If you are a system administrator or software engineer in a small organization and you have constant problems with computers, or even with users who constantly shout that nothing works for them, then this material is for you. Why a small organization, but because in fairly large companies there are staff members who monitor this and they follow all the advice that will be given in this article, or at least try to follow. And they don’t have frequent problems with computers or users.

Let's start with the fact that, for example, you work in an organization with 50 or 100 computers, and something constantly doesn’t work for you, freezes, you constantly have to reinstall the operating system, run to the user several times a day to fix his problems. This is very annoying for you, so I’ll say right away that this is your fault, first of all. “Why mine?” You ask, “They themselves did something and that’s why their computer freezes or some software doesn’t work”. Yes, because you did not foresee this and did not protect your fleet from this.

If you often hear the following from a user, then you definitely need to read the article to the end.

• My program froze;
• My computer froze;
• I have some here blue screen;
• My file is missing and I can’t find it;
• I clicked something in Excel and all my data disappeared;
• The program won’t open for me, although it did yesterday;
• My computer went crazy;
• I didn't do anything, but the data in the file changed;
• My computer is very slow;
• The computer does not turn on;
• Help me with Excel (Word), otherwise I don’t know, well, remember it like yesterday.

Frequent mistakes of system administrators

Now we will look common mistakes system administrators, and what needs to be done in order to prevent these mistakes. I have encountered this myself, since I worked in such an organization, so everything that I will describe below can be said to be based on my own experience. And almost all of this relates to the rules information security, which everyone must comply with, and your attitude towards work. And for some items it is necessary to draw up a special document, signed by the boss, which will indicate what the user can do and what not, and everyone should familiarize themselves with this document.

Installing various software

In other words, both you and your users can install software that is simply not needed! Therefore, the first thing to do is to remove all software that is not related to the production process. And do not allow it to be installed.

In order to completely clear your computer of such software, it is best to reinstall the system and install on it only the minimum set of programs that is necessary for a particular employee individually. Of course, in order for all this software to be licensed, if you use some programs without a license, but you need them, then you need to voice this to your boss so that he allocates funds for the purchase of this software. And prohibit the user from installing programs himself, already at the level of access rights.

This also includes the installation of drivers that were downloaded from unknown sources. Since you can only download from official sites.

Viruses, Internet and personal files

I combined these 3 points because they are interconnected. Common problems are caused by viruses! Since users in such organizations often have unlimited access to the Internet, they bring their personal files on flash drives that are infected with viruses and so on. This cannot be allowed!

It is necessary to deny everyone access to the Internet, and allow access only to those resources that are required in the production process, fortunately this can be done easily with the help of routers, firewalls and other equipment. Also prohibit the use of flash drives; it is better to disable this feature on users’ computers altogether, and transfer files via the network from a computer on which an antivirus is installed, and you have personally checked this flash drive, this is the case if the organization exchanges documents with other organizations using flash drives. If you follow this step, then you will not even need a corporate antivirus.

Unlimited access

This includes the fact that users have unlimited access to almost all computers in your organization. I wouldn’t be surprised if a simple user accesses the server via an rdp client and accidentally deletes something from it. Or he’ll just go into the admins’ office, calmly sit down at the server and turn it off :).

In order to prevent this, it is necessary to draw up a clear scheme for dividing access rights. For example, you most likely have some kind of file server that stores users’ work files, which is used both for storing and exchanging information within the organization. But more often than not, it’s just a jumbled collection of folders and files that absolutely everyone has access to. This cannot be allowed! It is necessary to create a separate folder for each user, to which only he will have access. In order to transfer some files to another employee of the organization, you can make one folder to which everyone will have access, and if necessary, simply copy the necessary data to this folder, and thus, if all content is deleted from this directory, it’s okay will not happen.

You must also create a password-protected account for each user ( complex password ), and which must be kept confidential. The best way to follow this tip is to use a directory service Active Directory Microsoft company. If you are not using it yet, I advise you to switch to it, as it will greatly facilitate the management and administration of computers in your organization. When you create your own account for each user, you can easily assign him all the necessary access rights to a particular resource. I won’t tell you all the delights of AD, since the topic of this article is completely different, but I strongly recommend using it.

This also includes user access to the computer using an account. Since in organizations everyone has access, for example, to a neighbor’s computer, this should also not be allowed. For example, an employee went to the toilet, another person sat down at his computer and did something there. User assigned to this computer, comes and sees that something doesn’t work for him, it’s frozen or he can’t find some file, a testament, respectively, you. You tell him "What did you do?" in response he "I didn't do anything myself". To prevent this, it is necessary, as I already said, to create an account for each user and teach users to block it if they are separated from the computer, and thus a person who wants to sit at the computer in the absence of a responsible employee will not be able to do this, and if he needs it, then let him load his account. This can also be done forcefully, for example, by setting the OS settings so that the system is locked in case of inactivity, say after 10 minutes.

I would also like to add that access should be limited not only to files, directories or computers, but also to any other resources in your organization ( servers, equipment, etc.), or rather, not even limit, but allow access only to those resources that are necessary for a specific employee. In other words, by default the user is denied everything, and what you need you allow him. By the way, by doing so you will complete step 1 by prohibiting him from installing third-party software. Maintaining a clear scheme for delineating access rights is an integral part of an organization’s information security.

Static IP addressing

Quite often found in small offices, but problems still arise from it. If you think that DHCP is not needed for 50 computers, then you are mistaken. Someday you will encounter one of the most common problems when using static IP addressing - this is “ IP address conflict", because sooner or later you will simply forget where and what IPs you registered. Therefore, to eliminate another potential cause "allegedly" idle computer, it is better to use dynamic IP addressing.

Old or missing equipment

This is mostly an organizational issue. Many administrators simply turn a blind eye to the fact that, say, a couple of users work on very old computers, which you have already repeatedly tried to upgrade, using also old components. As a result, a bunch "blue screens of death". Or you need to purchase an additional server to offload the existing one, and you simply remain silent, although it is your direct responsibility to monitor the update and purchase of new equipment. This is absolutely wrong! You tell me "what can I do?". You can find 1000 and one reasons to convince your boss of the need of this equipment, for example, a new computer for an employee. And even if your boss is too greedy, after a couple or three attempts to correctly justify this purchase, he will allocate you money to purchase the necessary equipment.

Your laziness

Have you ever wondered why you are often asked to help with a problem that has been repeated many times by one user or another? There is only one answer “You didn’t eliminate the cause, you temporarily solved it!”. This advice comes down to "understanding the essence of the problem" and its elimination forever.

For example, there is one user who every day asks you to unload a frozen program or remove jammed paper from the printer. Of course, you help him, but you don’t solve the problem, since it will happen again in a couple of hours or the next day. In this case, it is necessary to understand why this happens and eliminate the very reason for the occurrence of such an error. Or, for example, the user’s computer periodically does not turn on, it is necessary to clearly understand why and solve this problem, if you cannot determine the reason why the computer does not start, then here are the common ones:

Many PC owners are faced with various errors and computer malfunctions, but cannot determine the cause of the problem. In this article, we will look at the main methods for diagnosing a computer, allowing you to independently identify and fix various problems.

Keep in mind that high-quality diagnostics of a computer can take the whole day; set aside a day in the morning specifically for this, and do not start everything in the late afternoon.

I warn you that I will write in detail as for beginners who have never disassembled a computer, in order to warn about all possible nuances that can lead to problems.

1. Disassembling and cleaning the computer

When disassembling and cleaning your computer, do not rush, do everything carefully so as not to damage anything. Place components in a pre-prepared safe place.

It is not advisable to start diagnostics before cleaning, since you will not be able to identify the cause of the malfunction if it is caused by clogged contacts or the cooling system. Additionally, diagnostics may fail to complete due to repeated failures.

Disable system unit from the outlet at least 15 minutes before cleaning, so that the capacitors have time to discharge.

Perform disassembly in the following sequence:

1. Disconnect all wires from the system unit.
2. Remove both side covers.
3. Disconnect the power connectors from the video card and remove it.
4. Remove all memory sticks.
5. Disconnect and remove cables from all drives.
6. Unscrew and remove all discs.
7. Disconnect all power supply cables.
8. Unscrew and remove the power supply.

motherboard, CPU cooler, there is no need to remove case fans; you can also leave the DVD drive if it works normally.

Carefully blow off the system unit and all components separately with a powerful stream of air from a vacuum cleaner without a dust bag.

Carefully remove the cover from the power supply and blow it out without touching the electrical parts and the board with your hands or metal parts, as there may be voltage in the capacitors!

If your vacuum cleaner does not work on blowing, but only on blowing, then it will be a little more difficult. Clean it well so that it pulls as much as possible. When cleaning, it is recommended to use a soft bristled brush.

You can also use a soft brush to remove stubborn dust.

Thoroughly clean the processor cooler heatsink, having first examined where and how much it is clogged with dust, since this is one of the common reasons CPU overheating and PC crashes.

Also make sure that the cooler mount is not broken, the clamp has not opened and the radiator is securely pressed to the processor.

Be careful when cleaning fans, do not let them spin too much and do not bring the vacuum cleaner attachment close if it does not have a brush, so as not to knock off the blade.

After cleaning, do not rush to put everything back together, but move on to the next steps.

2. Checking the motherboard battery

First thing after cleaning, so as not to forget later, I check the battery charge. motherboard, and at the same time I reset the BIOS. In order to pull it out, you need to press the latch with a flat screwdriver in the direction indicated in the photo and it will pop out on its own.

After this, you need to measure its voltage with a multimeter, optimally if it is within 2.5-3 V. The initial battery voltage is 3 V.

If the battery voltage is below 2.5 V, then it is advisable to change it. The voltage of 2 V is critically low and the PC is already starting to fail, which manifests itself in resetting the BIOS settings and stopping at the beginning of the PC boot with a prompt to press F1 or some other key to continue booting.

If you don’t have a multimeter, you can take the battery with you to the store and ask them to check it there, or just buy a replacement battery in advance, it’s standard and very inexpensive.

A clear sign of a dead battery is the date and time on the computer constantly disappearing.

The battery needs to be changed in a timely manner, but if you don’t have a replacement on hand right now, then simply do not disconnect the system unit from the power supply until you change the battery. In this case, the settings should not be lost, but problems may still arise, so do not delay.

Checking the battery good time For full reset BIOS. In this case, not only are they reset BIOS settings, which can be done through the Setup menu, but also the so-called volatile CMOS memory, which stores the parameters of all devices (processor, memory, video card, etc.).

Errors inCMOSoften cause the following problems:

• computer won't turn on
• turns on every other time
• turns on and nothing happens
• turns on and off by itself

I remind you that before resetting the BIOS, the system unit must be unplugged from the outlet, otherwise the CMOS will be powered by the power supply and nothing will work.

To reset the BIOS, use a screwdriver or other metal object to close the contacts in the battery connector for 10 seconds; this is usually enough to discharge the capacitors and complete cleaning CMOS.

A sign that a reset has occurred will be an erroneous date and time, which will need to be set in the BIOS the next time you boot the computer.

4. Visual inspection of components

Carefully inspect all capacitors on the motherboard for swelling or leaks, especially in the processor socket area.

Sometimes capacitors swell down instead of up, causing them to tilt as if they were just slightly bent or unevenly soldered.

If some capacitors are swollen, then you need to send the motherboard for repair as soon as possible and ask to resolder all the capacitors, including those located next to the swollen ones.

Also inspect the capacitors and other elements of the power supply; there should be no swelling, drips, or signs of burning.

Inspect the disc contacts for oxidation.

They can be cleaned with an eraser and after that be sure to replace the cable or power adapter that was used to connect this disk, since it is already damaged and most likely caused oxidation.

In general, check all the cables and connectors so that they are clean, have shiny contacts, and are tightly connected to the drives and motherboard. All cables that do not meet these requirements must be replaced.

Check that the wires from the front panel of the case to the motherboard are connected correctly.

It is important that the polarity be observed (plus to plus, minus to minus), since there is a common ground on the front panel and failure to observe the polarity will lead to a short circuit, which is why the computer may behave inappropriately (turn on every other time, turn off itself or reboot) .

Where the plus and minus in the front panel contacts is indicated on the board itself, in the paper manual for it and in the electronic version of the manual on the manufacturer’s website. The contacts of the wires from the front panel also indicate where the plus and minus are. Typically the white wire is the negative wire, and the positive connector may be indicated by a triangle on the plastic connector.

Many even experienced assemblers make a mistake here, so check.

5. Checking the power supply

If the computer did not turn on at all before cleaning, then do not rush to assemble it; first of all, you need to check the power supply. However, in any case, it won’t hurt to check the power supply; maybe it’s because of it that the computer is crashing.

Check the power supply fully assembled to avoid electric shock, short circuit, or accidental fan failure.

To test the power supply, connect the only green wire in the motherboard connector to any black one. This will signal to the power supply that it is connected to the motherboard, otherwise it will not turn on.

Then plug the power supply into the surge protector and press the button on it. Don't forget that the power supply itself may also have an on/off button.

A spinning fan should be a sign that the power supply is turned on. If the fan does not spin, it may be faulty and needs to be replaced.

In some silent power supplies, the fan may not start spinning immediately, but only under load; this is normal and can be checked while operating the PC.

Use a multimeter to measure the voltage between the contacts in the connectors for peripheral devices.

They should be approximately in the following range.

• 12 V (yellow-black) – 11.7-12.5 V
• 5 V (red-black) – 4.7-5.3 V
• 3.3 V (orange-black) – 3.1-3.5 V

If any voltage is missing or greatly exceeds the specified limits, then the power supply is faulty. It is best to replace it with a new one, but if the computer itself is inexpensive, then repairs are allowed; power supplies can be done easily and inexpensively.

Starting the power supply and normal stress a good sign, but in itself does not mean that the power supply is good, since failures can occur due to voltage drops or ripples under load. But this is already determined at subsequent stages of testing.

6. Checking power contacts

Be sure to check all electrical contacts from the outlet to the system unit. The socket must be modern (suitable for a European plug), reliable and not loose, with clean elastic contacts. The same requirements apply to the surge protector and the cable from the computer's power supply.

Contact must be reliable, plugs and connectors must not dangle, spark, or be oxidized. Pay close attention to this, since poor contact is often the cause of failure of the system unit, monitor and other peripheral devices.

If you suspect the quality of the socket, surge protector, power cable of the system unit or monitor, then change them as quickly as possible to avoid computer failure. Do not delay or save on this, as repairing a PC or monitor will cost much more.

Also, poor contact is often the cause of PC malfunctions, which are accompanied by a sudden shutdown or reboot with subsequent failures on the hard drive and, as a result, malfunction operating system.

Failures can also occur due to voltage drops or ripples in the 220 V network, especially in the private sector and remote areas of the city. In this case, failures may occur even when the computer is idle. Try measuring the voltage in the outlet immediately after the computer spontaneously turns off or restarts and watch the readings for a while. This way you can identify long-term drawdowns, from which a linear-interactive UPS with a stabilizer will save you.

7. Assembling and turning on the computer

After cleaning and inspecting the PC, carefully reassemble it and carefully check that you have connected everything you need. If the computer refused to turn on before cleaning or turned on only once, then it is advisable to connect the components one by one. If there were no such problems, then skip the next section.

7.1. Step-by-step PC assembly

First, connect the motherboard power connector and the processor power connector to the motherboard with the processor. Do not insert RAM, video card or connect disks.

Turn on the power of the PC and if motherboard everything is fine, the processor cooler fan should spin up. Also, if a beeper is connected to the motherboard, a beep code usually sounds indicating the absence random access memory.

Memory installation

Turn off the computer with a short or (if that doesn’t work) long press of the power button on the system unit and insert one stick of RAM into the colored slot closest to the processor. If all the slots are the same color, then just go to the one closest to the processor.

Make sure that the memory stick is inserted evenly until it stops and that the latches snap into place, otherwise it may be damaged when you turn on the PC.

If the computer starts up with one stick of memory and there is a beeping sound, then a code usually sounds indicating that there is no video card (if there is no integrated graphics). If the beep code indicates problems with the RAM, then try inserting another stick in the same place. If the problem continues or there is no other bracket, then move the bracket to another nearby slot. If there are no sounds, then everything is probably fine, continue further.

Turn off the computer and insert the second memory stick into the slot of the same color. If the motherboard has 4 slots of the same color, then follow the instructions for the motherboard so that the memory is in the slots recommended for dual-channel mode. Then turn it on again and check whether the PC turns on and what sound signals it makes.

If you have 3 or 4 memory sticks, then simply insert them one by one, turning the PC off and on each time. If the computer does not start with a certain stick or produces a memory error code, then this stick is faulty. You can also check the motherboard slots by moving the working strip into different slots.

Some motherboards have a red indicator that lights up in case of memory problems, and sometimes a segment indicator with an error code, the explanation of which is in the motherboard manual.

If the computer starts, then further memory testing occurs at another stage.

Installing a video card

It's time to test the video card by inserting it into the top PCI-E slot x16 (or AGP for older PCs). Don't forget to connect additional power to the video card with the appropriate connectors.

With a video card, the computer should start normally, without beeps, or with a single sound signal, indicating normal completion of the self-test.

If the PC does not turn on or emits a video card error code, then it is most likely faulty. But don't rush to conclusions, sometimes you just need to connect a monitor and keyboard.

Connecting a monitor

Turn off the PC and connect the monitor to the video card (or motherboard if there is no video card). Make sure that the connector to the video card and monitor is connected tightly; sometimes tight connectors do not go in all the way, which is the reason for the absence of an image on the screen.

Turn on the monitor and make sure that the correct signal source is selected on it (the connector to which the PC is connected, if there are several of them).

Turn on the computer and a graphical splash screen and text messages from the motherboard should appear on the screen. Usually this is a prompt to enter the BIOS using the F1 key, a message about the absence of a keyboard or boot devices, this is normal.

If the computer silently turns on, but there is nothing on the screen, there is most likely something wrong with the video card or monitor. The video card can only be checked by moving it to a working computer. The monitor can be connected to another work PC or device (laptop, player, tuner, etc.). Don't forget to select the desired signal source in the monitor settings.

Connecting a keyboard and mouse

If everything is fine with the video card and monitor, then move on. Connect the keyboard first, then the mouse, one at a time, turning the PC off and on each time. If the computer freezes after connecting a keyboard or mouse, it means they need to be replaced - it happens!

Connecting drives

If the computer starts with a keyboard and mouse, then we begin to connect one by one hard disks. First, connect the second drive without the operating system (if you have one).

Do not forget that in addition to connecting the interface cable to the motherboard, you also need to connect the connector from the power supply to the drive.

Then turn on the computer and if it comes to BIOS messages, then everything is fine. If the PC does not turn on, freezes or turns itself off, then the controller of this disk is faulty and needs to be replaced or repaired to save the data.

Turn off the computer and connect the DVD drive (if any) with an interface cable and power supply. If problems arise after this, then the drive has a power failure and needs to be replaced; repairing it usually makes no sense.

At the end we connect the main system disk and getting ready to enter the BIOS for initial setup before starting the operating system. We turn on the computer and if everything is fine, move on to the next step.

When you turn on your computer for the first time, go to the BIOS. Usually, the Delete key is used for this, less often others (F1, F2, F10 or Esc), which is indicated in the prompts at the beginning of the boot.

On the first tab, set the date and time, and on the “Boot” tab, select your first boot device HDD with the operating system.

On older motherboards with a classic BIOS it may look like this.

On more modern ones with a UEFI graphical shell it is a little different, but the meaning is the same.

To exit the BIOS and save the settings, press F10. Don't be distracted and watch the operating system load completely to notice possible problems.

After the PC has finished booting, check whether the fans of the processor cooler, power supply and video card are working, otherwise there is no point in further testing.

Some modern video cards may not turn on the fans until a certain temperature of the video chip is reached.

If any of the case fans does not work, then it’s not a big deal, just plan to replace it in the near future, don’t be distracted by it now.

8. Error analysis

This is where diagnostics essentially begin, and everything described above was just preparation, after which many problems could go away and without it there was no point in starting testing.

8.1. Enabling Memory Dumps

If blue screens of death (BSOD) appear while your computer is running, this can make troubleshooting much easier. A prerequisite for this is the presence of memory dumps (or at least self-written error codes).

To check or enable the dump recording function, press the “Win ​​+ R” key combination on your keyboard, enter “sysdm.cpl” in the line that appears and press OK or Enter.

In the window that appears, go to the “Advanced” tab and in the “Boot and Recovery” section, click the “Options” button.

The “Record debugging information” field should be “Small memory dump”.

If so, then you should already have dumps of previous errors in the "C:\Windows\Minidump" folder.

If this option was not enabled, then dumps were not saved, enable it at least now to be able to analyze errors if they recur.

Memory dumps may not be created in time during serious failures that involve rebooting or shutting down the PC. Also, some system cleaning utilities and antivirus programs can remove them; you must disable the system cleaning function during diagnostics.

If there are dumps in the specified folder, then we proceed to their analysis.

8.2. Memory dump analysis

To analyze memory dumps in order to identify what leads to failures, there is a wonderful utility “BlueScreenView”, which you can download along with other diagnostic utilities in the “” section.

This utility shows the files in which the failure occurred. These files belong to the operating system, device drivers, or some program. Accordingly, based on the file’s ownership, you can determine which device or software caused the failure.

If you cannot boot your computer in normal mode, then try booting into safe mode by holding down the “F8” key immediately after the motherboard’s graphical splash screen disappears or text messages BIOS.

Go through the dumps and see which files appear most often as the culprits of the failure, they are highlighted in red. Right-click on one of these files and view its Properties.

In our case, it is easy to determine that the file belongs to the nVidia video card driver and most of the errors were caused by it.

In addition, some dumps contained the file “dxgkrnl.sys”, even from the name of which it is clear that it refers to DirectX, which is directly related to 3D graphics. This means that it is most likely that the video card is to blame for the failure, which should be subjected to thorough testing, which we will also consider.

In the same way, you can determine that the fault is caused by a sound card, network card, hard drive, or some program that penetrates deeply into the system, such as an antivirus. For example, if a disk fails, the controller driver will crash.

If you cannot determine which driver or program a particular file belongs to, then look for this information on the Internet by the file name.

If failures occur in the driver sound card, then most likely it has failed. If it is integrated, then you can disable it through the BIOS and install another discrete one. The same can be said about the network card. However, network failures can be caused, which is often resolved by updating the driver network card and connecting to the Internet via a router.

In any case, do not make hasty conclusions until the diagnostics are completely completed; maybe your Windows is simply faulty or a virus has entered, which can be solved by reinstalling the system.

Also in the BlueScreenView utility you can see the error codes and inscriptions that were on the blue screen. To do this, go to the “Options” menu and select the “Blue Screen in XP Style” view or press the “F8” key.

After that, switching between errors, you will see how they looked on the blue screen.

You can also find by error code possible reason problems on the Internet, but depending on the ownership of the files, this is easier and more reliable. To return to the previous view, you can use the “F6” key.

If errors always appear different files and various error codes, then this is a sign possible problems with RAM in which everything crashes. We will diagnose it first.

9. Testing RAM

Even if you think that the problem is not in the RAM, still check it first. Sometimes a place has several problems, and if the RAM fails, then diagnosing everything else is quite difficult due to frequent PC failures.

Performing a memory test from the boot disk is a must so that you can get accurate results in the operating room. Windows system It's difficult on a faulty PC.

In addition, “Hiren’s BootCD” contains several alternative memory tests in case “Memtest 86+” does not start and many more useful utilities for the test hard drives, video memory, etc.

You can download the “Hiren’s BootCD” image in the same place as everything else – in the “” section. If you do not know how to properly burn such an image to CD or DVD disc, refer to the article where we looked at, here everything is done exactly the same.

Set the BIOS to boot from the DVD drive or use the Boot Menu as described in, boot from Hiren's BootCD and run Memtest 86+.

Testing can last from 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the speed and amount of RAM. One full pass must be completed and the test will go around the second round. If everything is fine with the memory, then after the first pass (Pass 1) there should be no errors (Errors 0).

After this, testing can be interrupted using the “Esc” key and the computer will reboot.

If there were errors, you will have to test each strip separately, removing all the others to determine which one is broken.

If the broken bar is still under warranty, then take a photo from the screen using a camera or smartphone and present it to the warranty department of the store or service center(although in most cases this is not necessary).

In any case, it is not advisable to use a PC with broken memory and carry out further diagnostics before replacing it, since various incomprehensible errors will appear.

10. Preparation for component tests

Everything else, except RAM, is tested under Windows. Therefore, in order to exclude the influence of the operating system on the test results, it is advisable to do, if necessary, temporarily and the most.

If this is difficult for you or you don’t have time, then you can try testing for old system. But, if failures occur due to problems in the operating system, some driver, program, virus, antivirus (i.e. in the software part), then testing the hardware will not help determine this and you may go down the wrong path. And on a clean system you will have the opportunity to see how the computer behaves and completely eliminate the influence of the software component.

Personally, I always do everything as expected from start to finish as described in this article. Yes, it takes a whole day, but if you ignore my advice, you can struggle for weeks without identifying the cause of the problem.

The fastest and easiest way is to test the processor, unless of course obvious signs, that the problem is in the video card, which we will talk about below.

If your computer starts to slow down some time after turning it on, freezes when watching videos or playing games, suddenly reboots or turns off under load, then there is a possibility of the processor overheating. In fact, this is one of the most common causes of such problems.

At the cleaning and visual inspection stage, you should have made sure that the processor cooler is not clogged with dust, its fan is spinning, and the radiator is securely pressed against the processor. I also hope that you did not remove it when cleaning, as this requires replacing the thermal paste, which I will talk about later.

We will use “CPU-Z” for a stress test with warming up the processor, and “HWiNFO” to monitor its temperature. Although, it is better to use for temperature monitoring proprietary utility motherboard, it is more precise. For example, for ASUS it is “PC Probe”.

To begin with, it would be a good idea to find out the maximum allowable thermal envelope of your processor (T CASE). For example, for my Core i7-6700K it is 64 °C.

You can find out by going to the manufacturer’s website from an Internet search. This is the critical temperature in the heat spreader (under the processor cover), the maximum allowed by the manufacturer. Do not confuse this with core temperature, which is usually higher and is also displayed in some utilities. Therefore, we will focus not on the temperature of the cores according to the processor sensors, but on the overall temperature of the processor according to the readings of the motherboard.

In practice, for most older processors, the critical temperature above which failures begin is 60 °C. The most modern processors They can also operate at 70 °C, which is also critical for them. You can find out the actual stable temperature of your processor from tests on the Internet.

So, we launch both utilities – “CPU-Z” and “HWiNFO”, find the processor temperature sensor (CPU) in the motherboard indicators, run the test in “CPU-Z” with the “Stress CPU” button and observe the temperature.

If after 10-15 minutes of the test the temperature is 2-3 degrees below the critical temperature for your processor, then there is nothing to worry about. But, if there were failures under high load, then it is better to run this test for 30-60 minutes. If your PC freezes or reboots during testing, you should consider improving cooling.

Please note that a lot also depends on the temperature in the room; it is possible that in cooler conditions the problem will not appear, but in hotter conditions it will immediately make itself felt. So you always need cooling with a reserve.

If your CPU is overheating, check if your cooler is compatible. If not, then you need to change it; no tricks will help here. If the cooler is powerful enough, but can’t handle it a little, then you should change the thermal paste to a more effective one; at the same time, the cooler itself may be installed more successfully.

Among inexpensive but very good thermal pastes, I can recommend Artic MX-4.

It must be applied in a thin layer, having first removed the old paste with dry material and then with cotton wool soaked in alcohol.

Replacing thermal paste will give you a gain of 3-5 °C; if this is not enough, then simply install additional case fans, at least the most inexpensive ones.

14. Disk testing

This is the longest step after the RAM test, so I prefer to leave it for last. To begin with, you can conduct a speed test of all drives using the “HDTune” utility, for which I give “”. This sometimes helps to identify freezes when accessing the disk, which indicates problems with it.

Look at the SMART parameters, where the “disk health” is displayed, there should be no red lines and the overall disk status should be “OK”.

You can download a list of the main SMART parameters and what they are responsible for in the “” section.

A full surface test can be performed using the same Windows utilities. The process may take 2-4 hours depending on the size and speed of the disk (about 1 hour for every 500 MB). Upon completion of the test, there should not be a single broken block, which are highlighted in red.

The presence of such a block is an unequivocal death sentence for the disk and is a 100% guaranteed case. Save your data faster and change the disk, just don’t tell the service that you dropped your laptop

You can check the surface of both regular hard drives (HDD) and solid state drives(SSD). The latter really don’t have any surface, but if the HDD or SSD drive will freeze every time during the test, which means that the electronics are most likely faulty - it needs to be replaced or repaired (the latter is unlikely).

If you are unable to diagnose a disk under Windows, the computer crashes or freezes, then try doing this using the MHDD utility from the Hiren’s BootCD boot disk.

Problems with the controller (electronics) and the disk surface lead to error windows in the operating system, short-term and complete freezes of the computer. Typically these are messages about the inability to read a particular file and memory access errors.

Such errors can be mistaken for problems with the RAM, while the disk may well be to blame. Before you panic, try updating the disk controller driver or, conversely, returning the original one Windows driver as described in .

15. Testing the optical drive

For check optical drive Usually it's enough to just burn a disc with verification. For example, using the “Astroburn” program, it is in the “” section.

After burning a disc with a message about successful verification, try copying its entire contents on another computer. If the disk is readable and the drive reads other disks (except for hard-to-read ones), then everything is fine.

Some of the problems I have encountered with the drive include electronics failures that completely freeze or prevent the computer from turning on, failures of the retractable mechanism, contamination of the laser head lens, and breakage of the head as a result of improper cleaning. In most cases, everything is solved by replacing the drive; fortunately, they are inexpensive and even if they have not been used for several years, they die from dust.

16. Body check

The case also sometimes breaks, sometimes the button gets stuck, sometimes the wiring from the front panel falls off, sometimes it shorts out in the USB connector. All this can lead to unpredictable behavior of the PC and can be solved by thorough inspection, cleaning, a tester, a soldering iron and other available means.

The main thing is that nothing short-circuits, as evidenced by a non-working light bulb or connector. If in doubt, disconnect all wires from the front panel of the case and try working on the computer for a while.

17. Checking the motherboard

Often, checking a motherboard comes down to checking all components. If all components individually work normally and pass tests, the operating system is reinstalled, but the computer still crashes, the problem may be with the motherboard. And here I can’t help you; only an experienced electronics engineer can diagnose it and identify a problem with the chipset or processor socket.

The exception is the failure of the sound or network card, which can be solved by disabling them in the BIOS and installing separate expansion cards. You can resolder the capacitors in the motherboard, but, say, replacing the north bridge is usually not advisable, since it is expensive and there are no guarantees; it is better to immediately buy a new motherboard.

18. If all else fails

Of course, it is always better to discover the problem yourself and determine The best way solutions, since some unscrupulous repairmen try to pull the wool over your eyes and rip off your skin.

But it may happen that you follow all the recommendations, but cannot identify the problem, this has happened to me. In this case, the problem is most often in the motherboard or in the power supply; there may be a microcrack in the PCB and it makes itself felt from time to time.

In this case, there is nothing you can do, take the entire system unit to a more or less well-established computer company. There is no need to carry components in parts if you are not sure what is wrong, the issue will never be resolved. Let them sort it out, especially if the computer is still under warranty.

Computer store specialists usually don’t worry, they have a lot of different components, they just change something and see if the problem goes away, thus quickly and easily fixing the problem. They also have enough time to conduct tests.

19. Links

Transcend JetFlash 790 8GB
Hard drive Western Digital Caviar Blue WD10EZEX 1 TB
Transcend StoreJet 25A3 TS1TSJ25A3K

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If you don't find the solution you need here, ask a question at VKontakte group, I will try to help.

General issues

The computer slows down and freezes. What to do?

There are many reasons for a computer to slow down. To begin with, we should exclude the most obvious ones - we check for viruses using.

Also make sure you have the latest drivers installed. For example, if games are slow, it may be due to the video driver. I talked in detail about the drivers

The reason for the brakes may also be running programs. I advise you to clean your startup. Also pay attention to the lower right corner of the screen - near the clock there are icons of some running programs, close them.

Another good advice speeding up your computer - .

The program throws an error. How to fix it?

Very frequently asked question. Unfortunately, users do not understand that the question is not addressed to a telepath. When asked Necessarily you must indicate the verbatim text of the error, actions that led to the error, version installed operating system.

Typically, searching for the text of the error on Google will yield several solutions to the problem.

How to speed up your computer?

The tips are the same as when slowing down a computer. There are several articles on my website dedicated to.

Are there programs to speed up your computer?

Answer - No. There is only a set that allows the full potential of the computer's computing power to be revealed. All kinds of accelerators are, if not a lie, then obvious deceit. There are no miracles. To make your computer run faster, install faster components.

The computer restarts while playing games. What to do?

There are many reasons. The most common:

1. Overheating -
2. Incorrectly working driver (about reinstalling the driver).
3. Hardware problem. It can be detected by inserting the video card into another computer - if there is a reboot, the reason is that the video card is broken. Or, again, it's overheating, so check for overheating first.

The computer restarts on its own. How to solve this problem?

The most likely reason is BSOD. What is it and how to solve it, read

It could also be overheating (see question above).

Less common reasons for a computer to shut down spontaneously:

1. short circuit of any connectors;
2. a loose cord running from the outlet to the system unit;
3. lack of grounding (yes, in addition to the phase and neutral available in the sockets, it is highly advisable to connect a normal ground to the computer);
4. power surges (a stabilizer is needed);
5. faulty power supply or motherboard.

The latter is difficult to diagnose at home. If you have ruled out all other causes, take it to a service center for diagnostics.

The computer shows a blue screen with white text. What is this?

The computer is overheating. What to do?

What to do if there is no sound?

Most likely, the driver for the sound card is not installed. My installation advice is

Administrator rights are required to copy files to a flash drive. What to do?

The easiest way is to format the flash drive in FAT32 and the problem will disappear. When you need to transfer files larger than 4 GB each to a flash drive - .

Windows-related issues

How to install Windows 8?

Where to download Windows 8?

How to install Windows 7?

Where to download Windows 7?

How much RAM does Windows 7 need?

Minimum - 512 MB. Of course, the more, the better. Read more about system requirements Windows 7

How to create a USB flash drive with Windows installation?

To install Windows from a flash drive, you need to prepare it. The instructions apply to both Windows 7 and Windows 8.

How to boot from a boot disk or flash drive?

How to install two or more Windows on one computer?

You need to install Windows on different partitions hard drive or different hard drives. Read more about this There are a lot of instructions on this topic on the Internet.

What to do if Windows updates won't download?

Usually an error code is reported. Type it into Google - most likely there is already a solution.

Virus protection, security

Where can I download a free antivirus?

Programs

Where can I download interesting programs?

A list of convenient program directories is located

Which programs can be removed and which cannot?

It all depends on the needs - both yours and the laptops. Come to Control Panel - Programs and Features, see the list. If any of installed programs unknown to you, type its name into Google or Yandex. Knowing its purpose, you can decide whether to delete it or not.

How to clean your computer from unnecessary files?

For this there is good program.

The program requires administrator rights. What to do?

Right-click on the program shortcut/file - Run as administrator. Why is this necessary and how to simplify it, it is written

The virus deleted files from the flash drive. How to recover?

The easiest way is with free program. However, it is quite possible that the files were not deleted, but were simply hidden. How to “return” them and how to simplify this process, I told in.

How to format a flash drive?

Browsers

Websites in Google Chrome require you to update Flash Player, although the latest one is already installed. What to do?

Open the page chrome://plugins/, click on the right More details, then turn everything off Flash Player's, except the most new version(you will see by the numbers which version is the latest).

Linux Questions

Should I try installing Linux?

In my opinion, this is more than necessary. Even if not a single distribution from the Linux family suits you (Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Mint, Mandriva, Debian, Fedora, ALT Linux, etc.), you will gain experience and your own opinion.

There are many distributions (assemblies, in other words) of Linux. Most often, novice users choose a distribution that is not suitable for their tasks, end up with a negative opinion and forget about Linux as if it were a bad dream. In fact, there are a great many distributions for a wide range of tasks. Distributions differ in literally everything - from the kernel version to the set of installed programs. Externally, the interface also varies greatly due to different “desktop environments”: some like Gnome, others KDE, others XFCE or Openbox, IceWM...

OpenSUSE is very good distribution Linux. First of all, I would like to note a very flexible installation program, thanks to which you can install only those programs that you need and discard unnecessary ones. Of course, nothing prevents you from installing (or uninstalling) programs in any version of Linux after installation, but this is essentially a waste of time. The OpenSUSE installer thus saves time. You can download OpenSUSE from the download page.

How to install Linux with Windows?

On the one hand, there is nothing complicated there - just create free space on your hard drive, as I described here, then specify this location for installation to the Linux installer. On the other hand, there are plenty of pitfalls - either the installation program will come across with errors, or it will be too incomprehensible, or something else... Therefore, I recommend reading - using Ubuntu as an example, you can install any Linux distributions.

Entries from the category "Computer problems"

If you have a computer, then you have problems. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, you cannot do without computer problems. Some problems are not worth a damn, and you can solve them yourself if you know how. This is precisely why this section was created, so that you can learn to solve computer problems yourself.

All materials are well illustrated and many include videos on the accompanying topic. Under each article there is a form feedback in the form of comments, where you can ask your question and quickly receive a qualified answer.

Sooner or later, a computer user faces a question: how to transfer a program from disk to another hard drive without reinstalling it. Moreover, most often this question arises among game lovers, because... The computer starts to slow down a lot and even reboots at the most interesting point. Even if you have a terabyte hard drive, this does not mean that you can put everything on it ad infinitum. Advanced users install the operating system on a disk with a small capacity, and transfer all programs and games to other disks so that they do not...

Nowadays, more and more users install not one, but several operating systems on their computer. Such systems can be not only Windows. It is not always convenient that more is loaded by default new system, namely Windows 10. Some people prefer to work in Windows 7 or even Windows XP. Naturally, in this case, it would be more convenient for the download to start from the system in which you most often work. How to change the boot order of operating systems? IN any Windows You can change the boot order without installing...

Often when reinstalling an operating system, it happens that something went wrong the first time, and you have to repeat the procedure. In this case, when the system boots, a duplicate entry appears, which does not actually work, but is an eyesore and asks “Choose me!” How do I remove a system from boot that still doesn't work? As always, the problem can be solved different ways. You can simply disable this entry through “Boot and Recovery”, or you can completely remove it from the boot menu. Selecting operating system at boot...

Creating a bootable USB flash drive in UltraIso is easier than creating boot disk, because You don't need a burning program and you don't need the disc itself. In addition, modern laptops do not have a disk drive, which means that installing the operating system from a flash drive will be the only correct option, although you can install the system in other, more complex ways. What is needed for registration bootable flash drive in UltraISO For this we need: A flash drive of at least 4 GB; UltraISO program; Disk image. Download the program from the Internet and install it on your computer. Disk image...

Many people work on a computer for years and do not even realize that it is working at half capacity, i.e. in the best case, one or two cores are involved, and the rest are simply resting. While you are working in office programs, it's not noticeable, but as soon as you go to graphics programs or games, the lack of these cores becomes very noticeable. How to check and enable all microprocessor cores? How many cores are on my computer? A processor core performs mathematical calculations based on a specific set of instructions. From how powerful...

You may have already decided that the computer problem you are facing cannot be fixed by your own hands, or at least is not worth spending your time on. Naturally, every person may have prejudices, and such people will not touch the computer, entrusting everything to a specialist - nothing can be done about it. But if you are in doubt, it is recommended that you first look at the problem yourself - this will help you save time, nerves and money. Before you call tech support or go to an appliance repair store, you should still try your hand at troubleshooting. Anyone who has worked with computers for any length of time can tell you that there are extremely simple things that would cut into the profits of repair shops and computer specialists incredibly greatly if people noticed them on their own. You can save hundreds of dollars, as well as a corresponding amount of your nerves and your precious time, if you follow the tips described below. There you will find a few simple steps that you should perform every time you feel like it’s time to call a technician or take your computer to a repair shop.

Restarting the computer

Everyone knows the joke that technical support invites all clients with computer problems to try turning it off and on again. But there is some truth in every joke, so you definitely shouldn't ignore this extremely simple, but sometimes incredibly useful step. Many experts who are called to your home to fix computers listen to long stories about what exactly is wrong, and then simply reboot the computer and all the problems go away. And that doesn't mean they have a magic touch - it's just that many computers can experience temporary problems that are resolved by a simple reboot, which clears memory and restarts processes. Make sure you restart your computer before calling a professional to fix it. And the problem, quite possibly, will simply disappear.

Clearing your web browser cache

There is another joke that has appeared recently - it says that clearing the browser cache, which stores data about the pages you visit on your hard drive, can solve all problems related to the Internet. Naturally, this is an exaggeration - clearing the cache will not solve every problem, but this process can help in many situations. Clearing the cache is an extremely simple process; every web browser has the option, even if you have to go through several menu options to do it. And if you have any problems with the Internet, with your web browser, or with displaying certain pages, clear the cache before contacting a specialist.

Virus scanning

Naturally, scanning computers with an antivirus is the first idea that comes to the mind of every person who notices viruses on their computer. However, unfortunately, viruses very rarely reveal their presence explicitly. It's great if your antivirus program informs you about the presence of a threat, but it is not always able to identify the danger. Very often, viruses manifest themselves in computer sluggishness, random error messages, windows freezing, and so on. Therefore, do not rely entirely on real-time protection - if you have problems, update your antivirus databases and run a full scan to identify absolutely all possible hidden threats.

Reinstalling the program

A large number of computer problems stem from software. This means that problems only occur when opening, closing and using certain software. This type of problem may make you think that your entire computer needs repair, especially if you use a particular program frequently, but in fact the solution is quite simple - reinstalling that program. Reinstallation means removing the program completely (including from the computer registry), and then reinstallation her from scratch. So if you suspect that your computer problem is coming from software, then you should try the reinstallation method.

Removing browser cookies

The browser saves these files on your computer’s hard drive (like the cache discussed above) to make it more convenient for you to explore the Internet. So if you have problems logging into some sites, or a large number of error messages appear when surfing the Internet, first clear your cookies, and then contact a specialist if this method does not help.

conclusions

So, which of these steps above can you not do on your own? Which one will take you more than two minutes? All of them are extremely primitive and accessible to everyone, so if you just know about their existence, you can greatly make your life easier, reduce costs, save time and save your nerves. You should always remember that you can fix it yourself. own computer in most cases, and you don't need to be a computer genius or a certified specialist to do this. All you have to do is remember a couple simple actions, which solve at least half of the existing current problems with computer technology.