Computer support

COMPUTER MAKE STRANGE NOISE If your computer suddenly starts to buzz or vibrate, it can be due to a hardware failure. High, whining noises may indicate problems with the electrical components, while buzzing noises are often caused by lack of ventilation. Tip: Clean the filter and fan for dust and make sure that all air inlets are free. If you have a laptop, you can try to uninstall and reinstall your sound drivers. If it is a desktop, it may be that the sound card needs replacement.

CANNOT  GET ONLINE         Internet connection problems can be caused by many different things. The most common are network misconfigurations, hardware or software errors in the router, latency from your Internet Service Provider, incorrect IP address configuration, incorrect connection of network cables, firewall applications that block http traffic from your PC or temporary timeouts your ISP. Tips: Check that the Wi-Fi is enabled on your computer - laptops often have a button, switch or Function key combination somewhere on your computer or keyboard. Check that the network icon on your computer is connected or if there is a yellow warning signal or it is disabled. If it is connected, call your network provider or get hold on someone with more knowledge on IT. If Wi-Fi is disabled, you must check whether the cable is connected properly or if wifi is not on. If there is a yellow warning, you must reboot the router. If this does not work, try pressing Start in Windows XP, Vista

Not Enough Memory – Check your Memory and Improve Your PC Performance It’s important to have enough memory on your computer to keep your programs running smoothly. If you have large programs such as PhotoShop, or if you play a lot of games on your computer, it is recommended that you have at least 512MB on your PC. At this point, 1024MB (or 1GB) seems to be the sweet spot and adding more RAM doesn’t appear to be cost effective for most users. The amount of RAM your PC has can be checked by right-clicking My Computer and choosing Properties . If you need to upgrade your RAM, be sure to check your local retail ads for sales. You can usually get a RAM upgrade to improve PC performance at a great price.

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.

CANNOT OPEN EMAIL ATTACHMENT If you have ever encountered an attachment that you couldn’t open, it was probably because you didn’t have the software necessary to view the file. If you don’t have Adobe Reader or another PDF-compatible program, you won’t be able to open that TPS report. The usual suspect is the .pdf file, for which you can download a free PDF reader. If your problem involves a different file format, a quick search on the attachment’s file extension (the three letters after the period in the filename) should tell you what type of program you need. If the attachment lacks a file extension (which might happen if it was renamed), adding it back should set things right.

 Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting Spotty wireless connections can be a puzzler. Is it your computer? Your router? Your ISP? Try a few things before calling your Internet service provider. Windows Network Diagnostics may not always solve your problem, but it will usually point you in the right direction. Confirm that your computer is within range of your wireless router. Weak signals mean weak connections. Next, make sure your PC’s wireless card has the latest drivers. Try letting Windows troubleshoot for you by right-clicking the Wi-Fi icon in the taskbar and selecting  Troubleshoot problems .

PRINTER DO NOT PRINT Let’s assume that your printer’s drivers are up-to-date, and that it has enough paper and ink or toner to print. Try turning the printer off and on. Unplug the printer and plug it back in. Check your printer’s print queue by looking for the printer icon in the system tray and double-clicking it. The print queue shows you the status of each job as well as the general status of your printer. The print queue is your best bet for troubleshooting printer problems—just make sure that ‘Use Printer Offline’ isn’t selected. Ensure that ‘Use Printer Offline’ isn’t checked. Sometimes, printing while your printer is turned off can cause Windows to set your printer to work offline, and that can stall jobs sent later.

COMPUTER TOO SLOW The first step to fixing a slow computer is to verify that your machine is the actual source of the problem. Videos that seem to buffer forever, and websites that take ages to load, may not be your computer’s fault. Geek Squad agent Derek Meister claims that many people mistakenly identify a slow system as the problem when “it’s actually not the computer, [but] their broadband connection.” See “Downloads are taking forever” below for instructions on how to use Speedtest.net to diagnose a slow connection. If the problem is your PC, check whether you have plenty of free space on the hard drive holding your operating system. Windows needs room to create files while your system is running. If your hard drive is maxed out, performance suffers. Now is the perfect time to clear some space. If your computer’s operating system resides on an overstuffed C: drive, clearing out some space could boost OS performance. Microsoft’s System Configuration tool is your n

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 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.