As a PC user, you’ll inevitably run into errors on your computer; error messages, failed programs and even intermittent system crashes that can occur due to any number of problems with your computer’s delicate inner network.  Fortunately, there are a couple of DIY (do-it-yourself) solutions available for PC users of any experience level that may be able to help you repair your computer’s errors.

Method 1 – Registry Repair

Your Windows registry is the head of operations when it comes to your PCs functionality.  It stores information on all of the backend processes needed to run your computer as well as settings and other information that many of your programs rely upon.  Sometimes your registry becomes corrupted due to invalid references and this can cause errors on your PC.

We recommend RegCure’s registry cleaner because it is easy to use and it’s been proven to remove invalid entries that cause error messages and intermittent computer crashes.  While it is true that some computer errors cannot be fixed with a registry repair tool, many can be.  Plus, using a registry cleaner on a regular basis is a recommended part of your computer’s maintenance –  using this PC cleaning tool will not only help to prevent future errors, it will help to keep your computer running efficiently.

Method 2 – Run Chkdsk

Built into your computer is a program called Chkdsk – this program can help you with your computer error repair by fixing problems with your operating system such as cross-linked files and directory errors.  Now, if your computer errors are serious enough, you may have noticed that your PC has run this application on its own, without your input.  However, you may be able to fix your PC errors by running this application.

To run a Chkdsk session:

Double-click on My Computer

Right click on Local Disk (usually C:)

Choose Properties at the bottom of the menu

In the new window, choose the Tools tab

Under Error Checking, press the Check Now button

A new window will pop up – check the “Automatically fix file system errors” box

Press Start

Chances are that Chkdsk will not run automatically as it needs exclusive access to your computer.  If this is true in your case, you will have to reboot your computer in order for Chkdsk to run its course.

Two things that you should be aware of before running Chkdsk for the first time:

Chkdsk can take a long time to run – especially if your hard drive is heavily fragmented or you have a large hard drive.  It is common that Chkdsk will need to run for 20-45 minutes, but we have heard of cases where it takes a few hours.  Just be prepared to wait, though, as you will not be able to use your computer while this program is running.

Always have a backup of your important files before running Chkdsk.  While Chkdsk is not an inherently dangerous application, anytime you run this type of computer repair program you should have a recent backup of all of your important files.

These two methods outlined here can help you to fix your PC errors in a large number of cases.   Even though certain aspects of computer repair requires specialized training, these two DIY computer repair tips may be able to help you repair your computer’s errors  regardless of your experience level.

The importance of cleaning up your computer’s hard drive is often overlooked by computer users, if for no other reason than they really don’t know how to do it.  Quite honestly, a “clean” hard drive can be likened to a clean house – if it’s in order, you can find things easier and therefore you’re generally more efficient when you’re performing day-to-day tasks indoors.  Likewise, a clean hard drive results in better PC performance and more efficiency.

Now, before you head to the garage to grab the screwdriver and the kitchen for the soapy water, we’re going to share with you how you can properly clean up your computer’s hard drive.

Cleaning up temporary files

On many PCs, temporary files take up an immense amount of space; especially if such files haven’t been cleaned in a while (or ever!).  Unfortunately, Windows does not have a built-in, easy-to-use temporary file cleaning program, but there are plenty available to choose from.

A popular program that others use to clean up their temporary files is the program located at CCleaner.com – not only will it clean most web browsers’ history, cache and temporary internet files, it clears your Windows recycle bin and recent documents as well.

Defragmentation

A defragmented hard drive is like a hopelessly cluttered home where you are looking for your misplaced keys.  Your computer’s files, even through general use, will become “fragmented” whereby bits and pieces of certain files are stored at different locations on your hard drive.  When you run a defragmentation tool, you are essentially tidying-up your hard drive and organizing your files in the way that they are meant to be stored.

If you’re familiar with the hobby of scrapbooking, you can think of a whole file as a scrapbook and the individual sleeves as fragments of that book. When you’re scrapbooking, you’ll often times have a sleeve on the table, on the couch and maybe even at a friend’s house – in order to access the entire book, you have to locate and retrieve each sleeve – which can be time-consuming and can slow down your access to the book considerably.   This is what happens when files become fragmented on your computer.

In any case – defragmenting your computer’s hard drive is simple and straight-forward:

1. Double click on My Computer
2. Right click on Local Disk (usually C:)
3. Choose Properties >> Tools >> Defragment Now >> Start

It’s likely that the defragmentation process will take a while initially, but it’s highly recommended that you run this utility on a regular basis to keep your files organized and your hard drive running efficiently.

These two steps alone will help you remove temporary files that take up hard drive space as well as cleaning up fragmented files that degrade your computer’s performance.  Just remember, though, your hard drive is something that soap and water will not clean!