So many things can go wrong with Windows, because every single computer is unique and different from another. It is highly unlikely, especially outside of a commercial space, that another PC exists with exactly the same hardware, with specific software installed and with the same updates.
For this reason it is also difficult to understand what is wrong with a computer, because a PC contains a unique mix of software and hardware components that becomes almost impossible to replicate in another machine.
There are certification programs for hardware and software and a large number of manufacturers try to standardize their software with accurate tests, in common with Microsoft, which guarantee system stability.
What cannot be proven is how certain software or hardware interacts with other electronic parts and programs on your machine, also counting that many of them have not been certified.
Let's see then, in 10 points, how to prevent errors and the most effective solutions to avoid problems on Windows with a global discussion that does not concern specific automatic tools but general support considerations that are valid in every area.
1) If it is true that, as mentioned several times, the maintenance of Windows is fundamental to avoid system lockups and instabilities, (see how to do scheduled and automatic maintenance), the prevention and care with which a computer is used is equally important.
The number of installed programs or the number of hardware devices that have been connected can cause problems on the computer.
This means that, not only do you not have to install anything that is suggested by friends or by sites / blogs, but above all, it is not convenient to abuse USB components.
In fact, if a program can be easily uninstalled, a hardware component leaves traces (in the form of drivers) that are not easily recognizable and removable (see how to remove obsolete drivers and unused peripherals).
2) Also avoid, when buying a new device such as a printer or a wifi pen, to install all the programs included in the CD supplied .
On Windows almost all new devices work on their own, without the need for external management programs.
In another article I recommended removing the pre-installed programs on new PCs, trial or trial versions.
It is also important not to install duplicate programs or those that do the same things as others already present (see programs to never install on your computer)
Very often, because of incompatibility and instability, it is those software that duplicate Windows functions such as, for example, Wi-Fi connection programs, multimedia players, or CD / DVD burners.
As with antivirus (you can't install two of them together), even those programs that use computer hardware pieces don't have to be duplicated.
3) As for Windows 7, it must be said that Microsoft has done a great job on the latest version of its operating system which, on its own, never crashes, unless the light goes off during an update or a move of system files.
As seen in the article on Windows crashes and the blue screen, problems are almost always caused by something outside of Windows, such as external programs that affect peripherals, updates and drivers .
It is not so rare that a Windows problem depends on badly written software or poorly developed or incompatible hardware drivers.
The most common problems within Windows are caused, in order, by:
- Old, outdated or poorly designed device drivers;
- Programs with errors inside them;
- Little Safety;
- BIOS corruption.
4) Some problems can cause what is called a domino effect, in which an event triggers a series of other events precipitating the situation.
For this reason it is always advisable to diagnose and repair problems as soon as possible immediately after their first appearance.
An unchecked error can lead to others because processes, services and drivers are often shared by multiple Windows applications or components.
Going a little on the practical, let's see how to solve some of the most frequent Windows problems:
5) The main reasons why a computer no longer connects to the internet are listed in another article.
There are common errors such as 619, error 800 and many others that can be automatically solved as written in the article on limited or absent connectivity.
6) The reasons why Windows goes slow have also been examined in several articles including I remember:
- Optimize Windows and make it go faster;
- make the computer turn on faster;
- Clean the pc, the registry keys and defragment the disk.
7) To correct the error that Windows cannot find a specific file, you can restore all system files with the internal System File Checker (SFC) tool.
By opening a dos prompt ( Start -> Run -> cmd ) you have to write: " sfc / scannow " to start scanning and recovery or replacement of corrupt or lost system files.
For this operation you must have a Windows installation CD.
On Vista and Windows 7 you can also use the command " sfc / SCANFILE = path \ file_name " to replace a specific file.
8) If the computer starts to restart continuously, you can, on Windows 7 and Vista, disable the automatic restart by pressing F8 when the first black screen appears on power up.
If the computer was working before and today not, you can try the " safe mode " option and then do the system restore.
9) When the computer loads and slows down even if you are not doing anything and you don't have any programs or windows open, you should understand what is going on.
With the task manager you can check which process is consuming CPU, with other programs you can check in more detail what the computer is doing.
Important, if the CPU is used by the svchost.exe process, understand what is hidden behind it and, if possible, disable the services responsible for slowdowns.
10) If the CD / DVD player is not found on the computer, go to the control panel -> administrative tools -> Computer management then, from the list on the left, press on Disk Management, press the right mouse button on the optical disc icon and select "Change letter and path", choosing a new letter.
In another article it is written how to solve the error of access to the CD-Rom if it is impossible to read CDs and DVDs.
READ ALSO: Free fixes to the usual PC errors
