Getting to the bottom of a computer problem is something that we all have to battle through at some point in our computing life. This article looks at a common approach for researching and fixing computer issues.
There is broadly two ways of researching computer faults – when error codes are present (pop up codes, blue screen of death) and when no exception is shown (computer freezes, non-operational hardware).
Seeing an error code is actually a good thing – it is the starting point for searching for the root of the issue. Using the code you can:
Search the Microsoft support site for the error. Operating system, device driver and registry faults are well detailed here thanks to the volume of customer support tickets they receive. If you are in luck, a work-around or fix is already available.
Search the product website for the error. If the error occurs with a specific application or piece of hardware then check their site for known issues, product updates and support tickets.
Search the wider internet for the error (user forums, product reviews, etc). Be careful though to research any suggested fixes as what works for one forum poster, may not work for you and your computer.
In the absence of an error code, then you will need to do a little more investigation and try fixing computer faults through some trial and error:
If hardware/software was recently installed then try temporarily removing them. If the fault stops then investigate product updates or possible compatibility issues. This is not an elegant way of completing PC repairs but its use does confirm/deny of the addition of the product caused the fault in the first place.
Run an anti-virus scan.
Use the Windows Update service to get the latest system and device driver files.
If you suspect the registry may be corrupted then it is best practice to not manually modify the file. Most registry cleaner applications have a free scan (e.g. Registry Easy, Reimage) which can report back any issues – using this information you can then solve the problem for yourself by troubleshooting software updates/fixes/known issues.