Hardware FAQ's

When I turn on my computer I get a message telling me to insert a boot disk. What should I do?

This is caused by the inability of the computer to read the boot commands from the active drive. If you have left a floppy disk in your A: drive you can get this message. To solve this problem remove the disk and hit the enter key to continue normally.

Other causes are that the system BIOS is not correctly recognizing your hard drive, the boot files are missing or damaged on your hard drive or your hard drive is damaged or otherwise unreadable.

My computer locks up and won't do anything. What should I do?

If your computer is locked up there are several things you can try. Open the Task Manager by right clicking in an unused area of your task bar (the bar across the bottom of your screen that shows what programs are running) and selecting start task manager or by holding down the Ctrl, Alt and Delete keys at the same time and selecting start task manager. This will bring up a box called  Windows Task Manager. This shows the running programs on your computer. If one of them shows (not responding) after its name this is the program that is causing trouble. Select it with your mouse if possible or by using the the up and down arrows on your keyboard and then click on End Task or use the tab key until End task is selected and hit the enter key

If this box does not appear you can hit the reset button on your computer if it has one. Failing this you must turn off your computer, wait 15 seconds and restart it.

I try to turn off my computer but the power switch doesn't do anything.

The power switch must be held in for at least six seconds to turn off the computer while Windows is running. When set up normally pressing the power button will tell your computer to start the shutdown process but if it is locked up it will not work. Turning off your computer by holding down the power button should be a last resort as it can lead to data loss and damage to the hard drive.

I turned on my computer and it said it was running in safe mode. What do I do?

Safe mode is a protection built into Windows. Since it is possible to install hardware or software which is incompatible with your system or didn't install correctly you might have a situation where you couldn't boot your computer and therefore couldn't correct the problem. To solve this problem safe mode was created. It starts Windows without hardware drivers or any startup software. This allows you to remove the offending program or driver. The way Windows thinks it should go into safe mode is if the last startup did not complete properly. A power failure or reset during startup will cause this. If Windows thinks safe mode is necessary it gives you a menu at startup and gives you 30 seconds to pick something other than safe mode. If you don't think there is anything wrong with your computer  pick 1. Normal.
If your computer should end up in safe mode by error just click Start|Shutdown and select restart. Your system should restart normally.

My computer makes a loud whirring noise when I turn it on but it goes away after a while. What's going on?

This is usually caused by a fan. There are at least two fans in your computer, one in the power supply and one on the CPU. Over time they collect dust and lose lubricant and begin to rub which produces the noise. After the system has been running for a while the remaining lubricant spreads out and the noise goes away. Eventually there will be insufficient lubricant and the fan motor will seize up. This will cause the fan not to turn and the system will overheat. This can cause lockups as well as shortening the life of the computer.

My mouse stopped responding and I can't get out of Windows.

Use the Windows key on your keyboard ( the one on the bottom row with a Windows symbol on it). Pressing this key will bring up your menu bar. Use the up arrow to get to Shut Down, hit the Enter key twice and your computer will shut down. Wait 15 seconds and turn it back on, your mouse should return. If the Windows key does not respond then your system is locked up and must be restarted.

My mouse doesn't respond properly when I move it.

If your mouse has a ball in it this is usually caused by dirty contacts inside the mouse. Flip the mouse over, twist the ball cover counter clockwise and remove the cover. Drop the ball into your hand and look inside the mouse. If there is an accumulation of dust on the rollers remove it with a pair of tweezers or a cotton swab, then blow any remaining dust balls out. Reinstall the ball and replace the cover, turning it clockwise to lock it.
If you have an optical mouse (uses a light on the bottom) check to see if it is lit. If not check the connection to the computer or if it is wireless check the batteries. If it is lit check the surface that it is on. A dark surface is less likely to respond well and will also shorten the battery life of a wireless mouse. Try a sheet of white paper to see if the mouse responds better.
Sometimes your mouse may not respond properly if your mouse pad is dirty. While using your mouse your hand can deposit oil on the mouse pad causing it to lose traction. Wash your mouse pad with warm water and gentle soap and dry thoroughly.

I don't get any sound from my computer.

There are a number of things that will prevent sounds from being heard. First begin by single clicking the sound icon in the accessories tray (this is the area on your start bar where the clock is). Make sure that the mute box isn't checked and that the volume isn't all the way down. If both of those are okay double click the sound icon and make sure that the type of sound you want isn't muted and has sufficient volume.
If everything is alright there check that your speakers are powered, then check that your speakers are plugged in correctly. Many modems have sound jacks on them but you probably want to be using the sound jacks on your audio card. The audio card can usually be identified because it will have 3 or 4 colored audio jacks. Identify the correct audio jack, if your speakers are plugged into line in or mic (microphone) they will not work. The speaker connector is usually colored light green but it is sometimes difficult to distinguish from the light blue line in connector. Plugging your spekers into the line in connector can damage them.

My CRT monitor looks pinkish, greenish or bluish.

This is usually cased by one of the color guns on your CRT monitor failing. There are three color guns in the average monitor producing red, green and blue. By combining various intensities of each of these 3 colors all the other colors are created. If your blue gun goes out things tend to take on a pink tone. Sometimes this problem can be fixed by tightening the connections of the cable between your computer and monitor or replacing it but most often it is a failure of the monitor and it needs to be repaired or replaced.

I have a big black border around the edge of my screen.

This can be fixed by changing the screen resolution. If you are still using a CRT monitor you can try adjusting the vertical and horizontal size controls on your monitor. Check the monitor manual for instructions on how to adjust these settings.

How do I clean my monitor?

For a traditional CRT monitor, a cloth or paper towel moistened with water or a mild window cleaner should do the trick. For a LCD flat screen, you need to be more careful. First try a dry cloth (don't use a paper towel). If that doesn't remove the smudges and dirt, dampen the cloth with water or a little isopropyl (rubbing alcohol). Don't use ammonia or other strong cleaners. And don't spray anything directly onto the screen. There are also commercial cleaners that you can buy that will work.