Computer failure
or crashes often occur suddenly and with very little warning. Most failures are
not as random as they seem, though. There will actually be a number of
potential warning signs. When you notice the following, please call the local
tech support company you are subscribed to:
Hardware conflicts
Sometimes, two
components in a PC will try to consume the same resources or perform the same
task. This creates a hardware conflict and it will show itself in unusual
behavior when certain tasks are done. You can check for hardware conflict by
opening Windows’ Device Manager in the control panel. Hardware with a conflict
will appear with a yellow exclamation point next to it.
Program corruption or random
file issues
Files that
always worked suddenly don’t open or only work on occasions. They may or may
not be accompanied by an error message. This may be caused by a failing hard
drive, or worse, a virus.
Noisy mechanical hard
drive
Mechanical hard
drives are likely sources of problems with PC’s. They contain mechanical parts
that will eventually wear out, causing the system to fail.
If you find that
programs or files are taking a long time to load or that the drive has become
noisy while working, then your hard drive could be nearing the end of its
life. Back
up your data and call your tech support company.
Occasional boot errors
When there is boot
error, you will see an error message that reads “boot device not found.”
Windows will fail to boot, but it may work at a later time, or work immediately
once you hit the reset button. This is a sign that something is wrong with your
hard drive, or that your Windows OS has somehow become corrupt.
Software launches at
random
Software that
launches on its own is a clue that you may be a victim of malware. Often, the
programs that appear will be linked to advertisements, but any Trojan can allow
this. You may also notice that certain hardware, like the webcam, may activate
without your consent. This tampering may eventually lead to problems as your PC
is exposed to unwanted programs or its files are corrupted maliciously.
Video artifacts
The video that
you view on a PC, no matter its source, is effectively a stream of data that’s
turned into an image. An error in that data can cause an “artifact,” which may
appear as blocks of random colour, strange lines, or partially missing 3D
geometry. All of these problems are signs that your PC’s graphics processor is
encountering an issue. Often, the problem is excessive heat. It could also mean
that the graphics processing unit is old and should be replaced.
Unusually loud system fan
A computer with fans that are noisy may be
screaming for help because its internals are too warm, a situation that can
eventually lead to a crash and even hardware damage.
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