Computer Quick Fixes

by Rick Albee

I received a call some time ago from a colleague having trouble with her printer. She had done nothing to either the printer or the computers...other than move them. After working through several fixes, none of which solved the problem, it was discovered that a pin in the printer cable was bent over and not making contact. Voila!

Unfortunately we sometimes neglect the simplest and most obvious fixes to a problem. This led me to recall a number of computer quick fixes that very often solve whatever ails your computer. They are listed in no particular order, except for the first one, which should be the numero-uno check on everyone's list:

Check the physical.

If it has anything to do with a physical connection check it first. As with the printer cable pin, the physical connections are the most common source of aggravation. Remember the famous story about the person who called tech-support because their computer screen had gone blank? After an hour of frustration, the person finally mentioned that all the office lights were off, too, because of a power failure. Rumor has it that the tech was fired for his suggestion of what the user should do with the computer. Check the most obvious, simple things first. For example, when starting up a new laptop, it would not connect to the internet over my wireless network. I was able to solve the problem once I read the manual and discovered that the wireless connection had an on-off switch...DUH! Another friend of mine complained that he could get no sound out of his new high-end sound card, which was remedied once he located the volume control.

Pop the top.

Associated with checking the physical is to include internal parts; things work loose. E.g., If your Internet connection suddenly stops, check the NIC (network interface card). When my external DVD burner stopped working I found the cause on the inside--the cable had worked loose. This trick also works with other electronics. The external speakers for our TV quit one evening. All I did was unplug the speaker jacks and plug them back in, and everything worked fine! Some may say this doesn't happen, but it does. Cards come loose, cables loosen, and goblins take over.

Use the ON-OFF switch.

It's your gateway to Windows repair. The Windows OS is very stable because it performs self-maintenance every time it shuts down by deleting many files in the process. When you re-boot, Windows rebuilds those same files, essentially giving you a restored OS each time you turn it on. If your computer is hanging up or just acting funny, try a hard re-boot, or Shutdown. Leave the computer off for about 20 seconds--long enough for the HDD to fully stop spinning. A hard re-boot is a full shut down, as opposed to a soft re-boot that occurs when you use the Restart option. As with other fixes, this works well on other peripherals, too, such as printers, scanners, and synced devices.

Use the ON-OFF switch, again, and then again.

This is especially useful if your computer is just hanging up, as if it wants to behave but just needs another push on the boot process. About three times is max for this fix. If it doesn't fix it after three shutdowns, it probably isn't going to fix the problem.

Restore.

The last change you made is probably the cause of your current problem. If you can remember what you did last, and can undo it, you can probably accomplish a quick fix. W2k (Windows 2000) is a great OS, but WinXP is like 2000 on steroids! If you have not upgraded, I strongly recommend that you do so. It is worth it for one quick fix alone: System Restore. This function restores your system files to an earlier setting without altering the work that you have saved (e.g., documents, e-mail, pictures, etc.). It is fast, user friendly, and has saved my bacon on several occasions. I always, always, create a restore point before installing new software, using the computer in the field, or anything that may effect the system settings. To use this function, go to Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore. Note that you may not need to use the Restore feature to undo the previous action, so do a little triage first.

Delete, delete, delete.

A friend's computer was continually freezing. Among other things, 30,000+ TEMP files were in residence, plus about a zillion Temporary Internet Files and Cookies. These three files are designed to make the computer run faster by making frequently used data quickly accessible; however, if overloaded, the opposite results. You can safely delete all the files in each of these directories. Do not delete the directory (folder), only the files within each directory. Always make sure your data is backed up before making changes.

Uninstall.

The same friend continually has miscellaneous problems, which I believe are caused by a plethora of Computer Related Applications Present (CRAP) on the computer. If your computer is a toy, feel free to install all the cutesy programs, games, fonts, screen savers, special pointers, sound effects, and other extraneous CRAP that you want. But if you rely on your computer for business, maintain the KISS standard. Computers run well because of two reasons: Resources and Compatibility. Your computer must have the available resources to process the applications, and those applications have to be compatible. There are hundreds of nifty little applications out there, but if they clog the computer, delete resources and crash other programs, then they do you a disservice.

No multi-fix-tasking.

Do one quick fix at a time. Record your steps. Never perform multiple fixes at the same time, which causes two problems. You won't be able to remember what you did or diagnose what worked or did not work. And your attempts will make it much more difficult for a professional to render assistance.

Get help.

Perhaps this should have been at the top of the list, but experience has proven that most people do this last anyway. Depending on your urgency and the extent of the problem, this may also be the fastest quick fix...even if it takes several days. There really are computer repair professionals out there that do this for a living, and their expertise is well worth the cost. Word of caution: there are also computer repair hacks out there who would love to practice on your computer; you may want to get a referral.

An axiom I learned years ago, and one which has become my nemesis, is: "Windows does what it wants." Not only is this true for the Windows OS (operating system), which I personally love because it is simply the best product out there (IMHO), but it applies to all OSs, programs, and computers as a whole. For example, last week I did a two-day job in a medical facility involving eighteen computers. All computers were of the same make, model, and recent vintage, all running WinXP, all had the identical hardware, and similar software configurations. The job involved a fairly uncomplicated process to be accomplished on each computer. Yet nearly all of the computers behaved differently, processed data significantly differently, and overall appeared to be dissimilar in nearly every respect. Because one quick fix works once is no indication that it will always work.

Good luck.

As always, my standard disclaimer applies: This is a training bulletin; it is, generally speaking, accurate. Playing with computers is like life--there are a lot of exceptions and qualifications. I'm not responsible if you get into your computer and muck around without the proper training, experience, and/or without knowing what you're doing.