Do you know what to do if your screen goes

blank?
What if you can't seem to close an
application?
or can't hear any sound from your
speakers? 
Simple solutions to common problems
 Problem: Power button will not start computer
• Solution 1: If your computer does not start, begin by
checking the power cord to confirm that it is plugged
securely into the back of the computer case and the
power outlet.
• Solution 2: If it is plugged into an outlet, make sure it
is a working outlet. To check your outlet, you can
plug in another electrical device, such as a lamp.
• Solution 3: If the computer is plugged in to a surge
protector, verify that it is turned on. You may have
to reset the surge protector by turning it off and then
back on. You can also plug a lamp or other device
into the surge protector to verify that it's working
correctly.
• Solution 4: If you are using a laptop, the battery may
not be charged. Plug the AC adapter into the wall,
then try to turn on the laptop. If it still doesn't start up,
you may need to wait a few minutes and try again.
 Problem: An application is running slowly

• Solution 1: Close and reopen the application.

• Solution 2: Update the application. To do this, click the Help menu and
look for an option to check for Updates. If you don't find this option,
another idea is to run an online search for application updates.
 Problem: An application is frozen

• Solution 1: Force quit the application. On a PC, you can press (and hold) Ctrl+Alt+Delete on
your keyboard to open the Task Manager. You can then select the unresponsive application
and click End task 
• Solution 2: Restart the computer. If you are unable to force quit an application, restarting your
computer will close all open apps.
Problem: All programs on the computer run slowly

• Solution 1: Run a virus scanner. You may

have malware running in the background that is slowing things
down.
• Solution 2: Your computer may be running out of hard drive
space. Try deleting any files or programs you don't need.
• Solution 3: If you're using a PC, you can run Disk
Defragmenter. 
 Problem: The computer
is frozen

• Solution 1 (Windows only):

Restart Windows Explorer.
To do this, press and
hold Ctrl+Alt+Delete on
your keyboard to open
the Task Manager. Next,
locate and select Windows
Explorer from
the Processes tab and
click Restart. You may need
to click More Details at the
bottom of the window to see
the Processes tab.
• Solution 2: Press and hold the Power button. The Power
button is usually located on the front or side of the computer,
typically indicated by the power symbol. Press and hold the
Power button for 5 to 10 seconds to force the computer to
shut down.
• Solution 4: If the computer still won't shut down, you
can unplug the power cable from the electrical outlet. If
you're using a laptop, you may be able to remove the
battery to force the computer to turn off. 
 Problem: The mouse or keyboard has stopped working

• Solution 1: If you're
using a wired mouse or
keyboard, make sure it's
correctly plugged into
the computer.
• Solution 2: If you're
using a wireless mouse
or keyboard, make sure
it's turned on and that its
batteries are charged.
Problem: The sound isn't working
• Solution 1: Check the volume level. Click the audio button in the top-
right or bottom-right corner of the screen to make sure the sound is
turned on and that the volume is up.
• Solution 2: Check the audio player controls. Many audio and video
players will have their own separate audio controls. Make sure the
sound is turned on and that the volume is turned up in the player.
• Solution 3: Check the cables. Make sure external speakers are plugged
in, turned on, and connected to the correct audio port or a USB port. If
your computer has color-coded ports, the audio output port will
usually be green.
• Solution 4: Connect headphones to the computer to find out if you
can hear sound through the headphones.
Problem: The screen is blank
• Solution 1: The computer may be in Sleep mode.
Click the mouse or press any key on the keyboard to
wake it.
• Solution 2: Make sure the monitor is plugged
in and turned on.
• Solution 3: Make sure the computer is plugged
in and turned on.
• Solution 4: If you're using a desktop, make sure the
monitor cable is properly connected to the computer
tower and the monitor.
 Problem: Mouse is not working / sticky keys

CAUSE SOLUTION

- Dirty mouse or spilled drinks - replace the mouse

 Problem: Keyboard is not working / sticky
keys

CAUSE SOLUTION

- Dirty keyboard or spilled - replace the keyboard

drinks
Problem: Monitor is not working
CAUSE SOLUTION
- Power button not pressed - Press the power button

- loose power cable - check the cables

- loose video signal cable - check the cables

wrong configuration display adjust display settings

settings (resolution)
bad monitor replace the monitor.
Problem: No internet connection
CAUSE SOLUTION

- Cable disconnected - connect the cable

- Modem turned off - turn on modem

- Router turned off - turn on router

bad cable replace cable

no signal from provider contact ISP

 Problem: A specific website is not working
CAUSE SOLUTION

- Website is down - Contact webmaster

- Website link has changed - Check the website link

- Website link is wrong / typo - Check for typos in the link

 Problem: Files missing on a computer

CAUSE SOLUTION
- User deleted data - Check recycle bin
- User forgot to save data - Check backup storage
- Program removed - Restore folder / files function

- System crash - Windows restore point

 Problem: Cannot receive or send emails

CAUSE SOLUTION
- Inbox limit size reached - Delete old emails
- Windows password - Update password for email client
change
- Data corruption - Clear cache for internet email
clients
 Problem: Printer is not working

CAUSE SOLUTION
- Printer not installed - Install printer
- Wrong printer - Change default printer
- No paper or ink - Add paper / ink

- Bad driver or - Use correct driver / configuration

configuration adjustment
 Problem: Headphone is not working

CAUSE SOLUTION
- Sound configuration not - Configure playback and recording
set properly device
- Input / output cable - Check input / output connection
connection
- Bad headphone - Replace headphone
 Problem: Blue screen of Death (BSOD)

CAUSE SOLUTION
- Bad hardware or drivers - Check hardware (RAM, CPU, HD
GPU)
- Overclocking CPU - Check CPU clocks
- Update drivers
 Problem: Computer is slow

CAUSE SOLUTION
- Background processes - Wait for updates to finish,
(updates or virus) Remove virus
- Low RAM - Add more RAM
- Low HD space - Make space on HD

- Bad HD - Replace HD
 Problem: Computer restarts for no reason (with message, “restarting”)

CAUSE SOLUTION
- Windows updates - Finish updates (force update)
- Software updates - Software update should not
restart more than once
 Problem: Computer shutsdown for no reason (no message / error) Goes silent no beeps

CAUSE SOLUTION
- Bad PSU - Test PSU / replace
- Bad GPU - Test GPU by removing it
- Bad CPU settings - Check CPU / heatsink, replace
thermal paste
 Problem: Computer making loud fan noise

CAUSE SOLUTION
- Dust / overheating - Remove dust, replace CPU
thermal paste
- Fan vibration - Check for loose fans / vibration
inside the PC
 Problem: Wifi is slow

CAUSE SOLUTION
- Distance from Wifi - Move closer to source of Wifi
- Overcrowded use - Too many people using Wifi
- Bandwidth limit - Change bandwidth limit
- Signal interference with - Change Wifi signal channel
other devices
 Problem: Internet is slow

CAUSE SOLUTION
- Too many downloads - Limit downloads
- Too many users - Limit user sharing connection
- ISP data throttling - Reset modem
- Virus - Check for viruses
 Problem: Can’t log in to PC

CAUSE SOLUTION
- Password was changed - Reset password
- Account locked - Unlock account
 Problem: Can’t log in after password change

CAUSE SOLUTION
- Not using the new - Reset password
password
- Typo - Carefully type password after
account is unlocked
- Locked account