When errors occur with a PC the majority of owners will attempt the PC repairs for themselves. This article steps through the three logical steps to fixing a PCÂ (i) manual PC repairs, (ii) PC repair software and (iii) calling upon a computer service technician.
Manual PC Repairs
The first stage for any PC repairs is to attempt them for yourself. Software and hardware issues can be researched online for suggested fixes.
- Issues with specific pieces of hardware (modems, keyboards, laptop hard drives, etc.) should be investigated at the makers own website and (if available) their support forums (see also: data recovery after format).
- Software issues relating to the Windows operating system should always start with the Microsoft Knowledge Base (http://support.microsoft.com/).
- Third party software issues should be investigated using the vendors own web site as a starting point.
The reason for starting with the manufacturer website is that their support systems may have already documented the fault you are experiencing and possibly even produced a patch which you can download and install.
Automating Repairs Using Software
If this fails to resolve the issue, or you wish to automate the repairs, then many people turn to using PC repair software. The majority of these applications aim to fix a registry error and/or file system issues.
Look for tools that provide a free scan to analyze the issue as these free reports can provide you with enough information to resolve the issue for yourself. Just be sure to do a PC/laptop backup of your data prior to running these tools
- For registry issues, one of the most popular registry cleaners is Registry Easy which is capable of both cleaning and optimizing your configuration. This has the added benefit of making your computer faster (processing & internet connection speeds) and reduces the chance of computer freezes. Registry Easy can be downloaded to your PC and run every time my computer is slow or when an issue occurs.
More info & free scan.. | Product review of Registry Easy
Using Experts
The last resort for any PC repair will be to resort to calling upon a computer service technician. This will inevitably be the path that needs to be taken for many hardware issues as this often requires specialized tools as opposed to software issues that can be analyzed using PC repair software (for example, you may find your computer freezes randomly when the internal fan is seized up causing the CPU to overheat).
The economical option for home PC repairs is to use local technicians or your computer supplier’s support service who generally fix computers of the same brand (meaning they are more familiar with your computer & its associated problems) and have other services such as data recovery and system upgrades (RAM/disk drives).
Small businesses should secure an onsite PC repairs service with a vendor specialized in their systems (including any printer and network services support).
Related Posts: Our article on how to prevent computer overheating covers additional causes and ways to stop the risk of heat damage to your PC.
