How to Troubleshoot a Computer Easily

What is troubleshooting?

Troubleshooting is a systematic approach to problem solving that is often used to find and correct issues with complex machines, electronics, computers and software systems.

The first step in troubleshooting is gathering information on the issue, such as an undesired behavior or a lack of expected functionality. Other important information includes related symptoms and special circumstances that may be required to reproduce the issue.

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Once the issue and how to reproduce it are understood, the next step might be to eliminate unnecessary components in the system and verify that the issue persists, to rule out incompatibility and third-party causes.

Continuing, assuming the issue remains, one might next check common causes. Depending on the particular issue and the troubleshooter’s experience, they may have some ideas. They may also check product documentation and/or conduct research on a support database or through a search engine.

After common causes are ruled out, the troubleshooter may resort to the more systematic and logical process of verifying the expected function of parts of a system. One common method is the split-half troubleshooting approach: With a problem resulting from a number of possible parts in series, one tests half-way down the line of components. If the middle component works, one goes to the middle of the remaining parts, approaching the end. If the test finds a problem at the mid-point, one does a split towards the start of the line until the problem part is found. The split-half process can save time in systems that depend on many components.

Once the problem part is identified, it may be adjusted, repaired or replaced as needed. Evidence of effective troubleshooting is indicated when the issue is no longer reproducible and function is restored one.

Blue Screen of Death (BSoD)

Many people think of blue as a calming color; however, when it comes up on your computer screen with a bunch of white text, it probably has the opposite effect. The blue screen of death (BSoD or STOP Error) may appear to be one of the scariest computer problems you'll come across. However, all your computer may need is for you to reboot it. This STOP error appears on your screen for a variety of reasons: failing hardware, damaged software, corrupt DLL files, problems with drivers and more. The remedy for a blue screen of death depends on the original problem. The screen provides you with codes that can help you identify and fix your computer problems.

Missing DLL File

Dynamic-Link Library (DLL) files house information for your operating system on how to perform certain functions. Occasionally, your computer loses DLL files or something damages them. When your PC can't read the particular DLL file, it doesn't know how to respond in certain situations. You may have a missing or corrupt DLL file if you receive an error message every time you perform a certain function, such as saving. If your computer problems are stemming from missing and damaged DLL files, you can restore them by downloading them back onto your PC.

Applications That Won't Install

If you're having trouble with an application not installing, it may be because your computer doesn't have enough hard drive space. If this is the case, you need to free up some space. This is one of the computer problems that's, well, least problematic. You can free up some hard drive space by getting rid of files and folders you don't need. These may be temporary files, duplicate files or data for software you've uninstalled.

Applications Run Slowly

There are several reasons software might be running at turtle speed. You may have computer problems that involve your operating system or an application, your operating system might be missing updates or your computer doesn't have enough hard drive space. If you don't have enough hard drive space, you can scan, clean and optimize your hard drive.

Abnormal Applications Behavior

Computer problems that involve applications acting strangely oftentimes leave you wondering what has happened. Your application has been working just fine, but now, seemingly without reason, it is doing something strange.

For instance, your Word document will no longer show the top margin of your document. It still says it's there, and when you print it, there's not a problem. You just can't see it on your monitor. If this is happening, you may want to restart your computer. Conducting an internet search for the type of problem you're experiencing or consulting your user manual may help you as well.

Using System Repair Software

If you have computer problems, chances are, system repair software can help you fix it. Most of these applications can repair operating system problems that lead to the Blue Screen of Death. They can also replace missing or damaged DLL files. System repair software can also free up space you need for another application, and it can optimize your computer so it runs faster. It may even identify problems you're having with applications, but it depends on the software you use and the application that's having problems.

How to solve Troubleshooting problems

There are many different things that could cause a problem with your computer. No matter what's causing the issue, troubleshooting will always be a process of trial and error—in some cases, you may need to use several different approaches before you can find a solution; other problems may be easy to fix. We recommend starting by using the following tips.

Write down your steps: Once you start troubleshooting, you may want to write down each step you take. This way, you'll be able to remember exactly what you've done and can avoid repeating the same mistakes. If you end up asking other people for help, it will be much easier if they know exactly what you've tried already.

Take notes about error messages: If your computer gives you an error message, be sure to write down as much information as possible. You may be able to use this information later to find out if other people are having the same error.
Always check the cables: If you're having trouble with a specific piece of computer hardware, such as your monitor or keyboard, an easy first step is to check all related cables to make sure they're properly connected.

Restart the computer: When all else fails, restarting the computer is a good thing to try. This can solve a lot of basic issues you may experience with your computer.

Using the process of elimination

If you're having an issue with your computer, you may be able to find out what's wrong using the process of elimination. This means you'll make a list of things that could be causing the problem and then test them out one by one to eliminate them. Once you've identified the source of your computer issue, it will be easier to find a solution.

Scenario:

Let's say you're trying to print out invitations for a birthday party, but the printer won't print. You have some ideas about what could be causing this, so you go through them one by one to see if you can eliminate any possible causes.

First, you check the printer to see that it's turned on and plugged in to the surge protector. It is, so that's not the issue. Next, you check to make sure the printer's ink cartridge still has ink and that there is paper loaded in the paper tray. Things look good in both cases, so you know the issue has nothing to do with ink or paper.

Now you want to make sure the printer and computer are communicating correctly. If you recently downloaded an update to your operating system, it might interfere with the printer. But you know there haven't been any recent updates and the printer was working yesterday, so you'll have to look elsewhere.

You check the printer's USB cord and find that it's not plugged in. You must have unplugged it accidentally when you plugged something else into the computer earlier. Once you plug in the USB cord, the printer starts working again. It looks like this printer issue is solved!

This is just one example of an issue you might encounter while using a computer. In the rest of this lesson, we'll talk about other common computer problems and some ways to solve them.

Simple solutions to common problems

Most of the time, problems can be fixed using simple troubleshooting techniques, like closing and reopening the program. It's important to try these simple solutions before resorting to more extreme measures. If the problem still isn't fixed, you can try other troubleshooting techniques.

Problem: Power button will not start computer

Solution 1: If your computer does not start, begin by checking the power cord to confirm that it is plugged securely into the back of the computer case and the power outlet.

Solution 2: If it is plugged into an outlet, make sure it is a working outlet. To check your outlet, you can plug in another electrical device, such as a lamp.
Solution 3: If the computer is plugged in to a surge protector, verify that it is turned on. You may have to reset the surge protector by turning it off and then back on. You can also plug a lamp or other device into the surge protector to verify that it's working correctly.
Solution 4: If you are using a laptop, the battery may not be charged. Plug the AC adapter into the wall, then try to turn on the laptop. If it still doesn't start up, you may need to wait a few minutes and try again.

Problem: An application is running slowly

Solution 1: Close and reopen the application.

Solution 2: Update the application. To do this, click the Help menu and look for an option to check for Updates. If you don't find this option, another idea is to run an online search for application updates.

Problem: An application is frozen

Sometimes an application may become stuck, or frozen. When this happens, you won't be able to close the window or click any buttons within the application.

Solution 1: Force quit the application. On a PC, you can press (and hold) Ctrl+Alt+Delete (the Control, Alt, and Delete keys) on your keyboard to open the Task Manager. On a Mac, press and hold Command+Option+Esc
. You can then select the unresponsive application and click End task (or Force Quit on a Mac) to close it.
Solution 2: Restart the computer. If you are unable to force quit an application, restarting your computer will close all open apps.

Problem: All programs on the computer run slowly

Solution 1: Run a virus scanner. You may have malware running in the background that is slowing things down.

Solution 2: Your computer may be running out of hard drive space. Try deleting any files or programs you don't need.
Solution 3: If you're using a PC, you can run Disk Defragmenter. To learn more about Disk Defragmenter, check out our lesson on Protecting Your Computer.

Problem: The computer is frozen

Sometimes your computer may become completely unresponsive, or frozen. When this happens, you won't be able to click anywhere on the screen, open or close applications, or access shut-down options.

Solution 1 (Windows only): Restart Windows Explorer. To do this, press and hold Ctrl+Alt+Delete on your keyboard to open the Task Manager. Next, locate and select Windows Explorer from the Processes tab and click Restart. You may need to click More Details at the bottom of the window to see the Processes tab.
Solution 2 (Mac only): Restart Finder. To do this, press and hold Command+Option+Esc on your keyboard to open the Force Quit Applications dialog box. Next, locate and select Finder, then click Relaunch.
Solution 3: Press and hold the Power button. The Power button is usually located on the front or side of the computer, typically indicated by the power symbol. Press and hold the Power button for 5 to 10 seconds to force the computer to shut down.

Solution 4: If the computer still won't shut down, you can unplug the power cable from the electrical outlet. If you're using a laptop, you may be able to remove the battery to force the computer to turn off. Note: This solution should be your last resort after trying the other suggestions above.

Problem: The mouse or keyboard has stopped working

Solution 1: If you're using a wired mouse or keyboard, make sure it's correctly plugged into the computer.

Solution 2: If you're using a wireless mouse or keyboard, make sure it's turned on and that its batteries are charged.

Problem: The sound isn't working

Solution 1: Check the volume level. Click the audio button in the top-right or bottom-right corner of the screen to make sure the sound is turned on and that the volume is up.

Solution 2: Check the audio player controls. Many audio and video players will have their own separate audio controls. Make sure the sound is turned on and that the volume is turned up in the player.
Solution 3: Check the cables. Make sure external speakers are plugged in, turned on, and connected to the correct audio port or a USB port. If your computer has color-coded ports, the audio output port will usually be green.
Solution 4: Connect headphones to the computer to find out if you can hear sound through the headphones.

Problem: The screen is blank

Solution 1: The computer may be in Sleep mode. Click the mouse or press any key on the keyboard to wake it.

Solution 2: Make sure the monitor is plugged in and turned on.
Solution 3: Make sure the computer is plugged in and turned on.
Solution 4: If you're using a desktop, make sure the monitor cable is properly connected to the computer tower and the monitor.

Solving more difficult problems

If you still haven't found a solution to your problem, you may need to ask someone else for help. As an easy starting point, we'd recommend searching the Web. It's possible that other users have had similar problems, and solutions to these problems are often posted online. Also, if you have a friend or family member who knows a lot about computers, they may be able to help you.

Keep in mind that most computer problems have simple solutions, although it may take some time to find them. For difficult problems, a more drastic solution may be required, like reformatting your hard drive or reinstalling your operating system. If you think you might need a solution like this, we recommend consulting a professional first. If you're not a computer expert, it's possible that attempting these solutions could make the situation worse.

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