Become a home-improvement master


Home Computer Repair - Do It Yourself?

Home computer repair is not brain surgery!etc. are causes for alarm. Don't wait until
Most computer repairs can be broken down intothe computer literally dies, if any of these
two specific areas, software and hardware.events start occurring, go to the proactive
Now I do admit that in some people's hand, amode and replace the power supply, hard
screwdriver can be a dangerous object. But ifdrive, or ram. Which one? That's a challenge,
you can change a light bulb without shockingI've found that some diagnostic programs can
yourself, I'd bet you could swap out abe helpful, but a lot of the time it's
computer part. Software gets a littleexperience.
trickier but is still within the grasp of
most  computer  users.Basic rules of thumb; Freezing, rebooting can
be both flaky power supply and RAM going bad.
I've been involved in computer repair in onePower supplies slowly loose ability to supply
way or another for over 25 years. The threeenough wattage, so if you run fine for the
major repairs I get called for on a weeklyfirst 30 minutes that's another tip it could
basis  are:be the power supply. RAM just gets flaky due
to constant heating and cooling. It will
Spyware/Malware  Issuesusually start dying slowly too. Both are
cheap to replace but the power supply has
Hardware failure (power supplies, hardanywhere from 8 to 10 plugs you get to keep
drives,  and  ram  usually)an eye on when changing out. Any power supply
above 250 watt will be fine for most
Computer boot problems (lost password,computers, 300 watt is better. Match the
toasted  OS,  hardware  failure)power supply or RAM exactly or look up the
motherboard requirements if you want to jump
All of these can be quite a challengeup  in  speed  or  wattage.
depending on the value and risk of losing
important data, which can be anything fromOn hard drives, boot failure with the message
tax records to photos. Any computer can be"no operating system" or similar is almost
repaired; it just depends on time and budget.always a controller or hard drive (some hard
But not all data can be rescued. If a harddrives have controllers on them that go south
drive suffers a catastrophic hardwaretoo). When you go to save or copy files and
failure, data recovery is doubtful (unlessget an error can also indicate a hard drive
you want spend 100's if not 1000's of dollarsissue. Noises of any kind coming from your
for  special  services).computer can only be the power supply fan or
hard drive. Sometimes you can low level
So the best scenario in any home computerformat a drive and bring it back but with the
repair solution is have a good backup of yourcost being so low on new hard drives, why
important data before you start any repair. Itake  a  chance.
never work on anything for over an hour
without immediately backing it up on anotherBoot Up Problems - Number one offender is
media (USB thumb drives are only about $30Windows of any flavor. All versions use a
for up to 5 gigs of storage and CD or DVD"registry" to manage all software, user, and
prices are under a buck). I learned the hardhardware settings. This is just a fancy
way very early in my computer usingdatabase of settings but can easily destroy
experience. It's much easier to deal with anyitself. Open files don't close properly when
home computer repair if you don't have tothere's a software problem and there goes the
worry about important data. *Please, backupdatabase integrity. When you go to reboot,
your data right after you finish this articlethe registry is not readable or flat gone. In
and  start  doing  it  on  regular  basis.Windows XP, there are several files involved
in the "hive" (5 to be exact). Any one of
When you have a secure backup, the homethese can toast itself, but I always replace
computer repair is a matter of a littleall five since they are so interdependent on
investigative work (to determine the realsettings.
issue - sometimes Windows will point you in
the wrong direction) and coming up with aThe easiest fix, if you can access the
good solution. Let's look at the best way toRecovery Console, is to find a usable set of
prevent each of the three most commonback up files and copy them to the current
computer repairs and if you already have thearea of access. This sounds pretty simple but
problem,  some  possible  solutions.the directory structure is fairly long and
you have to unhide the backup locations. If
Spyware/Malware - Two good preventiveyou go to Microsoft's knowledge base here you
measures to eliminate Spyware and Malware iscan read all about the Recovery Console and
to keep your OS (normally Windows) up to datehow  to  replace  registry  files: .
on security patches from your friends at
Microsoft. This is pretty easy to do if youYou can run the Recovery Console from Windows
turn on Automatic Updating in your SecurityXP if it is installed or from your install CD
Center (go to Control Panel, click onif not. But what if you don't have an install
Security Center, then check that AutomaticCD (many computers manufacturers don't
Updates is turned on). The other is to makeprovide one anymore)? You can always use a
sure you have a good Anti-Virus softwarebootable CD with an NTFS write enabled OS
installed and it gets updated automatically.(like Linux) and do the same copying of files
These two programs give you about a 93%recommended in the Recover Console
solution.information. If that sounds too scary, you
can always borrow some friends Windows XP
Another 5% can be addressed with Anti-Spywareinstall CD of the same flavor (Home or Pro)
software such as Windows Defender (free fromto use Recovery Console. OK, no friends have
Microsoft, just do a search for it on youran install CD and no access or desire to
choice of Search Engine) or Spybot, a freeLinux  CD,  now  what?
program from that does a good job too.
Where's the last 2%, well there is no 100%Well, plan B is to take your hard drive out
solution I'm sorry to say. Although commonof the computer, change the little connector
sense on where you surf, what email you open,on the back of the hard drive to slave (most
and where you click can generally keep youhard drives have instructions right on the
safe.case to show how), and connect it to a
working Windows XP computer. Now you have
What if you are already infected? Well, thereaccess to the drive with an NTFS write
are manual ways of removing Spyware/Malwareenabled OS. Go back to the instructions on
programs but they aren't pretty and involve aRecovery  Console  fix  and  get  after  it.
whole lot of searching around and rebooting
in safe mode. If you search on the offenderIf the hard drive won't even light up or
(normally most have a common problem) you canspin, well then you get to install a new one.
find a manual solution. If you would ratherMost of the new units have a CD that will
skip all that hassle, the most effectivehandle all the details of adding the new hard
commercial program I've seen is SpySweeper.drive. Then you get to use your Recovery CDs
Last time I looked it was only $30 per yearfrom the manufacturer to install the all the
and could save you a lot of time and pain.original software on the new hard drive.
You  can  find  it  here:Don't have the restore disks? Check with the
computer manufacturer and they'll sell you a
Hardware Failure - OK, not a lot ofset for under $20 usually. Make sure you give
prevention available for this home computerthe exact model number to get the right
repair. Keep in mind that most modernsoftware for your unit. Whenever I buy a new
computer components have a 3-5 year meancomputer, if I don't get a set of recovery
failure rate. Depending on how much you useCDs, I order them right then and there. That
or leave your computer on each day, this timeway  I'm  ready  for  what  ever  happens.
period can expand. I have several testing
computers that are very old (plus 7 years)So, now you have the basics on home computer
that  don't  get  used  often.repair for the three most common problems.
It's not that hard for most people, just take
But one point I do want to make is thatit slow and read the instructions. Push comes
almost every customer I call on for ato shove, find a friend who may have a little
hardware failure issues had warning signsmore experience to help. You buy the pizza
before the final crash. Strange noises,and they provide a little experience and
computer freezing up, frequent re-starts,moral support.



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