How to Fix a Crashed Computer
Level of difficulty: Intermediate
The term computer crash can be attributed to a variety of reasons and scenarios which can range from hardware failure to corruption of the registry key value entries. This affects the behavior of computers. In some instances, the crash may be caused by a malicious code or in other machines, it is an indication of poorly maintained hardware and software components brought about either by lack of proper system maintenance habits on the end of the user. Like most electric devices, computer components are exposed to environmental hazards during its operation and poor maintenance can extremely shorten its expected service lifespan. Since majority of hardware caused crashes need the attention of qualified technicians, the following steps will attempt to address possible solutions for software triggered computer system crashes.
Materials Needed:- Computer
- CD or DVD Driver
- Operating System installer
- recovery discs
Step 1
In computer systems running under the Microsoft Windows Operating System platforms, majority of software crashes are caused by a faulty Windows Registry. Both Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Vista provide the user with excellent utilities that allow for the discovery of the cause of computer crashes using the Problem Reports and Windows Event Viewer tools. To use the Windows Event Viewer, click on the 'Start' button and select the 'Control Panel' option.
Step 2
Select the 'System and Maintenance' category and proceed to the Administrative tools. Double click the 'Event Viewer' to launch a new window.
Step 3
Look under the Windows logs and click on the 'System' tab. Review the list for the presence of red error icons as well as exclamation icons which are sure signs of software problems.
Step 4
To resolve the issue, click the 'Problem and Reports' option under System and Maintenance. View the problem history and check for possible solutions.
Step 5
In some instances, the cause of the computer crash is a corrupted or obsolete device driver. This problem can be resolved by clicking on the 'Start' button and opening the 'Control Panel' option.
Step 6
Choose the 'System' option and click on the 'Hardware' tab. Click the 'Device Manager' button which will display a list of hardware drivers installed in the machine.
Step 7
Right click on the driver with an exclamation point and choose 'Properties'. Select the 'Driver' tab and click on the 'Update Driver' button to allow for the checking of an updated device driver. Make sure that an active Internet connection is available.
Step 8
Another possible source of computer crash is the corruption of the file system. To repair the file system, the CD installation disc may be required. Click on the 'Start' button and choose the 'Run' option.
Step 9
In the Open box, type 'cmd' and click the 'OK' button. In the command prompt window, type the 'sfc/ scannow' command and press the 'Enter' key on the keyboard. Remember not to include the quotation marks when typing the commands. This will begin scanning of the file system. Insert the Windows installation CD when prompted to do so.
Step 10
After completing any of the outlined solutions, reboot the machine.