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IN THIS CHAPTER

❯❯ Understanding PC problems

❯❯ Examining software changes

❯❯ Reviewing hardware issues

❯❯ Adjusting PC settings

❯❯ Determining the source

❯❯ Tossing in the towel

It’s sudden, unexpected, and unwelcome. It’s PC trouble, and it sneaks up on the horizon like the dawn. Unlike the sun, however, technology issues hardly warm up your day with welcome sunshine. No, the dread and foreboding that comes with computer woe is a splash of cold water, a pebble in your shoe, and a long-term visit from an unwelcome guest all rolled into one.

You can’t avoid computer woe, but you can prepare for its arrival. You can also become familiar with the core cause of digital distress. The more you know about why things go wrong, the better you can prepare yourself for that eventuality.

The Root of All PC Trouble

Simply enough, the cause of nearly all PC trouble is rooted in one thing: change.

Most computers foul up because something has changed. It could be something you did, such as modify a setting, uncover a software bug, run a malicious program, or experience any of several items that all qualify as “change.” Even time is an agent of change, in that PC hardware gets old, eventually wears out, and fails.

The goal isn’t to avoid change, but rather to be aware of its consequences. The process of troubleshooting becomes easier when you realize that something you just did, intentional or not, might have triggered a problem.

What’s Changed?

No, it’s not your fault that you changed something. Computers are designed to be flexible. Rather than blame yourself when trouble arises, just recall what’s changed. When you do, you make it easier to troubleshoot and find the source of what’s going wrong.

For example, you install a new keyboard and the mouse doesn’t work. Perhaps you unplugged the mouse instead of the old keyboard? You update a graphics driver, but now all your computer games are reset to low resolution. The point is to be aware of what you’ve just done, to see how it relates to the current problem.

To help you discover what’s changed, or what might have caused recent issues, ask yourself, “What did I just do?” Specifically, did you recently or just now

❯❯ Install new software?

❯❯ Add new hardware?

❯❯ Change a setting?

Think hard! That’s because you do a lot with your computer and sometimes you do several things at once. For example, a dialog box may feature multiple settings but only one OK button. All the settings are applied instantly with a mouse-click. Undoing the change requires that you recall which change you just made.

Windows keeps track of all system activities, including those that cause woe. See Book 3, Chapter 8 for information on the Event Viewer, which lets you peruse system logs for signs of trouble.

Installing software

Software covers the gamut, from the PC’s operating system to programs you install. It also includes the software that controls specific pieces of hardware, which are referred to as drivers.

The best way to avoid issues caused by installing new software is to create a restore point. That way, should problems arise, you can uninstall the software and use the restore point to recover the system’s previous configuration.

❯❯ The good news: Windows automatically creates a restore point whenever you install new software.

❯❯ The bad news: Some older programs may not prompt Windows to create a restore point. And, when you modify settings, a restore point isn’t created.

❯❯ Refer to Book 3, Chapter 5 for details on System Restore. That chapter explains how to manually set a restore point and how to use the System Restore utility to recover from software installation boo-boos.

Adding or removing hardware

Major hardware changes most definitely affect a computer system, but keep in mind that when you attach or remove a USB device, you’re also adding and removing hardware. This process may trigger an issue that could occur right away or surface later, but the hardware change is probably the source.

❯❯ Create a restore point before you make hardware changes. Unlike with software installation, you must manually create a restore point before installing new hardware. Refer to Book 3, Chapter 5.

❯❯ The quick fix for bad hardware is to remove it. Sometimes, detaching the bum device fixes the problem, and sometimes not. If software (driver) was installed when you attached the hardware, the software must be uninstalled as well.

❯❯ Ensure that you read the hardware installation directions (or flimsy pamphlet) before you install the device. The directions describe whether you must first install special software. Sometimes, new hardware screws up because you omit that step.

❯❯ If hardware is going to fail, it usually does so within 30 days of installation, which is why most hardware warranties are for 90 days or less. In my experience, hardware that fails generally does so within 72 hours.

❯❯ A power supply (hardware) might fail when overloaded, which goes against the “hardware fails quickly” rule. See Book 2, Chapter 4 for details on the power supply.

❯❯ Unlike software errors, which are consistent, hardware problems can be intermittent. See the later section “Hardware versus Software Problems.”

Changing settings

If you’re like me, you might change settings so often that you forget you do it. The settings could be subtle, from accessing a new Wi-Fi network to changing screen resolution. Any time you change a setting, you alter the computer’s behavior, which could lead to something unusual or unexpected happening.

Most importantly, be on the lookout for User Account Control (UAC) warnings. Any time you change a setting that can affect the entire system, you see such a warning, similar to what’s shown in Figure 1-1.

FIGURE 1-1: A typical UAC warning.

As long as you are making the change, click the Yes button to proceed. If you’re not aware of why the UAC warning would appear, click No. And, if you have a standard-level user account, you must input an administrator password, as shown in the figure.

Some settings that affect the entire system feature the UAC shield icon, shown in the margin. Choosing this type of setting may not prompt a UAC warning, but the shield icon serves as a reminder that the option you’re changing can alter the PC’s behavior.

The point of the UAC is to pay attention! Changing settings can lead to PC trouble. For example, changing the text color to bright green and the text background color to bright green renders text unreadable. The solution is to undo the change.

❯❯ A UAC warning appears whenever you change a system-wide setting. It’s your clue that proceeding might portend problems.

❯❯ The best way to undo settings is to run System Restore, though a restore point may not be handy enough to affect the change. See Book 3, Chapter 5 for details.

❯❯ By the way, green-on-green text is a horrid problem that’s difficult to fix. You can select text to view it; selecting highlights the text and makes it readable. For a long-term solution, reboot into safe mode to undo the text setting. See Book 3, Chapter 4 for details on safe mode.

Hardware versus Software Problems

Because a computer system is a combination of hardware and software, any problems you’re going to have will be related to either hardware or software. Yet determining the specific source is an art form. People who troubleshoot computers for a living follow three general rules to diagnose such errors:

❯❯ If the problem is consistent, it’s probably software.

❯❯ If the problem is inconsistent, it’s probably hardware.

❯❯ If the problem is with the PC’s firmware – good luck!

You’re probably used to such ambiguity when it comes to technology, though these three axioms are worthy to follow.

Dealing with software issues

Software problems are predictable. If the Backup program won’t run as scheduled, that’s a consistent issue and the program itself (or the task scheduler) is to blame. If Word always crashes when you try to print, that’s a software issue, not anything to do with the printer.

❯❯ Software issues with a program – bugs – are fixed by the software developer. You can check the developer’s web page for updates and support information, but you cannot resolve the problem on your own, other than to avoid the feature that doesn’t work.

❯❯ Software controls the hardware. Software drivers need updating from time to time, and even the update could be the problem. See Book 4, Chapter 1 for details.

❯❯ Also refer to Book 2, Chapter 7 for various software solutions.

Solving hardware issues

The most obvious sign that hardware is to blame occurs when the device doesn’t work. In that case, replace it. All hardware on a PC is component-replaceable, so if you need a new power supply, you buy a new one. You can even install it yourself, if you’re handy with a screwdriver and don’t mind risking death by opening the PC case.

For peripherals, you can troubleshoot by swapping out a suspect device with one that works. For example, if the keyboard is acting funky, attach another keyboard and see whether the problem persists. If not, the original keyboard is defective. Replace it.

The only time hardware swapping doesn’t work is with a laptop. Because the laptop’s hardware is integrated, you can’t readily swap out a keyboard or replace a power supply. That’s why I recommend a full warranty on a laptop, just in case the parts go bad.

❯❯ Yes, you can replace any hardware on a PC, though at some point you must consider when to just get a new computer. See the next section.

❯❯ Even the hard drive can be replaced, though always ensure that you have a fresh backup handy and that you’ve created a System Recovery disk.

❯❯ Backup is covered in Book 4, Chapter 3.

❯❯ Creating a System Recovery disk is covered in Book 3, Chapter 1.

WHAT’S THE FIRMWARE?

The term firmware applies to an array of chips on the PC’s motherboard. These chips provide basic technology for the PC. In a way, the firmware is the PC’s personality, giving it features such as graphics, sound, networking, and basic input/output functions.

Because the firmware chips are integrated with the motherboard, you can’t readily replace them. Further, the firmware controls so many aspects of the PC’s basic hardware that a firmware bug would be near impossible to catch.

Some motherboard manufacturers sell diagnostic tools that let you check the firmware’s status. Even then, if the firmware is suspect, you must choose between replacing the entire motherboard or buying a new PC. Neither option is inexpensive.

When to Give Up

You’ve tried your best. You’ve written poems. You’ve showered her with gifts. The local florist beams whenever you walk in the door. Yet she refuses your overtures of affection. At some point, you must give up and realize that Marie Lee will never date you. Time to move on.

Yes, the same philosophy that applies to a teenage boy’s dating strategy also applies to technology troubleshooting.

On the upside, I believe that you’ll find your computer is far more attentive to your affections than your tenth-grade crush. The computer wants to be liked. So, before you toss in the towel, consider some quick fixes, such as restarting the PC or using the System Restore utility.

If your tool chest of quick fixes doesn’t work, turn to the Internet to pose questions and search for solutions. You might not be the only one who’s ever had the same problem.

Computer repair places still exist in the real world. No, they’re not cheap, but often they’ll fix your problem faster and with less frustration than you’d experience working on your own.

And yes, this book offers plenty of suggestions and tips for fixing the most common PC problems, as well as advice on how to deal with just about any computer ailment.

Finally, at some point you must accept that you’ll get a new computer. The typical PC has a lifespan of anywhere from 4 to 6 years, and more if you treat it well. After that time, however, and given the advances in technology, buying a new computer is a worthy investment.

❯❯ Refer to Chapter 2 for additional help on how to fix common PC problems.

❯❯ Also see Book 5, which presents techniques for breathing new life into an older PC.