Basic Computer Troubleshooting
Basic Computer Troubleshooting
TROUBLESHOOTING
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By: Renato S. Sencida
FIRST THINGS FIRST:
- ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE BASIC PARTS
OF COMPUTER
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DIAGNOSE AND TROUBLESHOOT
COMPUTER SYSTEM
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PROBLEM: AN APPLICATION IS
FROZEN
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PROBLEM: AN APPLICATION IS
FROZEN
Solution 1: Force quit the application. On a PC,
you can press (and hold) Ctrl+Alt+Delete (the
Control, Alt, and Delete keys) on your keyboard to
open the Task Manager. On a Mac, press and
hold Command+Option+Esc. You can then select
the unresponsive application and click End
task (or Force Quit on a Mac) to close it.
Solution 2: Restart the computer. If you are unable
to force quit an application, restarting your
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computer will close all open apps.
PROBLEM: ALL PROGRAMS ON THE
COMPUTER RUN SLOWLY
Solution 1: Run a virus scanner. You may
have malware running in the background that is
slowing things down.
Solution 2: Your computer may be running out of hard
drive space. Try deleting any files or programs you
don't need.
Solution3: If you're using a PC, you can run Disk
Defragmenter. To learn more about Disk
Defragmenter, check out our lesson on Protecting you11
Computer
PROBLEM: THE COMPUTER IS FROZEN
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PROBLEM: ALL PROGRAMS ON THE
COMPUTER RUN SLOWLY
Solution 1 (Windows only): Restart Windows
Explorer. To do this, press and
hold Ctrl+Alt+Delete on your keyboard to open
the Task Manager. Next, locate and
select Windows Explorer from the Processes tab
and click Restart. You may need to click More
Details at the bottom of the window to see the
Processes tab.
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PROBLEM: ALL PROGRAMS ON THE
COMPUTER RUN SLOWLY
Solution3: Press and hold the Power button. The Power
button is usually located on the front or side of the
computer, typically indicated by the power symbol. Press
and hold the Power button for 5 to 10 seconds to force
the computer to shut down.
Solution4: If the computer still won't shut down, you
can unplug the power cable from the electrical outlet. If
you're using a laptop, you may be able to remove the
battery to force the computer to turn off. Note: This
solution should be your last resort after trying the other
suggestions above.
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PROBLEM: THE MOUSE OR KEYBOARD
HAS STOPPED WORKING
Solution
1: If you're using a wired mouse or
keyboard, make sure it's correctly plugged into the
computer.
Solution 2: If you're using a wireless mouse or
keyboard, make sure it's turned on and that its
batteries are charged.
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PROBLEM: THE SOUND ISN'T WORKING
Solution 1: Check the volume level. Click the audio
button in the top-right or bottom-right corner of
the screen to make sure the sound is turned on
and that the volume is up.
Solution2: Check the audio player controls. Many
audio and video players will have their own
separate audio controls. Make sure the sound is
turned on and that the volume is turned up in the
player.
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PROBLEM: THE SOUND ISN'T WORKING
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