Microsoft is releasing Windows 8 later this month, on October 26. And to recognize the release of the company’s new operating system, we’ve decided to showcase a list of our favorite ways to fix any Windows PC.
If your computer has been experiencing strange issues lately, then these steps can help you fix your PC for free – all without paying hundreds of dollars to a local tech support company. Without further ado, here are our eight favorite and free ways to fix a Windows computer:
8) Reboot your system
Yes, this tip is the most basic piece of advice any tech support employee could give a Windows user. However, there’s a reason why this tip is so popular – it actually works. By rebooting your system, you give Windows a chance to refresh any changes and install security updates. In many cases, this can fix whatever errors you’re experiencing.
Restarting a PC is especially important for users who don’t turn off their computers at night. They may leave PCs in hibernation mode, for example, or simply turn off the monitor while leaving the computer running. In this case, errors will inevitably build up over time, which is why restarting the computer can have such a phenomenal healing effect on the system.
7) Start Windows in Safe Mode
If you’re experiencing a serious Windows problem, then you might need to boot your computer in Safe Mode to fix that problem. Here are some examples of serious Windows problems:
-A virus that prevents you from accessing the internet or the uninstall menu
-A Blue Screen of Death error that occurs upon booting your PC
-Computer freezes, slows down, or crashes as soon as Windows loads
-Error messages start to appear whenever opening programs in Windows or performing other basic tasks.
If your computer problems involve any of these common threats, then don’t throw your computer out the window just yet! Try starting your PC in Safe Mode by restarting it and then pressing F8 just before the Windows logo pops up. This will cause a menu to appear from which users can choose which version of Windows they want to load. Safe Mode will load only the most essential Windows processes, giving users the freedom to troubleshoot any other problems they may be experiencing with a minimal risk of complications.
Once in Safe Mode, try running a scan with your antivirus program to remove troublesome viruses. Or open the ‘Uninstall a program’ menu to get rid of any recently installed programs that may be causing problems. You can also restore your computer to an earlier point in time using the System Restore feature if necessary.
6) Scan for viruses
Viruses are the world’s leading cause of computer problems. Many people think their PCs are experiencing slowdowns and general errors, but in reality, these errors are caused by viruses that can cause serious damage to a computer. These viruses might even be monitoring you through a webcam!
Removing viruses from a computer is relatively straightforward. Just perform a scan with your favorite antivirus software. Or, use a program that is specifically designed to seek out malware, like PC Cleaner Pro. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and look for any suspicious processes under the Processes tab, then search Google for how to remove that suspicious process (which is most likely a virus) from your computer.
Many users are surprised to discover just how fast and error-free their computer feels after removing one or two troublesome viruses.
5) Disk Cleanup
Disk Cleanup is a powerful way to save space on your hard drive while eliminating errors at the same time. Every Windows computer has an application called Disk Cleanup installed by default, and it’s easy to use that application to fix all sorts of PC errors.
To run Disk Cleanup, head to the ‘My Computer’ menu which lists all of your hard drives. Right click on your main hard drive (which should be called ‘C:’), and then choose Properties. From the main screen of the menu that pops up, you’ll see a button called Disk Cleanup. Click that button to start analyzing how much space you can save. Then, complete the application to actually remove that unnecessary data from your computer.
4) Update drivers and patches
Hardware and software companies release updates to their products on a semi-regular basis. These updates are free and can help solve a myriad of computer problems. When hardware companies upgrade their devices, they generally do so through a ‘driver’ update, which improves the way in which your computer communicates with a certain piece of hardware.
Meanwhile, software updates are called patches and are used to ‘patch up’ any sort of problems that a program has developed since the last update. Patches and driver updates can both be downloaded from a manufacturers’ website.
So, if you’re using a Dell PC, driver updates can be downloaded for free from Dell.com. Or, if you’re using an Nvidia video card, drivers can be found at Nvidia.com. Software patches are found on the website of each software company, and many programs are patched automatically whenever a new update is available.
3) Remove hardware peripherals
Your PC might be experiencing errors due to a recently installed piece of hardware. Something as simple as connecting an iPod via USB can cause some computers to experience errors. Or, replacing a graphics card can cause important video drivers to become unavailable.
In any case, removing hardware peripherals is a great way to troubleshoot your computer. Make sure only the most basic types of hardware – like a mouse, keyboard, and monitor – are connected to your computer, and then start up your PC to see if that fixes your problems.
If a problem disappears, then you know that problem is related to one of the devices you removed. In that case, start reconnecting hardware devices one-by-one to determine which one is causing the problem .If the problems persist, try disconnecting any recently installed hardware from inside your computer case.
2) System Restore
If computer problems have suddenly started to plague your system, then it may be a result of changes that have recently been made. Reversing these changes doesn’t require you to investigate your computer’s deepest layers like Sherlock Holmes. Instead, you can simply reverse every change you’ve made since a certain point by using the built-in System Restore feature.
System Restore can be found under the Start Menu > Accessories > System Tools folder. After opening System Restore, simply choose an earlier point of time and your computer will instantly load any settings and program information from that time. In most cases, the files you’ve created since that point will not be deleted, although it never hurts to back up your computer just in case.
1) Scan your computer with a free trial version of PC Cleaner Pro
The creators of PC Cleaner Pro are so confident about the success of their program that they allow anybody to download it for free. The free trial version gives users the full suite of PC Cleaner Pro features – although to remove problems from the PC you’ll have to pay $39.99 (which is still a pretty small cost when you consider how expensive tech support can be).
With a single click, any Windows user can scan their PC using PC Cleaner Pro. A scan will reveal any areas that need to be fixed and show users exactly how to remove those errors. With just a few clicks of the left-mouse button, any user can be well on their way to a fast, efficient, and error-free PC.
Download PC Cleaner Pro today!
