If your computer will not start, some of the possible causes include:
§ System files are missing or corrupted.
§ A software or driver installation process crashed.
§ The registry is corrupt.
§ There is a problem with some hardware.
For more information about starting your computer, see Using the Windows System Recovery Options.
If you cannot start your computer, take it to a professional computer repair person.
If your computer is slower than normal, some of the possible causes include:
§ The hard drive is fragmented or full.
§ Your computer does not have enough memory.
Use Disk Defrag to defragment your hard drive. If that does not work, use Temporary Files Cleaner and File Cleaner to remove unnecessary files.
You can also run the One-Click Fix Up, One-Click Optimize, or One-Click Clean Up wizard to fix many problems.
Finally, make sure that you are not starting too many programs when your computer starts. For more information about startup programs, see Improving Startup Performance.
If you are experiencing erratic, unpredictable behavior, some of the possible causes include:
§ Your computer is infected with a virus.
§ The file allocation table is corrupted.
Run the One-Click Fix Up wizard to fix many problems at once. For more information, see Fixing Your Computer.
Run an anti-malware scan. For more information, see Scanning Your Computer for Malware.
If your computer continually freezes, some of the possible causes include:
§ The program you were using encountered an internal error.
§ The program you were using requires more memory than your computer has available.
Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and open the Windows Task Manager. Locate the program that is not responding. Select it and click End Task.
If you receive a blue screen error, also known as the “blue screen of death”, a fault probably occurred in a driver file.
Restart your computer. You may need to start in Safe Mode and uninstall or fix the offending driver. For more information, see Starting In Safe Mode.
If your hard drive is making a strange noise, such as grinding sounds, the drive bearings or other parts of the drive may be deteriorating.
Back up all data immediately! Run SMART Disk Check to test the disk for errors. If SMART Disk Check finds errors, or your hard drive continues to make strange noises, turn off your computer. Take it to a computer repair professional. You may need to replace the hard drive.
Microsoft Word documents usually have the extension .doc or .docx. Microsoft Word templates have the extension .dot. If your computer is saving Microsoft Word files as .dot files, this is a known virus.
You can use macros to automate tasks in Microsoft Office. A macro can be a security risk if attached to a document that you have received from someone else. Using Office 2007 you can adjust the macro settings.
Run an anti-malware scan. For more information, see Scanning Your Computer for Malware. For more information about Microsoft Word, consult the Microsoft Word documentation.
If a program crashes frequently, the program might be trying to create a temporary file with the same name as another file.
Use Disk Space Saver to remove temporary files from the drive. For more information, see Finding and Deleting Junk Files.
If a program crashes when graphics are displayed, you may need to update your video card driver, or you may need to adjust your monitor’s settings. Check the manufacturer’s website for the most current drivers. To change your monitor’s settings, consult the documentation that accompanied your monitor.
If you try to open a program that you were using, but your computer can no longer find the program, your computer’s registry may contain an invalid link to the program.
Run Registry Fixer. For more information, see Recovering Deleted Files.
You may need to uninstall the program, delete program files, and then reinstall the program.
If your computer does not have enough space to install new software or create new files, your hard drive is low on disk space. Use Disk Space Saver to remove temporary files from the drive. For more information, see Finding and Deleting Junk Files.
Back up and delete any old files that you no longer use.
See Also