As Windows computer users, computer errors will plague the best of us at one time or another.  From non-responsive programs to constant error messages and the like, computer errors are an unfortunate part of owning a PC computer.  However, that does not mean that we are destined to hand over our computers to a computer repair guy or gal (and a lot of cash!) each and every time our PCs aren’t running smoothly.

Here are three ways that you, regardless of your computer “know-how”, can attempt to fix your computer’s errors.

Reboot your PC

Amazingly, the easiest fix for some computer errors is a simple reboot.  Whether your computer problems are a result of not-enough memory, an error with your registry or application – rebooting your computer sometimes causes your problems to disappear spontaneously.

Here are a couple of instances where a reboot restored functionality to our PCs:

1. “out of memory” error messages
2. Stuck keyboard keys
3. Intermittent mouse problems
4. Constant error messages when opening specific applications

Quite honestly, we cannot explain the intricacies of why these problems were fixed when we rebooted our PCs, but suffice it to say that refreshing the system every once in a while can work wonders for certain problems.

Run a registry cleaning software

Your Windows registry is in-demand nearly every minute that your PC is up and running.  Not only is it in constant use, it’s relied upon to manage information on all of your programs, Windows processes, user profiles and drivers – if your registry becomes filled up with empty entries or outdated information, it can cause visible problems with your computer.

Problems such as applications lagging when loading (or not loading at all), frequent error messages and sporadic system “refreshing” are indicative of registry-related errors.

As a last resort – run Chkdsk

Chkdsk, or the Check Disk program, is built-in to your Windows PC and helps to find and repair system-related errors as well as hard drive problems.  Now, this should be used as a last resort on your part because it is an intensive program.  While it is easy to run, it can take a lot of time to run its course and if your PCs problems are severe – it can actually make matters worse.  If you are going to use Chkdsk, we highly recommend that you have a recent backup of your important files.  While it’s not at all common that running Chkdsk will ruin your computer – there have been instances where the program has made data recovery a nightmare on PCs that were experiencing severe problems.

While these tips may not fix every computer error that a PC user will run into, they will work to correct problems in the majority of cases.  If you are concerned about your computer, try the first two tips and skip over Chkdsk for now.  If you are still experiencing problems with your PC, you should consider contacting a computer repair technician to help you with your PCs repair.

A common issue amongst PC users is the ever-recurring problem of a slow PC.  While the truth of the matter is that fixing the slow computer problem isn’t generally complicated – many users falsely assume that because they know little about PC repair and maintenance, that there is nothing that they can do on their own.  That is, apart from dropping their computer off at a computer repair location.  However, this is patently false information and we’re going to disclose a few methods that even novice PC users can use to speed up their PCs.

Scan for viruses, spyware and other malicious programs

Many computer owners are not aware of the devastating effects that malicious programs can have on their computer’s performance.  It’s very common that a virus, trojan horse, spyware or adware will so integrate itself into one’s computer that it is constantly in-demand and continually eating up available computer resources.  By removing malware from your PC you’re not only going to notice an overall speed difference, you’ll be protecting your own privacy and security.

Registry cleaning – the one-step PC booster

Cleaning your computer’s registry should be part of your regular computer maintenance – though many PC users fail to recognize the importance of continual registry cleanings.  Basically, your Windows registry is the head-of-operations on your computer; everything that runs on your PC runs through the registry.  Through general usage over time, your computer’s registry will store redundant, invalid or flat-out errant information, which this degradation of your registry can lead to less-than-stellar PC performance as well as intermittent errors and computer crashes.

Remove excess and unused programs from your computer

If you are low on hard drive space, it is time to clean house and remove some of the programs that you have not used in months (or years!).  These unused programs are taking up space on your hard drive, they are taking up space in your registry, and it is always possible that certain applications came pre-installed with various forms of malware, which could be slowing down your computer in and of themselves.

When you are removing programs from your computer, be sure that you use the proper channels to do so – the Add and Remove programs option in your Windows Control Panel is the best way to remove a program.  Doing so any other way could actually cause you problems due to registry corruption.

Speeding up your PC doesn’t have to be difficult and there are certain things, such as we outlined above, that can be performed by computer users of nearly any experience level.  If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, you can save yourself some cash by trying out the suggestions above before you take your computer into the repair center.