Computer Checks
by Jason Gluckman
There are times when a computer starts exhibiting strange symptoms. It may become slow or shut down without warning. Windows start piling up and the machine goes dead. At times, programs hang up and the system just won't close. At other times, an alert keeps appearing and it just won't go away.
Most computer users are familiar with these situations. Frustrating as they are, it only indicates that the computer needs to get checked. A computer needs a regular check much like a vehicle needs servicing. A check by a trained technician will eliminate most of the recurring problems. A full servicing, tuning and diagnostics will usually fix even the toughest of problems.
A computer check begins with a through cleaning. Layers of dust cause a system to heat up. All the fans, motherboard and extension cards have to be cleaned. The cables, connectors, supports, the hard drive and the panel indicators have to be examined. The check would be on two levels, the hardware and the software. The easier checks are done first. Loose connections and cables or a disk inserted improperly are some obvious and simple checks. After that, the operating system is checked and finally the hardware is analyzed. Experienced professionals usually have their own sequences of checks but these are the general rules.
After a detailed software and hardware checkup, the computer is compared with the performance of other machines. Installing an anti-virus program will prevent virus attacks and avoid machine breakdown or serious data loss.
Depending on the system running on the computer, there are certain checks that can be done on the system itself. Chkdsk is a command for checking the disk for bad sectors or clusters. The checking process does not end when the problems and failures are identified. De-fragmenting the hard disk will make the programs run faster, and disk cleanup may improve the machine performance by creating more space, once the unnecessary programs have been deleted.
It is important to get a computer check done only by a trained technician. Also, prevention is better than cure; it is always advisable to conduct computer checks as a precautionary measure rather than after a problem has occurred.
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