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Click here! to skip the following informative preamble and go to the links to the pages of computer problems and solutions dealt with on this website, provided below, otherwise read on...
There is such a wide variety of hardware and software problems that can beset a desktop, laptop, netbook or tablet computer that the best way of organising them and their solutions is to arrange them by category. In that way, you can get an idea of which category of problem your computer has been afflicted by and then have a look at the available solutions. Therefore, the effective troubleshooting of any kind of problem involves having to narrow down what the likely cause is and then explore the available solutions.
For example, if with good grounds you suspect that the computer's operating system is responsible for the particular problem affecting your Windows computer, you can have a look at the category of problem dealt with for the particular version of Windows that your computer runs. Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 are the versions currently in use and being supported by Microsoft, each of which have their own problems-and-solutions section on this website.
This page provides descriptive links, below, to all of the problem-and-solutions sections on this website.
There are two broad categories of computer-related problem - software problems, which include the operating system, the applications, utilities and the networking and system-monitoring software, etc. - and hardware problems cause by the computer's components (hard disk drive, CD/DVD drive, motherboard, memory, power supply unit, etc.) or peripheral devices, such as a external hard drive, printer or network router, etc.
The best way to determine if a Windows PC problem is software- or hardware-related is to run a program, such as the Disk Defragmenter, in Safe Mode, which is accessed in all versions of Windows by pressing the F8 key just before Windows starts to load, or from a Linux boot disc provided from the Knoppix and Ubuntu Linux websites that runs the computer from the disc. You download the disc as an ISO file and burn it to a recordable CD or DVD disc by making use of the burn-as-an-image feature provided by disc-burning software. Windows 7 provides disc-burning software, but there are many excellent free third-party tools, such as CDBurnerXP Pro from cdburnerxp.se. Note that you should always read the information that is provided during the installation process of free software in order to avoid installing unwanted software, toolbars, etc. This program has the option to install a toolbar that you have to opt into, but with others you have to opt out or the third-party software is installed.
If the computer can be run in Safe Mode, which uses the most basic device-driver and Windows software or from a Linux boot disc, the problem is almost certainly software-related. If the computer fails to work using that method, the problem is almost certainly hardware-related.
When you sure sure that the problem is hardware- or software-related, you can then take an educated guess at which section of this website is most likely to provide a problem that covers the available diagnostic symptoms you have observed and have a look at the listed problems.
Alternatively, you may know for sure what is causing the problem, say a network router, in which case, you will just have to visit the Networking and Internet Problems section of this website linked to below.
The hardware and software problems dealt with on this website are in the order of their popularity in October 2011. When applicable, the order will change to match the popularity recorded by this site's web logs in the previous month.
Click a relevant link below to visit the information it describes
1. - Hard disk drive problems: How to fix computer hard disk drive (HDD) problems
2. - CD/DVD drive problems: How to fix problems with CD and DVD drives and discs
3. - Network problems: How to fix common wired and wireless networking and internet problems
4. - Video/graphics card problems: How fix common computer video and graphics problems
6. - RAM memory problems: How to fix problems with the Random Access Memory
7. - Laptop/notebook problems: How to address or fix the most common laptop/netbook problems
8. - Software problems: How to fix problems with Windows, programs, and utilities
Also visit the Software section on this site for more information on specific software-related information.
9. - Recovering and repairing Windows Vista when a computer crashes or fails to boot
10. - Windows XP: How to troubleshoot and fix shutdown, restart (reboot), and startup problems
11. - Recovering and repairing Windows XP when a computer crashes or fails to boot
12. - Windows Vista problems: How to fix common problems with Windows Vista
13. - Processor problems: How fix common processor (CPU) problems
14. - Recover, restore and repair Windows 7 (Win7) when a computer crashes or fails to boot
15. - Windows 7 problems: How to diagnose and fix problems with Windows 7
16. - USB and FireWire problems: - How to fix common USB and FireWire problems
17. - Typical DLL (Dynamic Link Library) device driver problems
