EASY FIXES TO COMMON COMPUTER ISSUES

Avoid Frustration and Costly Repairs with Tips from Everest Institute

In today’s digital age, computer troubleshooting is a fact of life – and unfortunately, problems seem to strike at the worst possible time. Whether it’s the “blue screen of death” or a painfully slow Internet connection, computer issues can be costly and time-consuming for both home users and small businesses. 

“Often, users get so frustrated that they needlessly go out and buy a new computer or pay for computer repair,” said Thomas Baffy, Information Technology Chair at Everest Institute-Dearborn. “With a cool head and a little know-how, however, it's easy to fix the most common problems.”

Baffy offers the following tips to handle the most common IT inconveniences.

Slow Computer. Computers are like new homes or apartments; if you don’t make good use of your space and resources, they can get filled with clutter as time goes by, Baffy says. Programs or software applications have the greatest effect on slowing your computer’s performance, especially those applications that start automatically. These are usually found at the lower right corner of your computer screen to the left of your system clock. Turn off, or consider completely removing, any applications that you do not use. 

Likewise, new computers often come with extraneous software. If your computer is fairly new and it's slow, consider removing the pre-installed programs you do not use. If you’re unsure, consider running a cleanup program, which will offer suggestions on programs to remove.

Slow Connection. “We’ve all been there – one day you have Internet access, the next day, you don’t,” says Baffy. “Luckily, this is one of the easiest problems to fix.”

Baffy recommends checking all your power connections to make sure the cords to the modem and router are not loose. Once you’ve verified that everything is connected, reset the connection by unplugging from the power source, and turning off your computer. After three minutes, plug the modem and router back in, and wait for all the lights to come on before turning on your computer again and trying to connect. In most cases, power cycling will resolve 90 percent of connectivity issues, Baffy says.

Computer Virus or Malicious Spyware. Any time you browse the Internet, download an email attachment, or simply plug in a flash drive previously in a different computer, there’s potential for computer viruses or spyware to infect your computer. To prevent such issues in the first place, make sure you have an up-to-date anti-virus installed. If you suspect you’ve already downloaded a virus, also try running an anti-spyware program or taking the computer to an expert to repair. Be cautious of which websites you go to, and consider the source of any email attachment before opening.

“Above all else, trust your gut,” Baffy says. “If it seems suspicious, it probably is.”