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Computer Repair tips

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Golam Kibria:
Computer is very essential for our life for our success. We cannot spend a day without computer. If the computer is ok, we can run a better life. But if there are some problem on computer, it can hamper our daily life's time. So, it is very much important to know about the all tips to repair our pc. If we know that, we can solve the easy problems of our pc.

So, be active in our beloved university forum and learn about computer repair.

By Golam Kibria.

Golam Kibria:
Computer Keeps Shutting Down?

There are many types of computer problems, and the system restarting automatically is one which is certainly annoying. There can be many reasons why this happens. You first need to diagnose the exact cause of the problem and then carry out the computer repair accordingly.

Computer Virus
There are higher chances of a computer shutting down due to the interference of a computer virus. The virus gets into the computer and fiddles with crucial sections of the operating system, which may cause the system to shut down automatically. You need to install a good antivirus software and get the computer scanned thoroughly for any malware and viruses. Also see to it that the operating system and all hardware drivers are updated.

Power Supply
The computer power supply unit is an equipment that is installed in the cabinet to provide power to the system for operation. Your computer can shut down, if there is not enough power supplied to it for handling the programs running. If you are using the computer for running intensive software such as PC games, the system would require more power than what is actually available. Another reason can be overheating of the power supply. After the power supply is used for a substantial period of time, there is a possibility of dust getting collected inside it. And this may cause it to overheat, resulting in the shutdown of the desktop computer. If the power supply is at fault, you may need to get a new one installed.

Overheating of the Motherboard and the Processor
As with the case of dust getting collected in the power supply, the computer motherboard and the processor can also collect dust, which may be the reason for their overheating. You need to open the computer cabinet and clean the dust off the computer parts. The CPU board and the processor can also overheat because of many applications running. If this is the case, then it is suggested to keep the number of running applications as low as possible or increase the size of Random Access Memory (RAM). Bad capacitors on the motherboard is also one of the reasons your computer keeps shutting down very often.

The 'Automatically Restart' Setting
If you are using Windows XP operating system, there is a setting that indicates the computer to reboot if it detects an error in the system's operation. In order to check if this is the problem, click on 'Start' and 'Control Panel', then select 'Performance and Maintenance'. Click on 'System', then the 'Advanced' option, and select 'Settings' from the 'Startup and Recovery' section. You will find an 'Automatically restart' option, which you need to uncheck for preventing the system from rebooting.

You also need to check if the power cables are properly connected to the cabinet and to the UPS, as loose connections can also be a reason for system shutdown. The most common cause of the computer getting shut down or restarted is due to overheating of the power supply and other internal computer parts.

Golam Kibria:

'No Bootable Device' - What Does it Mean and How to Fix It?

Your computer has an inbuilt software, independent of the operating system, which loads or 'boots' it into operation. It's known as 'BIOS (Basic Input Output System)'. The message 'No Bootable device - Insert Boot Disc and Press any Key' or 'No Boot Device Available' is displayed by BIOS, when it cannot find an operating system to load from any storage medium on the PC. 'Booting' is the actual loading of the operating system, executed by BIOS. A 'Boot Device' is the storage medium like a floppy disk, hard drive, CD, DVD or a USB flash drive in some cases, which holds the installed operating system files. If that device is not located or the operating system has issues, the aforementioned error message is displayed. Ensure that the default booting option in BIOS is set to be the hard drive or whichever booting device is in use. Here are three of the possible causes, that may lead to this kind of an error.

Operating System File Corruption
The most likely cause of BIOS not being able to detect a booting device is the crashing of installed operating system on the hard drive. Due to a virus attack, accidental deletion of system files or accidental compression of the system drive, an operating system's existing working installation may get disrupted. That's the reason, on startup, the operating system can't be detected and you get the message.

Solution: The only way out is to load the recovery disc or CD of your operating system in your computer's optical drive and run a complete reinstallation or repair. The data on the system volume will be completely erased, but those on the other volumes might be retrieved. Since you are reinstalling your operating system again, you might as well update it with the most recent version available!

Hard Drive Disconnected
In rare cases, it may happen that BIOS is unable to detect the hard drive as a bootable device, because it may have been physically disconnected from the motherboard. This may happen if the system has suffered from a fall or physical shock. To check if this is indeed the problem, enter BIOS setup by pressing the appropriate key (F1, F2 or any other) during startup.

Solution: In this case, you may have to open up your desktop computer's cabinet and check, if the connecting cable from the motherboard has disconnected from the hard drive. If it is indeed so, restoring the connection should solve your problem. Even if it's a laptop, you will have to do the same. If your laptop or desktop computer warranty is not yet void, it's better not to take matters in your own hands and let professionals handle it.

Hard Drive Crash
Actual physical damage of the hard drive or creation of bad sectors may be the reason for the error being displayed. Electrical fluctuations, dust accumulation and physical shocks may be the causes behind this disruption. Since the hard drive is damaged, it may not be detected by BIOS, leading to a booting problem.

Solution: In this case, you may have to replace the hard drive altogether. The damaged hard drive will have to be tested for bad sectors. It may be salvaged back for use as a secondary storage medium, if the damage isn't extensive.

If neither of the above suggestions work out for you, it's best to call in the experts. At least, you have the satisfaction of having tried! Also, it is not advisable, that you open up the PC and tinker around on your own, when you still have a warranty from the manufacturer. If the warranty period isn't over, let manufacturer's repair department handle the job. In that case, you won't have to pay. The most likely reason for the error message cropping up, is an operating system problem, brought upon by a virus or tampering of system files. In most cases, you will have to go for a complete reinstallation of the operating system. To avoid such instances in the future, it's recommended that you install an antivirus software, that can effectively prevent such virus induced system crashes.

Golam Kibria:
Computer Restarts after Shutdown

Causes of Automatic Restart

Common causes of computers restarting by themselves are computer viruses, computer overheating, computer hardware defects, computer hardware incompatibility and computer driver problems. All of these issues have their own specific solutions that must be applied in order to fix the problem. You should install an antivirus software or update the existing one, you should use the computer in a cool room and avoid keeping it on for days at a stretch, fix or replace any defective hardware peripherals and reinstall device drivers respectively. Hopefully, each of these solutions will solve your problem, but if you still see that your computer keeps rebooting itself, then you need to visit a computer technician immediately.

Solutions to Automatic Restart

In some computers, the settings make the computer restart automatically when it is shutdown. These settings can be altered in the following manner.

    *Right click on My Computer and then click on Properties.
    *Click on the tab that says Advanced and then click on the Settings button under the Startup and Recovery option.
    *Under System Failure uncheck the box next to Automatically Restart.

After doing this, your computer will not restart automatically upon shutdown unless there is some serious defect inside. All Windows based machines have this option checked by default, so that the computer restarts and does not lose any data in case there is some kind of 'Stop Error' while it is functioning.

Some more possible solutions to try out are as follows. Please note that none of these solutions are guaranteed to work for you, but there is no harm in trying them out, since there is no way to determine the exact nature of the problem without physically inspecting the machine.

    *You should visit the BIOS of the machine when it is booting up, and then look for programs or devices that cause the machine to startup automatically. In order to reach the BIOS you will have to press one of F1, F2, F10, DELETE or ESC when the machine is starting up, and it will specify which key you need to press. You should look for an option called Wake up on shutdown in the BIOS and then disable it.
    *You should attempt cleaning up your Windows registry. In order to achieve this you need to go the Start menu, then click on Run, then type regedit and press Enter, then delete entries from the various options that open. These options are HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, HKEY_CURRENT_USER and HKEY_USERS and HKEY_CURRENT CONFIG. Doing so will also speeden your machine up, and hopefully it will also solve your problem of 'computer restarts when shutdown'.

This problem is not a very uncommon one, and there are many people who regularly complain about the same. Following some fixed solutions should fix the issue in most cases, but if the trouble persists, then it is probably best to take the machine to a computer repair store and show it to a certified technician. This may take more time and money, but ultimately it will be worth it.

Golam Kibria:
Computer Restarts During Startup

Computer Restarts on Its Own

One of the most frustrating issues that plague computer owners is the failure of the machine to startup properly. The device runs a complete scan of all the parts individually before it boots up, and a failure of any one part to respond leads to major complications. If you find that your computer restarts during startup on a regular basis, then there are several issues that you need to check for.

The best bet is to have a computer technician look at the problem, simply due to the vast number of problems that could be leading to such a situation. Someone who is knowledgeable and trained in such matters will obviously know exactly what he is looking for in this case. If you are hesitant to do so at the first sign of trouble, then here are some possible reasons that could be causing this problem. You can tackle each of them in the manner you see fit.

Issues with the Drivers
The drivers in any machine are a set of programs that allow the hardware and peripherals to interact with the CPU and function normally. Sometimes, when these drivers get updated over the Internet, they may get corrupted. On other occasions, these drivers may not have been installed properly in the first place. If your computer keeps rebooting itself in an endless loop, this could be a possible cause. In order to fix this, you should first remove all external peripherals, except for the bare necessities like the mouse and the keyboard. Now you will need to start your machine in Safe Mode, then go to My Computer, right click on it and select Properties, then select Hardware and then select Device Manager. You will now see a list of device drivers, and if there are any yellow warning signs in front of them, you will need to either repair them or reinstall them. This can be done through the official website of the computer manufacturer whose machine you are currently using.

Issues with Hardware
This is a problem I faced recently, so I know its potency. If the RAM chip in your machine, or any other hardware component, has come loose inside the CPU, the computer will not start. You may see the notorious blue screen of death, but the rebooting process will certainly carry on in an endless mode. The best thing to do is turn off the machine, open up the CPU (this can be done very easily) and check all the components. The RAM chip, the video card, the sound card, and the motherboard, are the usual suspects in such a scenario. So you must know what they look like and how to locate them.

Issues with Overheating
This is an issue that commonly plagues laptops. Their cooling fans are not very effective, and overusing a machine does lead to overheating. This will cause a system wide failure and lead the machine to turn itself off and not turn on. What you need to do in such a situation is just leave the machine alone for a few hours and let it cool down. Moreover, you must always use your computer in a room with proper ventilation and cooling facilities. Overheating can lead to many serious complications.

Issues with Viruses
As mentioned earlier, this is the biggest threat to computers, especially Windows based machines. There are hundreds of thousands of potent viruses that can infect a machine, and they can cause adverse reactions. In such a scenario, prevention is definitely better than cure. You must install an effective antivirus software, and you should also regularly visit its website and update the software. This will keep your computer protected against viruses, malicious software, and various kinds of adware as well.

If your computer restarts during startup, then you need to allow it to boot in Safe Mode. This is a protected mode and this will give you the chance to explore the machine and figure out what the problem really is. Once this has been done, you need to go to My Computer, right click on it and select Properties, then select the tab that says Advanced, then select the Settings tab in the Startup and Recovery category, and then uncheck the box in front of Automatically Restart. This will prevent the machine from restarting automatically in the future, only if there is no overheating or hardware problem.

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