How Do I Fix My PC if it Keeps Crashing?

It's happened to most of us - those dreaded computer problems! Maybe the screen suddenly turned blue or maybe your computer keeps shutting down for no good reason. Sometimes computers truly do seem to have minds of their own. Here are some things to try when you have to ask the question, "How do I fix my PC when it keeps crashing?"

1. Computer crashes often occur when you have accidentally downloaded a virus or trojan to your hard drive. Run your anti-virus program immediately and see what it finds. Remove any viruses that it locates. Some viruses are very difficult to remove and may actually require a multi-step removal process. If this happens to be your case, check out some of the computer technician forums online to see if someone can help you. Several of them offer excellent step-by-step instructions to follow. However, if you don't feel up to the challenge, it's time to call a computer technician.

2. If you run your anti-virus program and don't encounter any problems, it's time to check for spyware. You should already have a spyware program that you regularly use. (If you don't have one, put this on your list of things to get as soon as possible.) Go ahead and scan your entire system and see what it shows. If there is something that shouldn't be there, go ahead and get rid of it. Again, if it's something you don't feel comfortable handling yourself, contact a computer technician.

3. Another thing to consider is the possibility that your computer hard drive may be overheating. Most of us forget that a computer is also a machine with fans and cooling systems. Unless you are very computer-savvy, you will need help repairing this type of problem.

4. Most computer crashes and error messages are actually related to problems with your Windows registry. Whenever you install new programs on your computer, they make changes to the registry. Sometimes this can corrupt the registry.

5. If you've tried everything else and your computer is still crashing, you will probably need to reformat your hard drive and re-install the operating program. The average computer user will not feel comfortable doing this on his or her own so a computer technician should be consulted. They can help you to possibly recover your data while also cleaning your system of any unwanted viruses or spyware.

Here are some steps you can take to proactively protect your computer:

1. Purchase a good registry cleaning program and use it regularly to help prevent unnecessary computer crashes. This will also keep your computer system running faster and more efficiently.

2. Keep your anti-virus and spyware programs up to date and use them on a regular schedule. Install all recommended updates because new viruses and trojans appear on the Internet everyday.

3. Download and install all recommended Microsoft updates if you are using a Windows system.

4. Learn how to clean the inside of your computer casing so that dust does not accumulate and cause overheating of your system.

Take the time to develop a regular schedule of computer maintenance, both inside and out, and you can avoid the problem with frequent computer crashes.