How To Repair Your Desktop
Desktop repair is among the most common computer repairs in computer repair shops. In fact, this is the easiest type of computer repair in the computer world today. It’s so easy that you could do it yourself. Granted, you might need a little guidance, direction, and the occasional computer repair shop but you can do it.
1. Desktop Repair and Turning it On and Off
Made popular by the tv show “The Big Bang Theory”, “have you tried turning it on and off” is a very popular joke these days. There is, however, a grain of truth and something to be said for turning your computer on and off. For reasons that are unknown to computer technicians, sometimes during technical difficulties, turning a computer on and off can reset settings that may be causing issues. In fact, Microsoft updates can often cause issues that can be resolved by restarting a computer. When you are experiencing minor issues of slowness and software freezing, you may want to consider this option.
2. Desktop Repair and Software Cleaning
A software cleaning is when the software of a computer undergoes maintenance, such as program removal, startup item adjustments and antivirus scans. The first thing you want to do is scan for viruses, to rule out any issues that may be caused by a virus. Second, you should remove programs that you either don’t recognize or no longer use. Third, you should adjust startup items to ensure that programs aren’t’ starting unnecessarily with your computer. Finally, cookies and temporary files should be cleaned out to ensure that malware isn’t hiding in those places. It’s always best to run a program such as CCleaner to remove unwanted cookies and temporary files. All in all, this desktop repair is extremely easy to perform, even by the most inexperienced novice.
3. Desktop Repair and Hardware Cleaning
A desktop computer repair requires a bit more expertise than a software cleaning. For example, in a hardware cleaning you should remove the fans and clean individually with some alcohol. In fact, most computer novices will watch YouTube videos on how to remove their computer’s fans before attempting to clean their fans. In desktops, fan cleaning is fairly simple, normally fans don’t even need to be removed. However, in laptops, cleaning the fans can be extremely complicated. Be sure to do thorough research before cleaning out your laptop fans. At this point, you should also buy a can of compressed air to blow out any dust and debris inside your computer. This will give your computer the best chance to run at its very best. The hardest part about a hardware cleaning is the changing of thermal compound a/k/a thermal paste. Thermal compound is a toothpaste-like material that goes on your motherboard to help keep your CPU cool. Thermal paste should be replaced yearly on most computers. If you are not comfortable removing the CPU from your computer, then I would recommend visiting a local computer repair shop to help you with your desktop repair. In fact, most people prefer to have a computer repair shop perform this particular desktop repair because it is extremely easy to damage the CPU while removing it or putting it back on.
4. Desktop Repair and Testing Your Parts
We have covered all the basic desktop repairs, using software and hardware cleanings to improve the performance of our computers. What about when our computers completely crash and burn? Do we just randomly start replacing parts until it works again? No. There are several methods for diagnosing hardware issues with your computer. For example, if you are having power issues then you want to have the power supply tested to see if it needs to be replaced. If you are having issues with slowness and freezing, then you should have your hard drive and CPU tested. Additionally, sometimes upgrades are needed, such as upgrading from a mechanical hard drive to a solid-state drive to improve performance. Without a solid-state drive, many computers can seem slow and sluggish. It’s amazing how much a new SSD can revive an entire computer system. If you are having major hardware issues, then I would recommend replacing one part at a time. Start with the part that is most likely the culprit of the malfunction and keep moving to parts until you find the part that is malfunctioning. You could also save yourself some time by taking your computer to a computer repair shop. Many computer repair shops offer free computer diagnostics and can save you the headache of testing your own parts. Unfortunately, most computer repair shops will not test individual parts; but, they are happy to look at your entire system for free.
5. Desktop Repair and Software Repairs
There are times when a software repair is needed. In this case, you should exercise caution that the repair isn’t going to do more damage than good. For example, Malwarebytes marks a legitimate program as “malicious” and removes parts of the program; but it’s a legitimate program that you use. Your legitimate program will cease to function. It’s important that you pay special attention to your software repairs, to prevent your other software from becoming damaged. In fact, I would recommend taking your computer to a computer repair shop for this type of repair. These repairs are typically only $40 and can save you lots of heartache in the future.
6. Desktop Repair and Hardware Repairs
Once you have secured a diagnosis and you know exactly what is wrong with your computer, you can begin repairing it. Most parts are fairly easy to replace, such as the RAM, GPU, fans, and hard drive. However, the motherboard and CPU can be tricky to replace. With the RAM and GPU, you want to make sure that you don’t break the clips on the motherboard that hold down these parts. It is extremely easy to break the clips and suddenly your motherboard is rendered useless. If you don’t feel comfortable with the clips, then have a computer repair shop help you with this desktop repair. When replacing the hard drive and fans, you always want to make sure that you connect all the cables in the right place. For example, a hard drive typically has a cable for the power and another cable for the data. If one of these is not connected properly, then the hard drive will not work. You also want to make sure that if you are replacing your hard drive that you have a good copy of Windows 10 or Windows 11 to reload your operating system onto your new hard drive. Unfortunately, the motherboard and CPU are far from simple to replace. In most cases, you need to remove the CPU and all the little screws that hold the motherboard in place. This can be a grueling process and if even one screw is missing, you can cause the motherboard to malfunction. In fact, I would highly recommend that you seek the assistance of a computer repair shop for this desktop repair.
Desktop Repair in Colorado Springs
DML Computer Repair is considered the best shop for desktop repair in Colorado Springs. They offer same day computer diagnostics and they are free! You can have your computer diagnosed at zero cost and in less than 24 hours. In most cases the free computer diagnostics occur within just a few hours. DML Computer Repair also offers competitive pricing and fantastic customer service! As a matter of fact, DML Computer Repair is the #1 choice for desktop repair in the Colorado Springs area. If you need help troubleshooting your computer or figuring out which parts to replace or upgrade, then contact DML Computer Repair today.
Author Information
De Landres
DML Computer Repair Technician | Data Recovery Expert | PC Articles Author
Author Quote: “Google is your friend, not food”. ~De
