Here are a few basic tips when troubleshooting your PC, if anyone has other usefull tips or advice then please share them.
Initial steps
Check documentation and/or the manufacturer's website.
Most manuals will contain a troubleshooting guide that will identify the most common problems the component may have, also most software usually place a read me file in the programs directory that will list all known incompatibilities.
Also manufacturer websites can be extremely helpful as well, with support pages that will direct you to common problems and may direct you to a software "patch" that can be downloaded directly from the site.
Check for Viruses, spyware and adware
Any strange behavior on a computer could be due to a virus. Use an anti-viral program to scan your system - and follow the instructions on the use of the anti-viral program closely.
Adware and Spyware can also cause a number of problems
Use diagnostic utilities
Software crashes can often be caused by corrupted files or registry conflicts. Using a program like Window's Scan Disk (found under
System Tools in the
Accessories folder on your
program menu) can identify and fix corrupted files.
Norton Utilities has a program called "System Check" that both checks the integrity of your files and looks for software conflicts and will repair problems.
What to do next?
If your still having problems ask yourself - when did the problems first start?
Did you installing new software? Add new hardware?, if so then chances are the change is the cause.
Also, while you're trying to identify problems and solutions remember to make only one change to your system at a time, so you can easily trace your steps.
If your running Windows XP then you could try running the system restore to restore your PC to a previous date you know your system was ok.
Is the problem is repeatable or is it intermittent.
A repeatable problem is one that occurs all the time, or always in response to a specific user action. For example, if the computer crashes every time you print a document.
Intermittent problems will appear randomly. An intermittent problem is usually the result of a specific set of circumstances happening occasionally. With these problems it is important to try to establish a pattern involved in the problem.
Use the process of elimination.
Start to remove components from your system one at a time. After you remove a component test to see if the problem still exists. This is a great way to figure out if the problem is caused by a conflict between software programs and/or hardware. Start by removing the most recently installed stuff first.
How To Troubleshoot Your PC Problems
