FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fix PC errors on my own or do I have to ask for help?
It depends on what your skills level is and how proficient in computers you are. Many advanced users are able to fix many of the PC errors they experience. On the other hand, have in mind that there are cases when even top IT pros are helpless against a given PC error and they also need help to fix it. Additionally, sometimes if you attempt to fix a PC error, even if you know how to do it, this might void your warranty, so in this case you’d better contact an authorized PC technician instead.
However, generally speaking, if you are knowledgeable enough, you can fix many PC errors on your own. What is more, some errors are really easy to fix, so you don’t need to ask for help – just browse the Net, especially the various PC support forums, and see what information is available there.
When I turn my computer on, it beeps! Is this a serious error?
Could be but most likely it is not an error at all. It is normal to hear beeps when the computer turns on. The BIOS (Basic Input Output System) beeps when you turn the computer on and if the BIOS doesn’t beep in its usual way, then you should be worried. You need to know how to distinguish between the normal beep, which you hear when everything is fine and the other beeps, which you might never have the chance to hear unless the hardware of your computer is damaged in some way.
Many motherboard manuals include reference about what different beeps mean. So, if you hear strange beeps from your motherboard, check the documentation. Some of the beeps are not to be underestimated because they signal about important issues. For instance, if your processor is overheating, you will hear a typical beep. Pay attention to this before your processor burns.
My hard drive is damaged. Is my information lost?
Hard drive failure is one of the most unpleasant hardware malfunctions. When your hard drive fails, information loss is quite probable but let’s hope things are not that bad. Depending on what is damaged, there might be information loss.
Sometimes when a hard drive is damaged, it is impossible to read from it and in this case your information is really buried inside the dead hard drive. However, very often a qualified PC expert will be able to save your information, even if the drive is physically damaged.
Also, it could turn out that the hard drive is not damaged but there is some other kind of problem – for instance the cable that connects it to the motherboard is loose and that is why the hard drive is not detected. Anyway, hard drives are not eternal, so if you want to protect yourself against information loss, always make up-to-date backups of all the important information you have.
I don’t see the partitions on my hard drive! What shall I do?
Did you do anything to your computer or did it all happen all of a sudden? Partitions don’t tend to disappear without a reason. Also, are you sure your partitions aren’t on an external drive or network volume, which is currently disconnected? If they are, they will disappear when you unplug the drive.
If you don’t know how to check if your partitions are available, go and see them in My Computer. Right-click on the My Computer icon on the desktop, select Manage and then select Disk Management. Are you partitions listed there? If you don’t see them listed there, this could mean that they are not visible from Windows. The reasons for that are numerous but this usually means problems for you.
One solution is to get a Linux live CD, for instance Knoppix, and boot it. Does the Live CD show the partitions and their contents? If it does, this is good because it means that your partitions are physically alive and most likely the information on them is safe and sound.
My computer went blank and all I see is a “No Signal Input” message. What shall I do?
The “No Signal Input” message usually means that there is something wrong with your video hardware. First, check the cable that connects your monitor to the video card. A loose cable is one of the most likely reasons for the “No Signal Input” message. Another reason is hardware malfunction (i.e. the video card) but this is relatively rare.
If the “No Signal Input” message shows when you boot your computer, then there might be more unpleasant reasons, such as a motherboard or CPU problem, or the monitor itself might be damaged. However, these cases are very, very rare.
So, when you get a “No Signal Input” message, first try the video cable. If this doesn’t help, try to connect the monitor to another computer and see if this solves the problem.
My computer reboots very often.
It is very unpleasant when your computer reboots all of a sudden, while you are in the middle of an important task. As with many other PC errors, the reasons for sudden reboots are numerous. For instance, make sure that you don’t kick the power cable by accident because if you do, this could result in a reboot.
Also, check the power supply. Some computer cases are very sensitive to when the electric current is unstable and this could cause a reboot, too. RAM failure and driver issues are some other common reasons for frequent reboots.
Finally, it is quite possible that your Windows is messed up. Registry problems, viruses and other malware are also possible causes for reboots. Clean your registry and remove the malware from your computer and let’s hope that this will solve the reboot problem.
I had problems with my Windows and a friend told me to reinstall it. I reinstalled it but now things are even worse. Even applications, which didn’t crash before the reinstall, crash now or are unable to start at all. What can I do?
Chances are that your friend was right – when things are messed up beyond repair, reinstall is the best solution. However, it depends on what kind of reinstall you make. For instance, did you perform a clean install - i.e. did you format the drive on which you reinstalled windows or did you install it over the existing installation?
If you have reinstalled Windows on top of an existing installation, this is not the way to do things and it is quite natural that everything is a mess. Reinstalling on top of an existing installation replaces many files, some of which are shared files and this way even if your Windows files are new, what you have done to the files of other applications is enough to make them stop working.
While there are people, who will recommend to install Windows over an existing installation, this is not the way to do things. Rather, format the system partition where your Windows resides, install a clean copy and then install all the applications. Yes, it is a lot of work but this is how things are done.
My CPU burnt! What shall I do?
Ouch! A burnt CPU is very, very bad! If your CPU is really burnt (and only a qualified technician can say if this is so or not), you will have to replace it. Prices of hardware components are always going down but still a new CPU is a major expense.
You won’t be able to deal with this on your own, you do need qualified help. Even if you decide to browse the Net and find a CPU you like, this will hardly do because it is not very likely that you will choose the right CPU. And when it comes to mounting CPUs, even IT pros are reluctant to take the risk. You really need to handle the issue to a qualified PC technician.
What is more, very often when you replace a CPU, you need to replace the motherboard as well. When you replace the motherboard, usually this means that your current RAM is not compatible, so you need to replace the RAM as well. All this means more expenses for you but you need to be prepared in advance.
My Windows crashes all the time!
Windows is a relatively stable operating system but this doesn’t mean it won’t crash ten times a day. For instance, if you are using a recently released version of Windows that is still not that stable, then crashes are to be expected. When XP and Vista were released, they were so unstable that nobody wanted to use them. However, as service packs were released, XP and Vista became more stable and they stopped crashing all the time. So, if you are using a recently released version of Windows, just downgrade to the previous one and wait till the version becomes more stable.
But there are times when even a very old and stable Windows installation crashes. The reasons are numerous – registry problems, malware, faulty drivers, incompatible applications., etc. If you suspect that you are having any of these, take the necessary measures to locate the problem and fix it.
I have a very powerful computer but I noticed that recently it started to get slower and slower. What can I do?
The first thing you must do is find the reason for the downgraded performance. You can’t fix something when you don’t know if it is broken or not. There are many possible reasons why a computer will get slower. Some of the most common ones are registry problems, malware, heavy applications. Any of these reasons can cause a really significant downgrade in performance.
If you want to learn if you have registry problems, run a registry scan. There are many great registry cleaners, so just get one. Similarly, if you suspect that your computer is infected by malware, get anti-virus and anti-spyware/adware programs and scan your computer for pests.