Sometimes it's difficult to tell what's going on with your computer, and it seems as if the only way out is the dreaded Flush & Fill (reformat and reinstall). But the F&F (as we call it) won't fix hardware problems, and since those are easier to fix, start here before tinkering with software too much:
1. Clean and reseat everything.
It's probably about time to take your box out for a date with an air compressor. Blow it out, then remove all the PCI cards and drive connections, even memory and the processor, then put them back in (the same places they came from, of course). There's this little-known fact that dissimilar metals in connectors will corrode just a little over time, and that builds up resistance which causes flakiness. Just reseating gives you a clean contact, and most general flakiness will disappear.
(And BTW - a word of experience - DON'T use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment. Air over the brushes creates static, and one little zap can ruin your whole day.)
2. Rule out heat related problems.
If your computer is located next to a space heater or furnace register, move it!
If it's in a cool place, shut it down, take the lid off and then start it up. Observe the cooling fans. Depending on the model all the fans should run for a few seconds, then slow down or stop. That is normal. If a fan doesn't move, is making a rattling or grinding noise, or is having a hard time starting, it's time to replace the fan. That's a simple task you can probably do yourself. Use a screwdriver to remove the fan and take it to the computer store for a replacement. If the fan is in the power supply, you can easily replace the power supply.
If the machine works reliably for awhile then gets flaky, it could be one of two things: you either have a component failing when it gets to operating temperature, or internal temperatures are running too hot and you need to add fans to increase cooling. To test, leave the case open and blow a big box fan into it. If it still acts up, it's probably NOT a heat related failure, but it may still be a bad component. Many computers have cooling settings in the BIOS setup. When you restart look for the legend "Press F2 (or another keystroke) for Setup." In this BIOS screen find the fan speed settings and increase them. (If the computer does not have fan speed settings, you may have to add fans for cooling.)
One of the things that kills electronic components prematurely is the heat/cool cycle. It's best to leave your computer on 24/7. Not only is it ready when you need it, it does its updating overnight when you're asleep, and it reduces the thermal stress. Dusty environments are an exception to this rule. Laptops should only be run overnight occasionally for updating.
3. Rule out bad components
To test for a bad component, take everything out of the computer except video card and the boot disk. Start it up and run it until it would normally quit. If it continues working, add components back in one at a time. When it quits working you've found the faulty part. If it quits from the get-go, you know it's either the video card, the memory or the motherboard. The simplest of these to test is the memory. Take some out. If it works, swap it with the other sticks and try again. Keep doing this until you find the bad stick. (Note that some memory must be installed in pairs).
If an on-board component (one that is soldered onto the motherboard like a USB, network or video port) has failed, you might be lucky and be able to replace it with an add-in card. But often the failure of an on-board component indicates something else going on, and you get what's called a cascade failure. One day when you least expect it, the thing just won't go. The good news in such a case is that your data is safe on your hard disk. The bad news is you need a new motherboard, and the obsolescence cycle is such that you probably can't replace it exactly. So that means a new processor and memory as well. And Windows is not portable to different hardware (unless you're running a virtual machine, so you have to reinstall everything. Often it's cheaper just to buy a new computer and attach your old hard drive as a data disk (the "Ultimate Flush & Fill"). Before you do, download the "insert" file from our Download page and place it on your desktop as wallpaper. (It won't do anything, but it might make you laugh about the problem.)
4. Rule out disk related problems.
Your hard disk (hard drive) is probably the most critical component in your computer, because it stores all the data when the machine is turned off. When (not if) the disk finally dies, you could lose all your data, including music, photos or critical documents. Hopefully you have a backup routine where you copy your data to removable storage. If not, start one!
But disks usually give you warnings before they completely croak. If the disk is making a loud whining sound, the bearings are nearing the end of life, and the thing probably won't spin much longer. Time to "clone" the disk to a new one. You will need "cloning" software like Acronis Tru-Image to do that.
If you start seeing random program errors or files that won't open, the disk surface may be failing. Using a disk checking utility will tell you if bad clusters have formed. If they keep appearing, back up immediately, and make plans to replace the disk soon! If a bad cluster suddenly takes out a critical OS file, your machine won't start.
5. On an older computer, check for IRQ conflicts
If you've recently installed new hardware and something else quits working, you probably have an IRQ (Interrupt ReQuest) conflict . When a conflict is active for video or audio hardware, it'll work for awhile, then suddenly quit working when the conflicting device demands attention. For best performance your video hardware, audio card and SCSI card (if you use one) should all be on separate IRQs with no sharing.
Newer computers rarely have this problem. See my IRQ guide for more details.
6. Check Processes
If it's not heat or IRQ, when the machine acts up, open Task Manager and hit the Processes tab. Click the CPU header and watch as the process that takes most of the clock cycles rises to the top. If it's not a process that pertains to the application you're running, kill it and see if things settle down. If they do, and you can live without the process, you can turn off or uninstall the process (see your Help file.) A Flush & Fill will probably also straighten out this problem.
7. If all else fails, time for the dreaded "Flush and Fill."
Back up all your user files, reformat the boot disk and reinstall everything including applications. (This is why "Rule #1" is so important - "never put anything on your boot disk - usually c-drive - that you can't afford to lose.")
The "Glorified Flush & Fill" is to simply put in a new disk and start from scratch. Then put the old disk in as a secondary drive and either use it as a data drive, or copy the information to the new disk. (DIsks are so cheap these days, this option is highly recommended, as you can always put the old drive in or get data off of it.)
Flush & Fill corrects several problems, something known as "DLL Hell," caused by misbehaving programs replacing critical files known as "Dynamic Link Libraries," (something mostly corrected in XP, Vista and Windows 7), and the newest threat, the "rootkit," which is a virus or worm which cannot be detected by antivirus scanning software. Some rootkits are benign, but some turn your computer into a robot, connected to a "botnet," which is largely responsible for the dissemination of spam. The only way to kill a rootkit is a Flush & Fill!
Our PainFree Tech Services™ provides these troubleshooting services to clients on a case-by-case basis, at your site or on a carry-in basis. Contact us to explain your situation and we'll send you an estimate of cost.
We also provide new-machine configuration, installation and training services to make your computer use as pain-free as possible.
The information provided in these articles is for informational purposes only
Make system changes at your own risk
The author assumes no responsibility for data loss or other damages
Articles may NOT be duplicated without permission
Trade names used are the property of their respective owners.