pad sits under your Laptop to help prevent the unit from overheating.
In 25% of cases of Freezing with a desktop PC, overheating is also the cause. If the CPU or other internal components overheat, they will lock up, to prevent permanent damage. Again, the first step is to make sure all the internal fans are working. You will have to open up your computer case to check this. If you are not confident doing this, then ask a friend who is competent working with computers, or seek advice from a qualified computer engineer.
With your case open, turn on your computer and check if all the fans are spinning. If they are working, then power down your computer and remove the lead from the mains socket. Look for build up of dust and fluff on your cooling fans blades. It is best if you can remove the fan from your computer to clean it, if this is not possible, then use a soft clean paint brush to brush the dust and fluff from the fan. I would recommend wearing a dust mask whilst you are performing this task. Repeat this procedure with all of your computer case’s air vents. Cans of compressed air can be purchased to blow the dust away, but please do use suitable protection to prevent breathing in all the dust particles.
The CPU really should be removed for cleaning, use a soft clean paint brush or similar to gently remove any dust from the CPU and its Heat sink and fan. Then wipe away any old thermal grease and sparingly apply new grease. Once again, if you don’t want to remove your CPU, then at least brush or blow the dust from its heat sink and fan and from around its base. Whilst you have your case open, it is a good idea to remove all of your Memory Modules and re-seat them. Studies have shown that this simple procedure can cure many cases of freezing or slow computers. This has worked for me many times.
Before performing this operation, and indeed any internal task, you need to take precautions against static electricity. Ground yourself by touching anything metal or wear an anti-static wrist band. If you have more than one memory module, please take note which slot they are in and make sure they go back in exactly the same slot, even if the modules both look alike. Next, flip back the plastic locking levers and gently remove them from your motherboard. Use your soft brush to wipe over the contacts of the modules, try not to touch the metal contacts with your fingers, and also brush the module slots on the motherboard. Then, reseat the modules and close the locking levers. Brush or blow off any other dust from your motherboard and check that all cables are firmly connected.
Part two of this article will attempt to deal with freezing caused by software.
Part Two. Software.
Freezing caused by unstable files, software or programs can be quite difficult to cure, mainly because you simply do not have time to run Anti-virus or Anti spy ware or diagnostics, before the system freezes again. Sometimes your computer may freeze during start up. If this is the case with you, then you most probably have one or more damaged or missing system files. To overcome this problem, you will need your original operating system CD. There is usually no need to do a complete fresh install, you can most times, repair or replace the damaged files by running a ‘Repair Install’ from your CD.- I explain how to do this in one of my free articles.
If you suspect that you have a virus or malicious software, then the only way to scan your hard drive is to hook it up to another hard drive (internal or external) with the same or a later operating system. You must configure your hard drive to be the ‘slave’ and the other good hard drive to be ‘Master’.- Another of my free articles explains this procedure in more detail.- You then use the anti-virus suite on the ‘master’ drive to scan your hard drive. You can also use this procedure to save your precious files. Just copy them over onto the other hard drive.
If, on the other hand, your computer starts and runs ok but always freezes after 5 minutes or so, then you do have a chance to identify the program or software causing the problem. As soon as your computer has loaded, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete together. This will bring up Windows Task Manager. Quickly familiarise yourself with the operation of the Task Manager. Click on the ‘Processes’ tab at the top (This is usually the default display) look at the column below CPU. Scroll down to the very last one System Idle Process, this will have a reading somewhere between 95 and 99, this is normal. Most other lines will display a reading of 00. Scroll slowly back to the top and look for any other processes with a high number. If you have not opened any other programs then there should be no more high readings. There may be one or two processes, such as your security suite, showing low value readings between 05 and possibly up to 35 or 40.
Any other processes with a reading of over 90%, for more than a few moments should be stopped. You do this by clicking the process to highlight it, and then click End Process, bottom right. If everything looks normal and you know your computer always freezes after 5 minutes or so, keep the Task Manager in view and watch for any processes which suddenly show a high reading. There may be more than one. If you have time, make a note of the offending process then click to highlight it and hit the End Process button. If you were a little slow in ending the process, you will have to restart your computer and try again. Quite recently, I had a computer in for repair for Freezing, by using this procedure I was surprised to see a well-known music & media program with a CPU reading of 95% and it wasn’t even in use, it was just running amok in the background, what it was doing or trying to do, I have no idea.
Once you have successfully stopped the rogue software, and your computer has not frozen, keep watching for a little while longer in case there is another one. When you are confident that your computer is running ok without freezing, then you need to find the program or software responsible for the high CPU usage. When you have identified the culprit, even if it turns out to be your security suite, temporarily disable the program and see if your PC will now run without freezing. Once you have confirmed that everything is fine, your only option is to uninstall the software. Please use the Add/Remove programs utility in Control Panel to make sure everything is removed properly. Do not simply ‘Delete’ it. Doing so will leave files and fragments of the program behind in your Registry.
Software and programs that cause most problems are downloaded versions, particularly from third party vendors. Always try, were possible, to obtain Genuine software on a CD. If you have to download software, including updates, use the vendors own web-site, where you can also check for any known issues or alternative versions.
Freezing caused by damaged or corrupt system files is the most difficult one to fix. Mainly because the Tools available to find and fix problem files, can take some considerable time to run. So how can you use these if your computer keeps freezing? If your computer loads normally, the first one to try is the System File Checker. Click Start, go to All Programs, Accessories and right click on Command Prompt. Select Run as Administrator if asked, in the command prompt window type, SFC/SCANNOW and press enter on your keyboard. If your computer freezes during this operation, you will at least be able to see which file the computer stopped at, make an exact note of this file.
The second option is to run Check Disk with the ‘F’ fix option. Click Start and then Run, in the box type CHKDSK/F and press Enter. This Tool will probably not run immediately, but will ask if you want to schedule the check the next time you start Windows. This is good, as the check will occur before anything else has loaded, look for a button to Automatically Fix Errors and click YES! Restart your computer and keep everything crossed until the check has completed. In the unlikely event that this also fails to stop your computer freezing, then your last option is to contact Microsoft with the details of the damaged file obtained from the System File Checker.
Some computers only Freeze, when they are connected to the Internet. This is usually caused by Browser Add-Ons, particularly ActiveX controls. Connect to the Internet and open your Browser. If you are using Internet Explorer look along the top for Tools. Click the little down arrow on the right hand side and choose Manage Add Ons from the drop down menu. Any from Microsoft should be fine, of the others, look for any that are, Not Verified and disable those first. Don’t worry about disabling anything here, they will return next time you restart Windows. If that fails to stop Freezing, then you will have to go through them all one-by-one until the freezing stops occurring. Uninstall the corrupt add on, if you need to re-install it, download a fresh version from the vendors own web site.
It may also be a good idea to have the Windows Task Manager visible whilst you are on the Internet. Then you can keep an eye open for any sudden excessive CPU usage. This could of course be quite harmless; perhaps Windows or Your Anti-virus is checking for updates, on the other hand, it could be Spyware or other Malicious Software, trying to call home!
If you are uncomfortable using system tools, or need more help, click HERE
My Computer Shuts Down Suddenly
My Computer Shuts Down Suddenly
by Wolfdave
If you are having problems with your computer shutting down (Crashing) suddenly whilst you are using it, there are several reasons that could cause this. It could be a software problem, your computer may have a virus or you could have a developing hard-ware problem. Perhaps your motherboard or other internal device is failing. Sometimes though, the ‘Fix’ can be something quite simple.
Very recently I had a computer in for repair, the guy said is PC kept crashing suddenly whilst he was using the internet. It would suddenly just shut down spontaneously for no apparent reason. It happened most often when he was on-line, but also occurred when he was off-line.
I have had this problem many times before and usually it is a software problem. A recent program installed or sometimes an up-date to a program already installed. The last time, it turned out to be the latest update to Flash Player which was causing the computer to crash. This was uninstalled and then re-installed afresh, this fixed the problem. Most times it turns out to be software, usually downloaded software. Try to determine when the problem started and use System Restore to turn your computer back in time to a date before the problem started. If that fails, then uninstall any programs or software, including downloads, that you have installed recently.
Having tried all that on this Guys computer however, the problem was still there. So the next step is to check for viruses. I did a Full System Scan with his Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware program and found nothing. I tried again with my own Security Suite run directly from the CD on start up, nothing found again.
So now I’m thinking, this is going to be hardware, and expensive for my customer. The most common hardware cause of sudden shut downs, is memory. This could be the Motherboard or a failing Memory Module. Fortunately, a very useful free tool for testing memory, The Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool, is available from Microsoft. This tool tests the RAM on your computer for errors. If you do download this free tool, also download and read the memory Diagnostic Users Guide.
Basically, after downloading the tool, you copy the files onto a CD. You then boot your computer from this CD and the ‘Tool’ will run Windows memory Diagnostics and report any errors. Quick tests can last several minutes or extended tests will need to be left to run overnight. If you are confident and have experience working inside your computer case, and know the risks from static electricity and the like, then the first recommended step is to reseat your memory modules.
Having grounded yourself, flick back the locking levers and remove all of your memory modules. If you have more than one, make sure they go back in the exact same slot they came out of. Once they are out, gently remove any dust from the slots on the Motherboard, a small clean soft paintbrush is ideal for this. Then reseat your memory modules and close the locking levers.
Studies have shown that this fixes the problem in 25% of cases of this type.
And I am pleased to report that this simple and inexpensive procedure did indeed fix this Guys computer. Not only that, but he phoned me to say his computer is now much faster, it starts quicker, programs load better and surfing the web is so much more enjoyable. Hey, no problem.
If you are uncomfortable using system tools, or just need more help, click HERE
by Wolfdave
If you are having problems with your computer shutting down (Crashing) suddenly whilst you are using it, there are several reasons that could cause this. It could be a software problem, your computer may have a virus or you could have a developing hard-ware problem. Perhaps your motherboard or other internal device is failing. Sometimes though, the ‘Fix’ can be something quite simple.
Very recently I had a computer in for repair, the guy said is PC kept crashing suddenly whilst he was using the internet. It would suddenly just shut down spontaneously for no apparent reason. It happened most often when he was on-line, but also occurred when he was off-line.
I have had this problem many times before and usually it is a software problem. A recent program installed or sometimes an up-date to a program already installed. The last time, it turned out to be the latest update to Flash Player which was causing the computer to crash. This was uninstalled and then re-installed afresh, this fixed the problem. Most times it turns out to be software, usually downloaded software. Try to determine when the problem started and use System Restore to turn your computer back in time to a date before the problem started. If that fails, then uninstall any programs or software, including downloads, that you have installed recently.
Having tried all that on this Guys computer however, the problem was still there. So the next step is to check for viruses. I did a Full System Scan with his Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware program and found nothing. I tried again with my own Security Suite run directly from the CD on start up, nothing found again.
So now I’m thinking, this is going to be hardware, and expensive for my customer. The most common hardware cause of sudden shut downs, is memory. This could be the Motherboard or a failing Memory Module. Fortunately, a very useful free tool for testing memory, The Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool, is available from Microsoft. This tool tests the RAM on your computer for errors. If you do download this free tool, also download and read the memory Diagnostic Users Guide.
Basically, after downloading the tool, you copy the files onto a CD. You then boot your computer from this CD and the ‘Tool’ will run Windows memory Diagnostics and report any errors. Quick tests can last several minutes or extended tests will need to be left to run overnight. If you are confident and have experience working inside your computer case, and know the risks from static electricity and the like, then the first recommended step is to reseat your memory modules.
Having grounded yourself, flick back the locking levers and remove all of your memory modules. If you have more than one, make sure they go back in the exact same slot they came out of. Once they are out, gently remove any dust from the slots on the Motherboard, a small clean soft paintbrush is ideal for this. Then reseat your memory modules and close the locking levers.
Studies have shown that this fixes the problem in 25% of cases of this type.
And I am pleased to report that this simple and inexpensive procedure did indeed fix this Guys computer. Not only that, but he phoned me to say his computer is now much faster, it starts quicker, programs load better and surfing the web is so much more enjoyable. Hey, no problem.
If you are uncomfortable using system tools, or just need more help, click HERE
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