So, just what can go wrong with a computer?...

Computers are sophisticated pieces of equipment and as the saying goes, the more you have, the more that can go wrong!  That said, with advancements in IT technology, computer equipment is a lot more reliable than it used to be.   However, still things can go wrong.  The following is a synopsis of the more common technical problems which can occur with hardware, peripherals and software:

I press the on button on my computer but nothing happens.

This can happen when the power supply in a computer fails.  The power supply unit (psu) will need to be replaced.  Never open your computer's case and start trying to fix a psu.  These pieces of equipment contain extremely high voltages and only trained technicians should repair them, indeed, if cost allows!  Of course, it could be a simpler problem, such as the electrical socket may not be switched to on, or there may be a blown fuse.  A computer should have a 13amp fuse fitted to the plug.  Check that the cable into the back of the computer is inserted correctly.

I go to start my computer and I get a bleep coming from the box.

One bleep is actually okay, anymore and you may have a problem.  Bleeps are complexed and each set of bleeps has an error associated with it.

Why do I get a load of script on the screen before my computer boots into Windows?

This is the basic BIOS information, which allows a technician to intercept the boot up and change the BIOS settings, if necessary.  BIOS settings control how your computer boots up and what settings the computer operates at.

Why does my computer take so long to boot up (load Windows)?

There are many reasons for this and it's best left to a technician to fix, but one particular problem can be the amount of programs trying to load at the same time.

My computer runs really slowly and takes ages to do anything. What can I do?

This can be for a number of reasons, including malware and spyware infection and disruption to registry files. It is also important to ensure that your main hard drive is defragmented and any temporary files removed.

After my computer loads Windows, my Desktop freezes and I'm unable to do anything.

Sometimes you have to let your system settle before it will allow you to do other things, but if it totally freezes try this:  Press Ctrl Alt Del at the same time to show which processes are running.  If one is not responding, close it and see if this solves the problem.  Otherwise, this fault could be something to do with the computer's motherboard or if RAM has been inserted recently, it could be to do with that.  Contact Cyber Rescue for help.

My computer starts to boot up and then the screen goes fuzzy with lots of lines.

This is almost certainly a display/graphics card problem.  If your graphics processing unit overheats, then this will happen.  Do not try to fix the problem yourself, as you may damage your computer even more.  Contact Cyber Rescue to fix this problem.

When my computer is running, I hear strange noises coming from the case.

This could be your hard drive failing.  You should back it up as soon as possible!  If it fails completely, you could lose all your valuable files and data and you could be facing the cost of lengthy data recovery!