Below are some initial steps to try to solve common problems you may be having with your computer:-
N.B. This section is available as a PDF file which you can download here and print to have handy just in case you need it
Step 1 - Restart your computer
One of the first steps to always try when your computer is misbehaving is to perform a restart, this allows any pending Windows (and security software such as AVG) updates to be installed and often resolves most minor issues.
To restart your computer, right mouse click on the Start Menu button which can be located down the bottom left hand corner if using Windows 10, or the bottom centre if using Windows 11 (as shown below), click Shut down or sign out and then click Restart
N.B. If your computer is completely locked up / frozen and you cannot complete the above steps to restart it then try the below:-
PRESS and HOLD DOWN the power button and KEEP it held down for several seconds until you hear it power off (e.g. all the lights, fans and the screen / display goes off), wait a few minutes and then power back on.
Android devices:
Press and hold down the power button until menu appears - select Restart.
If the device is completely frozen then press and hold the power button for at least 20 seconds. If Android isn’t responding, this will (usually) force your device to reboot manually.
iPhone / iPad:
For models without a home button press and hold either volume button and the top button until the power off slider appears, drag the slider, wait 30 seconds for device to turn off and then turn it back on.
For models with a home button press and hold the top button until the power off slider appears, drag the slider, wait 30 seconds for device to turn off and then turn it back on.
If device is completely frozen then force restart the device as below:
For models without a home button, press and quickly release the volume up button, press and quickly release the volume down button, then press and hold the top button. When the Apple logo appears, release the button.
For models with a home button, press and hold the top button and the Home button at the same time. When the Apple logo appears, release both buttons.
Step 2 - Restart your wireless router
If the problem you are having is:
a)internet related e.g. not being able to send/receive emails or access websites (perhaps getting error messages in your browser such as Privacy error / Not secure / Your connection is not private / turn on advanced protection)
- or -
b)printer related and your printer is wireless (rather than connected with a USB cable)
Then the next step to try is restarting your wireless router.
Often restarting or powering off the router for a short time will solve the problem and allow the problematic devices to reconnect:-
•If your router has a Restart button (like seen on the BT Home Hub) then press and hold this button until all the lights flash.
•For other routers without a Restart button either switch off using the power button located on the rear or side, or unplug from the wall socket - leave for a few minutes and then plug in / switch on.
Wait a short while for all the lights to settle down and stop flashing - you can now turn your computer back on and see if the problem is resolved.
More detailed troubleshooting steps for internet issues can be found here, and printer problems here.
Step 3 - Computer won't power on
Most modern computers have built-in circuitry to protect them from any power surges or abnormalities in the power source.
If you find your computer won’t power on i.e. nothing at all happens (no noises, no lights, nothing displayed on screen) when you press the power button then try the following:-
Desktop
Unplug the computer from the wall socket for an hour to allow it time to reset itself and then plug back in and try powering it on again.
Check that the wall socket (and if applicable extension lead) you are using is working correctly by plugging in something such as a lamp.
Check / Replace the fuse in the computer plug .
If the computer still doesn’t power on then it is more likely to be a power supply or hardware failure which I can diagnose further for you.
Laptop
Disconnect the power adapter from the mains, turn the laptop over and remove the battery (ONLY IF it has a removable battery as some models don't), leave it for an hour or so then replace battery (IF removed), plug in and try powering on again.
Alternatively (especially if you can't remove the battery) PRESS and HOLD DOWN the power button and KEEP it held down for 30 seconds, then release, wait a few moments and try powering on again.
If the computer still doesn’t power on then it is more likely to be a power supply or hardware failure which I can diagnose further for you.
Step 4 - What to do next
If after restarting your computer and your router you are still having problems then what to do next really depends on what exactly the problem is, there are various "self help" solutions below but these vary in complexity and if used incorrectly or are not fully understood can result in loss of data or you being in a worse situation than you were before, so at this stage you are probably best contacting me first for advise / assistance.
System Restore
This is not enabled on all computers - especially newer computers running Windows 10/11 but essentially this allows you to restore the computer settings back to a previous date/time when the computer was working okay (without affecting your data) - more details here.
Reset This PC
This is usually a last resort as it resets the computer back to factory settings, removing any software which you have installed and optionally removing all data. I recommend you ask me to diagnose any problems before you go down this route as there is no going back once it has been done and if it fails for any reason and you haven't backed up your data first you could end up losing everything! - more details can be found here - Windows 10 Recovery Options / Windows 11 Reset This PC.
