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Useful computer advice for all

Getting expert computing help doesn't have to cost you a penny. We tell you how to correctly diagnose and explain your PC's problem and where to go to find free help

There's nothing like a broken computer to ruin your day. Whether the problem is a reluctant Wifi connection, disappearing documents or a plain old computer crash, it can be distressing especially if you haven't a clue what's going on, let alone how to fix it.

The good news is that many PC glitches are all bark and no bite. A quick keystroke or a visit to the Start menu may be all that stands between you and business as usual. If not, chances are you'll be able to find the answer online from someone who's suffered the same problem in the past.

Negotiating help forums can seem daunting, but the people who use them can be incredibly helpful if you know how to ask the right questions.

In this feature we'll show you how to use forums, before moving on to outline the most likely causes of computer trouble. We'll provide tips on how to diagnose them and prevent them in future. We'll also reveal where to find extra help for tougher problems.

If your internet connection itself is causing problems, then don't despair internet cafes are a common sight on high streets these days, and most libraries are fully equipped to cater for the needs of the roaming cyber traveller.

Get thee to the web

The best place to start to diagnose problems of any kind is with a trip to the website of the manufacturer or service provider. Most have article archives, online forums, a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and, in many cases, email support or free interactive customer support tools. Forums and FAQs are often searchable, so enter key words that describe your problem to narrow down the advice. Keep key words as short and simple as possible, and include the name of the device or software if relevant to the problem.

Windows XP online support is available through the Start menu. Click Start, select 'Help and Support' and thousands of articles and how-tos are available to browse. Or go to the Windows website (www.microsoft.com/windows), which is also stuffed with searchable info and fixes, plus forums and RSS subscriptions for updates.

Most ISPs offer comprehensive guidance on what to do if the connection is down, including email support; so visit the site on a friend's computer, your work PC or in an internet cafe before resorting to the helpline.

The kindness of strangers

Good as many company help sites are, they won't always have your answer. Here the web comes into its own, connecting PC users across the world in a community of mutual assistance.
There are many independent websites dedicated to curing all manner of ills, from hardware diagnostics sites like PC Pitstop (www.pcpitstop.com) and Tom's Hardware Guide (www.tomshardware.com) to broadband site DSL Reports (www.dslreports.com).

Often the best advice, especially regarding an unusual problem, will come from a user who has been through the same thing. On both sites, most answers can be found by searching the site, with no need to post a new question. Suggest A Fix (www.suggestafix.com) is less busy, but our quick road test revealed fast responses and high-quality answers.

However, even the best forums lack the real-time interactivity of helplines, where you can talk to an adviser until the problem is fixed. Here's where new site Qunu (http://qunu.com) steps in. This advice community is based on instant messaging, so an expert can 'talk' you through a problem in real time.

Qunu has only been going for a couple of months, but it eventually aims to cover all sorts of topics, from baking to trout fishing. We gave the site a spin, and came away satisfied. It's easy to use: type a question in the search field, and Qunu returns a list of experts who are online and possibly able to help. We posted three questions about a Windows XP crash, a persistent Trojan, and unrecognised photo files and within half an hour we'd received tips on all three topics.

Until Qunu has been around a little longer you won't find the depth of knowledge you'd see in a specialist forum, but once it attracts more experts, it could provide the answer to many a computer user's prayers.

To get help, first click the Register button at the top-right of the Qunu site, then choose User Mode. Enter a username and email address and you're ready to begin. With forums and sites such as Qunu, remember that the help you're getting is free, so your expectations should be adjusted accordingly. It may be that the people who attempt to solve a problem are ultimately unable to do so. If that's the case, thank them for their efforts and either try another forum or bite the bullet and consider a professional opinion.

Also try to give your 'expert' a fighting chance by being clear and concise. Read on for tips on how to diagnose and accurately describe PC woes, then give your helper a clear summary. Be specific about which operating system is in use, and versions of software. However, don't overburden people with information.

Diagnosing problems

The root cause of PC problems is almost always to be found in settings and software rather than hardware. In general, hardware tends to be sturdy and reliable, and requires quite a lot to develop mechanical faults.

Problems are usually based in the operating system (such as Windows) or other software, although even these blips are often not the disasters they seem. If a program you're using freezes or crashes, close it using the Windows Task Manager. This is the tool that opens when you press Control, Alt and Delete at the same time.

The Task Manager's Applications window lists all the programs currently running. If a program is shown as Not Responding, it may have crashed; to shut it down, select it and click End Task. The program may be fine when you open it again or after restarting the computer, or it may be suffering a more persistent problem that can only be solved by re-installing it.

To uninstall a persistent offender, click Start, Control Panel and double-click 'Add or Remove Programs'. Scroll down until you find the program you want to remove, click on it, and click Remove. Note that some system utilities cannot be removed.

You'll find a complete list of all processes running on your computer in the System Information window. System Information, along with a useful cluster of computer-tweaking tools, can be found by going to the Start button and clicking All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Information and clicking the '+' sign next to Software Environment. Click Running Tasks to see the full list.

Turn back the clock

When catastrophe strikes, everyone wishes they could turn the clock back and avoid making the same mistake. Well, thanks to Windows XP, you can.

The System Restore tool lets you reset the operating system to the state it was in, say, 24 hours ago. This can be very useful if you've installed a piece of software or hardware that the computer can't recognise or which contains a bug or error a common cause of PC crashes. It doesn't cure all PC ailments, but is always worth a try.

To activate it, go to Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, then select System Restore and click 'Restore my computer to an earlier time'.

The default restore point is '24 hours ago', although you can opt for a longer time. If all seems well after restoring your system to a time before a new program was installed, then you can put the problem down to that software.

One problem with restoring the system is that any data or documents saved in the meantime will be removed. So get into the habit of saving active documents, and backing files up regularly. Go to System Tools, select Backup and follow the instructions in the wizard.

When I'm cleaning Windows

Regularly backing up data and settings is one household chore that can minimise computer hassles. Like a house, a PC stuffed with too much junk isn't comfortable, so a bit of spring-cleaning can work wonders for speed and efficiency.

Among the simplest cleaning chores is regular ditching of temporary internet files. These files are stored on the computer's hard disk to make browsing easier, but too many can have the opposite effect. Clear them out by going to Tools in Internet Explorer, selecting Internet Options and clicking Delete Files. Then click Settings in the Internet Options box, and set the minimum folder space for temporary files. This helps keep clutter down in the future.

Also, go through the list of installed programs in your Control Panel's 'Add or Remove Programs' tool. The list reveals how much space each program is taking up, and allows you to weed out software you don't use. Even freeing up an extra gigabyte or two can give a PC a renewed spring in its step.

Similarly, if you store lots of music files or digital photos, they could be gobbling up space. Invest in a DVD burner and store as many files as you can on DVD. Once youve checked that the files have copied successfully, delete them from your computer and right-click the Recycle Bin to empty it.

Now the hard disk is ready for a final tidy. System tools such as Disk Cleanup, which detects and repairs disk errors, and Disk Defragmenter, which rearranges files and disk space, are essential elements in your spring-cleaning kit. In fact, run these tools once a month or so to keep things running smoothly.

To run these tools, go to Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools and select Disk Cleanup or Disk Defragmenter. Defragging may take a few hours, depending on the state of the hard disk, but you don't have to do anything other than leaving your computer alone while the tool gets to work.

PCs behaving badly

All the housekeeping in the world may not make a persistently troublesome system behave. If this is the case, an unwanted intruder may be to blame.

Again, Task Manager is a useful diagnostic tool. Shut down all active programs, press Ctrl, Alt and Del at the same time and click the Performance tab to see how hard the computer's processor is working. If there are unexpected peaks, the computer may be hosting internet threats such as a virus, Trojan or spyware.

Unfortunately, you can't just delete a virus in Task Manager. The answer is anti-virus software, such as the free utility from AVG. Set it to update and run once a day. Spybot Search & Destroy is another essential free weapon in your arsenal. If anti-virus software finds something that it can't remove, or if you keep getting a mysterious error message, find information on it using Google. Type in the error message or virus name in full, and browse the results for fixes. Once your PC is free of intruders, update the system's security settings to help guard against future attacks. Download the latest security patches from Microsoft's Windows website (www.microsoft.com/uk/windows) by clicking the 'Protect yourself' link in the Security box, and keep an eye on Windows Update (http://update.microsoft.com).

If the system is still having trouble, try the diagnostic Sandra tool from SiSoft (www.sisoftware.co.uk). The utility is free for personal use, and conducts a thorough search of a PC, Wifi network and even peripherals such as printers to root out problems.

Broadband bother

After juggling IP addresses and configuration IDs to set up home Wifi, the last thing you want is for your notebook to fail to find the network. Have you tried turning it off and on again? No, really this often solves a network connection blip. Similarly, if your external modem won't connect, switch it off, wait a minute, and switch it on again.

Other broadband issues are less simple. A pile-up of data on the network may slow the connection, so amend security settings to stop the neighbours using your signal.

Firewalls can get in the way, too. They are designed to guard the PC from intruders, but are not immune to miscarriages of justice. If you have trouble accessing a particular site, program or multimedia, you may at some point have asked your firewall to block it.

To allow the program through Windows Firewall, click Start, select Run, type 'wscui.cpl' in the box and click OK. Click Windows Firewall, Exceptions, Add Programs and select the program from the list, or click Browse to locate it. If you use ZoneAlarm, open it up, click Program Control, Programs, scroll to the blocked program and select Allow.

Simple solutions

PCs are complicated creatures, so the tools and tricks we've looked at may not fix every blip. But we have shown that expensive phone support is far from the only answer. In most cases, all you need is a clear head, some diagnostic tools and a few web links to experts and fellow users. Master these simple steps, and you'll be better equipped next time the unexpected happens.

Written by Jane Hoskyn for Computeractive magazine

This article was created: 28 November 2006.
This article was last edited: 17 May 2007.

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