Fix Computer Problems

A computer is no exception to problems or faults. All the computer problems can be categorized into two types: software problem and hardware problem.

A software problem occurs when a computer program does not do the work it is designed to do. The software is the leading force behind the working of a computer system. And if any problem occurs in the software then it will not work properly. Any software problem can bring the computer to a halt or it can slow its performance.

Mentioned below are some of the most common software problems:

1. Input and output problem
2. Function problem
3. Calculation problems
4. Design problem
5. Communication problem
6. Testing problem
7. Documentation problem

A hardware problem occurs when something wrong occurs with any physical part of a PC, such as motherboard, video display controller, mouse, keyboard, sound card, power supply, storage controllers, removable media devices, internal storage etc.

If you find any problem with your computer speed or performance then you can fix the problem by checking out your PC’s hard drive, or you can also check whether the external hard drive attached to your PC is working properly. Mentioned below are some of steps to check a Windows 7 computer hard drive for the slow performance problem:

1. Click on “Start” button followed by “Computer”.
2. Right-click on the drive which you want to check for problems, and click on “Properties”.
3. Click on “Tools” tab followed by clicking the “Check now” option under “Problem checking”.
4. There will be two options to select from: “Automatically fix file system problems” and “Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors”, you can choose any one option or both the options, if you want to check and repair both the file errors and physical errors.
5. Click on “Start”.

In case of any problem, the computer behaves abnormally. You can fix computer problems yourself but if you’re unable to do so, then you must seek assistance from any experienced computer professional.

Computer problems

Computer problems are deeply associated with developing IT industry. Most generic computer problems are often linked with system performance and corruption of operating system. So let's have a look at some of the etiquettes and troubleshooting method to deal with computer problems. If you have Windows XP operating system, then you might be aware of the Desktop cleanup Wizard. The feature of this tool is to remove unused icons from the desktop on the regular basis, this in turns improves the system performance. User can easily enable this Desktop cleanup Wizard from the below steps.

STEP 1. Right-click over the desktop and select Properties.

STEP 2. From the Display Properties dialog box select the Desktop tab.

STEP 3. Select "Customize Desktop."

STEP 4. In the Desktop Items dialog box clear the Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 days check box.

STEP 5.Click OK to close the dialog boxes

Sometimes your operating system may not be working properly. You may face boot issue issue. To handle this computer problem user have to make an attempt to repair the operating system.

This can be performed with the help of Windows XP Installation CD. Follow the below steps:

STEP 1. Restart the computer with the Windows Installation CD.

STEP 2. Press Enter when you got the message" To setup Windows XP now appears."

STEP 3. Press Enter when you get Welcome screen of Setup.

STEP 4. Press F8 to agree against the Windows XP Licensing Agreement.

STEP 5. Press R to repair Windows XP.

STEP 6. Follow the repair installation instruction.

Unable to get logon on the computer Windows is another serious computer problem. This may happen due to invalid registry entry as a consequence of some virus or spyware attack. User can address this computer problem with the below mention steps.

STEP 1. Restart the computer and Boot into safe mode.

STEP 2. Click Start, Run and enter regedit into the text box. Hit Enter.

STEP 3. Click on the + sign against, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft \Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

STEP 4. Choose the Winlogon folder.

STEP 5. Check the right-hand pane which contains an entry named OldUserinit:

STEP 6. Delete Userinit.

STEP 7. Now rename OldUserinit to Userinit.

STEP 8. Check that the value of Userinit is "C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe," (the comma at the end of the string is important.)

Important: Modify the path if your Windows folder is not C:\Windows.

Remote Computer Repair Services are Rising in Popularity

Remote computer repair is fast rising in popularity and emerging as one of the most preferred choice of customers looking for repairing their desktop PCs, laptops, hardware and peripherals. The technicians offering remote support can fix most of your PC errors as long as you have Internet facility.

As far as service charges are concerned, these resources usually charge according to the service plan you choose. There are some remote computer repair vendors who can send the technicians at your premises. You can search for any remote computer repair shop through a simple search on the Web. They have their websites which give you an idea about these technicians and the services they offer.

A remote support technician can watch everything going on your PC screen while fixing your computer errors. However, there is no thing like security threats in remote computer support. You can control the actions taken on your system if you feel suspicious about the on-going diagnosis. The technicians disconnect the connection program once their repair work is done. Although the entire method is gaining in popularity; it is always preferable that you narrow down on a reputable remote repair company. This way you will able to verify their credentials better and ensure the safety of your data.

You can avail remote computer support for any of your PC problems and errors related to computers. Some common services that are easily available with these resources are antivirus installation, virus & spyware removal, software installation, up gradation, cleaning up of disk, and pc optimization. The success rate is also soaring like anything when it comes to availing computer support services. One of the best advantages with such services is their ability to save money in long run, since the technicians are working from their own location.

You can carry out a quick search on the Internet regarding these services with the help of keywords like remote support, remote computer support, computer support services etc.

Source
http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/remote-computer-repair-services-are-rising-in-popularity-918877.html

iYogi Acquires Clean Machine Inc.

Larry Gordon, Founder of Clean Machine appointed as President Global Channel Sales at iYogi

New York, NY, May 11th, 2009 : iYogi, a global direct to consumer and small business remote technical support provider, today announced it’s acquisition of Clean Machine Inc, a provider of remotely administered PC security and performance management services. Clean Machine will operate as a separate brand under the iYogi services umbrella along with the recently lunched Support Dock (www.supportdock.com) and its comprehensive range of 24/7 technical support services for computers, printers, MP3 players, digital camera, routers, servers and more than 100 software applications. Larry Gordon, Founder of Clean Machine is appointed as the President of Global Channel Sales for iYogi. iYogi will integrate technology and innovation that Clean Machine Inc. has developed for delivering an enhanced service experience by proactively managing the health and security for PC's and Apple Computers. This acquisition also broadens iYogi's access to key markets through Clean Machine's existing partnerships. Larry Gordon's past experience and successful track record will accelerate iYogi's expansion through his focus on global alliances. Commenting on the acquisition of Clean Machine Inc., Uday Challu, CEO & Co-founder of iYogi, said, "This acquisition will help iYogi to enhance our customer experience and extend our market reach to the millions of consumers that are challenged by the increasingly complex technology environment. Clean Machine's proactive maintenance and management of PCs in home and small business environment will be our launch platform for building the next generation of managed services for consumers." "We are delighted to have Larry spearheading partnerships and global alliances for iYogi. His incredible experience in marketing, sales and building global alliances will help forge partnerships with retailers, multiple service operators, software publishers, original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and other such companies that are at the frontlines for managing tech support issues for consumers and small businesses", added Challu. With more than 20 years of experience, Larry Gordon has played a variety of strategic roles in marketing, sales and building alliances. Larry was the Executive Vice President at Capgemini and Kanbay. He was also VP of Global Marketing for Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH), a leader in global IT services and Director of Marketing for New York based Information Builders. "I am excited to join a company that shares a common mission to Clean Machine in creating a global brand for delivering the best technical support to consumers and small businesses. We also share a common approach of utilizing highly skilled talent with leading edge tools, thereby delivering services at incredible price-points, with high margins for our partners", said Larry Gordon, the newly appointed President of Global Channel Sales at iYogi. ABOUT IYOGI Headquartered in Gurgaon, India with offices in New York, USA, iYogi provides personalized computer support for consumers and small businesses in United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. IYogi's 24/7 phone and remote technical assistance, spans across a comprehensive range of technologies we use every day from a wide range of vendors. Utilizing its proprietary technology iMantra , and highly qualified technicians, iYogi delivers amongst the highest benchmarks for resolution and customer satisfaction. iYogi is privately held and funded by SAP Ventures, Canaan Partners, and SVB India Capital Partners. iYogi was recently awarded the Red Herring Global 100 Award, recognizing it as one of the 100 most innovative private companies driving the future of technology. For more information on iYogi and a detailed list of technologies supported, visit: www.iyogi.co.uk. ABOUT CLEAN MACHINE Clean Machine Inc. is a NJ-based and incorporated company that helps consumers and small business owners easily manage and protect their computing environments safely and cost effectively. The company is has a unique, powerful and inexpensive PC concierge service. Specifically, each customer is assigned a highly-trained tech concierge who remotely examines their computer system on a scheduled and very secure basis. The PC concierge will immediately fix software-based problems and prevent new threats to the customer's computing environment including offensive pop-ups, browser redirects and slow performance, and then provides a detailed report. Clean Machine's proprietary Radar(TM) technology (Remote Access Detection Audit and Repair) allows its expert technicians to remotely resolve any problems, eliminating the need for customers to go through the frustrating process of speaking with a tech support expert, and still having to do the work themselves. In other words, the Clean Machine PC concierges do it all. For more information on Clean Machine please visit www.pccleanmachine.com. CONTACT: iYogi Contact Vishal Dhar President Marketing iYogi Inc. Phone: 212 229 0901 Email: vishal@iyogi.net

The Press Release is available at its source: iYogi acquires Clean Machine Inc.

Identifying Unknown hardware Problems and troubleshooting them

Hardware problems are quite difficult to tackle, worse if under Windows. Windows is very nasty when it comes to hardware.

Identifying problem in computer hardware
Always calm down. Try to solve the problem yourself before resolving to formatting or sending to your computer dealer. First, know what's happening and the cause of it. In my case, the installation must have overwrite my old setting and replaced the wrong file. There must be a reason why Windows is acting improperly.

Logging Back On
First, try to log back on. If you can't log into Windows, don't panic. Restart the computer. When the text "Starting Windows 98..." appears, press F8. A menu will appear. Choose "Safe Mode" to continue. Safe mode will take some time to load. When you are in Windows, go to Control Panel, System. Click on the Device Manager tab. Find the faulty hardware driver and delete it. Open autoexec.bat and config.sys (both are hidden files in your root directory) with notepad. If the hardware is a CD-ROM or sound card, it will probably write add some lines. Check whether there are backup file (autoexec.bak, autoexec.b~k e.g.) since most installation will back up the two important files. If there is, simply replace them with the backup files. If there isn't, put "REM " in front of every line that loads the hardware.

Hardware Repair
When you restart, your computer is probably ok, since you have deleted all instances of the hardware drivers. But the hardware isn't functioning. re-install the hardware drivers, restart and you're done! If the problem persists, your probably have a system conflict go to the next page for more.

See Also
computer support in
technical support for small businesses
Self to Do Computer Troubleshooting Tips
Top five steps to stay secure on Internet
Increase your internet speed by 20 percent

Do 10 things for your computer maintenance

When most computer consumers talk about basic computer maintenance tips, they are usually referring to doing things like defragmentation, file and folder cleanup, and software and driver updates - however there is one other crucial piece of the puzzle that most people are missing, and it is the piece that can have the biggest effect on how well your computer performs.

While things like defragging and file/folder cleanup can increase your computer's performance slightly, cleaning out your computer's registry of corrupt and outdated entries can do wonders for it.

Your computer's registry contains information about almost everything on your computer - from software to hardware, to drivers and DLLs and if it is not functioning properly and contains numerous corrupt entries, it will severely affect your computer's ability to process information and perform tasks in a timely manner.

The reason your registry becomes corrupt is simply due to normal usage. When you install a program, uninstall an old one, update drivers, delete folders or files, or perform other updates, all of that information is stored in the registry. Unfortunately, as all of these tasks are performed, not all of the entries within the registry are updated correctly or removed if they are no longer used.

This results in a much larger database of information that your operating system needs to slug through in order to find what it needs to run tasks and programs which essentially means a slower response time.

Below are things which you should do for your computer maintenance

Shut Down Safely
File Maintenance
Keep Bad Stuff Away
Backup your data
Keep The PC Clean
Move & Position The PC
Ergonomics
Your PC Tune-Up

See Also
online computer technical support
Computer Support – MSCONFIG Command
PC Repair Services and Computer Support