Uh oh – it’s happening again. Your hands are typing one command, but your computer doesn’t seem to be listening. Or perhaps your computer has decided that it simply doesn’t want to turn on at all.
If you’ve ever found yourself standing over a computer threatening to bash it to pieces as payback for its sudden noncompliance, then you’re not alone. Computer issues can be extremely frustrating to deal with, and the fact that they tend to pop up out of nowhere doesn’t make things better. In fact, some people believe that despite what the manufacturers might say, computers do actually have minds of their own and an overall hidden agenda at that – namely, to mess with their owners and enact their revenge by breaking down out of spite, thereby reducing humans to nothing but helpless beings who have no choice but to seek out the chosen few who are actually equipped to tackle such mystery problems as they spring up.
Then again, perhaps computers aren’t totally evil, and one can’t help but agree that they play a vital role in civilized modern day human existence as we know it. In fact, for every baffling situation involving a sudden motherboard meltdown, a technologically challenged human out there is causing his own unfavorable computer-related fate. As the chief technician at Cheaper Than A Geek, an Annapolis, Maryland IT company whose services range from PC repair to data recovery, Chris Barber has tackled his fair share of computer issues, from major glitches to problems that didn’t so much require the help of a technician as they did a keen eye on the nearby electrical outlet. In fact, Barber likes to advise people to do the following before reaching for the phone and calling in a local computer technician to help with their computer-related troubles:
Try rebooting your machine
When it comes to computer issues, there’s just something about the magic of rebooting that often does the trick. If your computer has stopped responding and your screen image seems frozen in place, then you might want to try the ever-famous control-alt-delete tactic. It might not end up doing the trick, but it’s worth trying.
Ensure that your equipment is plugged in
If your computer doesn’t seem to be turning on or your printer doesn’t seem to want to print, then an unplugged cord can easily be to blame. Therefore, before you pick up the phone to dial for technical services, do yourself a favor and make sure that all of your equipment is actually plugged in as it should be. You’ll also want to make certain to check for loose connections, as that could also be the culprit. Remember, if a technician arrives on the premises only to find that your equipment simply wasn’t plugged in, then he’s going to have no choice but to charge you for his time (after all, it’s not his fault that your machine somehow got unplugged). To spare yourself the cash and the embarrassment, check your connections before calling for backup.
When all else fails, uninstall
If your computer seems unresponsive following a recent software installation, then you might want to try uninstalling your latest program to see if that makes a difference. Sometimes, computers are like human stomachs – they can only tolerate a certain combination of factors in order to function properly. Before you bring a professional on board, try uninstalling your newly added software, as that just might do the trick.
Check your keys
Even on newer keyboards, it is possible for a key to get stuck in the “pressed down” position. When this happens, it can easily mess up your usual commands and cause your computer to appear to be malfunctioning. Therefore, before you dial frantically for outside help, try taking a look at your keyboard to make sure that all of your keys are unlocked.
Make certain that your monitor is turned on
Sometimes, what appears to be a non-working, black computer screen is actually just a monitor that somehow got turned off. If your computer seems to be making its usual running noises after you turn it on but all you can see is a blank monitor face, then try pressing the on/off switch on the monitor to see if that helps. You might be pleasantly surprised to find that your issues are resolved with the push of a button.
A computer malfunction can really get the better of you, but before you bring in a technician to deal with the issue at hand, it’s worth it to try these simple steps to make sure that there’s actually a problem. By approaching the situation logically, you might save yourself some serious money, and just as importantly, pride.
