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We’re always hearing about common computer problems, a slow computer, a frozen screen or internet issues. You’ve see the typical “top 10 challenges” or “problems” in every profession. Like other industries, technology is no different. We especially know how frustrating it can be when you’re dealing with technology issues and don’t know how to solve them.
Although you may feel like it should be “easy enough” to solve on your own, your frustration is not uncommon. Many business owners and employees are busy doing their own jobs and there is simply not enough time to learn the tech skills. That’s why there’s an entire profession around it!
We’ve compiled a list of the most common computer problems, in no particular order.
1. My computer is too slow
Having a slow computer is extremely frustrating, we know. There are many reasons why this might be happening. Some of the most common software reasons for this computer problem are your malware, too many startup items and too many temporary files that were created from running specific software programs. In this case, it’s a good idea to use your “Windows Disk Cleanup utility” to clean up any temporary files on your computer. As far as hardware, your computer might not have enough RAM (or random access memory), your hard drive might be starting to fail or you might just be working an old CPU.
2. I have slow internet
Slow internet is the worst. Especially when we rely on it almost 24 hours a day. You might have an app running in the background that is taking up the bandwidth of your internet, or worst case scenario, it could be a hardware issue if it’s happening in more than one app, in which case you need to troubleshoot your hardware. Some other reasons for slow internet could be that you simply need to upgrade your package (you might be paying for slow internet), boost your wifi signal, or turn off plugins or apps.
3. My computer screen is frozen
I’m sure we’ve all had the experience where our computer freezes and then we just hold down the power button to restart the computer. In most cases, this is a band-aid on the larger issue… and sometimes your computer won’t turn back on or will give you the “blue screen of death.” In most cases, your computer froze because you have too many apps or software programs open. Try waiting or leave the room for a few minutes to let your computer finish the task it’s trying to complete.
“Maybe if I start clicking everywhere it will start working again.”
4. I downloaded a file and it’s taking forever to download
Downloading too many files at once is most likely the culprit of this issue. However, if your computer network state is slow, your downloads will take longer. Do you have multiple apps and computer programs open? If so, close them and try downloading the files again.
5. I was on my computer and got the “blue screen of death”
So you are about to finish an important task on your computer and the worst happens… your computer crashes. Maybe you’ve been having computer problems for a while but ignored it, knowing that you should probably fix the issue before it gets worse. Usually, the blue screen is a hardware or driver related computer problem. When the screen pops up, you will get a STOP code, which can help you figure out what the issue is and help lead you to solve the problem. However, some issues are minor and others might be a little more complicated.
6. I think I have a computer virus – how do I do a virus removal?
A computer virus actually refers to malware, adware and spyware programs, which are small applications that take over your computer capabilities. They can live in ads, images, videos, or other types of downloads that come to your computer and corrupt it. Some symptoms that you will notice are dialog pop-ups or icons that show up on your desktop or in your computer. You may even get an error that applications are missing.
7. My computer is overheating
There are a few reasons why your computer will overheat. Specific components of your computer will generate more heat than others, and while your computer has a cooling system built in that is supposed to fix the issue – it isn’t doing its job. When you’re using a complex program, pay attention to when it starts to overheat and don’t ignore the issue. Here are some common solutions to an overheating computer:
- Clean out the fan.
- Cleaning out your computer case – which may be blocking the fan from releasing the heat.
- Don’t put blanks or soft material underneath your computer.
- Check if your fans are running.
8. Failure to load software upgrades
If you can’t load your software upgrades, your software program may have a bug. Sometimes when developers create the programs, there are programming mistakes that cause viruses or glitches. Normally, the software developer will send out a fix which will require you to download and reboot the program. If you fail to upgrade the software, then it could lead to loss or corruption of data.
9. My machine keeps restarting
How frustrating is this!? Generally, if your computer keeps restarting, you probably have an update problem, adware or other malware issues in your software. On the other hand, it could be a hardware issue, which means it could be your graphics card, motherboard or network driver. Because this could be caused by many things, ask your IT tech to help you diagnose the issue. Make sure you are constantly saving your work and even make a note of what you were working on and what applications you were running when the shutdown happened.
10. My printer won’t print
You’re about to print important documents that you need and your computer won’t print. I’m sure we’ve all been victim to this at some point in our lives, and it is extremely frustrating. You might feel like there’s nowhere to turn to, the manuals are hard to understand, the websites are hard to understand, the network diagnostics are not helpful nor are they user-friendly. You might feel like there’s no one to call to fix the issue. So what do you do? Well, you’re not alone if you’ve wanted to throw your printer against the wall (or off the roof). Here are some common reasons why your computer won’t print:
- You have a bad wifi connection – try updating your wifi speed or reset your modem.
- The printer ran out of toner, ink or paper.
- Paused queues cause the printer to stop until you cancel them.
- The driver that was installed is not correct, is outdated or you’ve updated your computer.
Overall, we know computer problems are an absolute pain.
Hopefully, your computer problem is a software issue, in which case, it’s usually a quick and less painless fix. If you are dealing with a hardware issue, this computer problem is often more costly, frustrating, and complex. At Netsafe, we help businesses solve common computer problems with our IT services, spanning from remote helpdesk and onsite services. Let us know if you have any questions or need any help.
