Welcome to the February 2008 Edition of the CLH Computers & Design Ezine.
This month we will talk about troubleshooting. This can be a very broad subject. It can range from a printer not printing to a PC refusing to turn on.
While most simple problems can be remedied with a reboot, some are a little more taxing.
A good place to start is by figuring out the current problem at hand is trying to narrow down where the problem lies. Right clicking on “My Computer” (Windows XP) then clicking properties and clicking the device manager tab. Doing this will bring up the device manager. For Windows Vista users right clicking on “Computer” and clicking properties. When the new window opens up click the device manager from the list at the left.
The device manager is a tool that shows devices and hardware installed on your PC. If you see a yellow exclamation point anywhere on the list of hardware or devices, this is an indication of a problem. Double clicking the device in question will usually bring up a brief description of the problem at hand.
Every once and awhile Windows will stop seeing a device that you have recently used. A USB printer or anything of the USB sort. What I’ve found that works is unplugging the USB plug and restarting the computer with the USB device unplugged. Then reinserting the plug when Windows is done loading. You can also trying unplugging the USB plug and reinserting without rebooting Windows. Trying a different port also works too.
There is a book that I currently own called “Computer Repair with Diagnostic Flowcharts: Troubleshooting PC Hardware Problems from Boot Failure to Poor Performance”. That is available from Amazon.com. For the direct link to the book click here. The book goes over computer problems in a flowchart manner. With yes or no questions.
Spyware and Viruses can also cause your devices to not work correctly. I had a PC lose its internet connection because of a virus. Don’t try to remove the spyware or viruses manually unless you are familiar with what to do with it. Some viruses attach themselves to system files.
New Things at CLH Computers & Design
We are currently switching web hosting services. This will give CLH Computers & Design a newer look and the ability to serve you better. The complete switch over should be done by the first week of February.
We also have switched to a new forum, which can be viewed here. The full URL is http://clhcomputers.forum2u.org/.
Most of our page designs have changed as well. On a final note don’t forget to visit us on myspace. www.myspace.com/clhcomputers.
Thanks for reading this months edition of our ezine.
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