subject: Several Frequent Personal Computer Glitches, Their Meaning, and How to Locate Online PC Support [print this page] PC glitches might pop up when you don't expect, they can cause the entire PC to suddenly crash, and they can unfortunately corrupt your information to the point that it can't be understood - a big reason you should have offsite backups. Even though errors can't always be avoided, it's important to be aware that personal computer error messages may often be remedied. The key is to know what personal computer errors are, learn what they signify when they pop up, and find out how to limit their happening to begin with. Assistance can be found via online PC support.
Essentially, PC error messages may be caused by several items which might or may not have anything to do with the manner in which the PC is used. They happen whenever there's a conflict between commands. Keep in mind that PCs basically operate from a string of instructions, and it's normally a smooth process. But in case one instruction conflicts with a different instruction - or in case one instruction requests a piece of code or data which isn't available, the personal computer returns results that are not suitable: that's an error. The worst error message is the fatal Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) that pops up on your monitor whenever something has gone terribly wrong.
A common example of this sort of error is if novices try to run a program which is not applicable for their system. Virtually all programs include a list of system requirements that dictates what a computer must possess in order for the application to function properly. To reduce error messages of this type, always check that your PC has the needed parts. A project management program that you're interested in might require a certain operating system, such as Windows 7 for example. And although this program might install OK on a Windows XP system, it may cause a series of glitches once it's started.
Insufficient RAM can create glitches also. For this reason programs usually include minimum RAM needs. A software package which needs 14MB of RAM will cause error messages on a PC which only has 4 megabytes of RAM available - if it runs at all. The same goes for hard disk space, monitor color range and pixels. In these cases, glitches appear immediately when a program tries to connect to the things (devices, memory, hard drive space, display resolution, etc.) which it cannot find.
Since some programs share common dynamic link library files, error messages may also pop up if these shared DLLs are not current. For instance, consider that Program A is already installed on a computer and it is working just fine. Next consider that the computer user downloads and sets up Program B. Program B uses a DLL that Program A installed much earlier, however, when Program B starts up, errors pop up. Those error messages are the result of Program B trying to access an obsolete shared DLL that was included with Program A. In order to fix that issue, the user should find on the Internet a newer version of the shared DLL (which to say the least - is not the easiest thing to locate or do).
Sometimes, errors pop up when a PC doesn't have the right drivers or when the drivers that are installed in the PC are the incorrect version. Both error messages in these cases may be fixed by updating the computer on a regular schedule. Microsoft provides a section on its servers which can automatically update a computer online, and that company provides this at no cost in an effort to reduce errors such as this. Always try to keep your PC updated so that if a pogram shares a dynamic link library file, it will share the same dynamic link library file that has been updated on hundreds of thousands of personal computers similar to yours.
This article doesn't even begin to describe the entire gamut of computer error messages - but more information about methods to locate help with a computer issue (including personal computer glitches) may be read in my essay on "Computer Help" regardless of what the issue is. You may also find online PC support to help resolve these glitches.
Sincerely,
Bob Hosken
"Dr. Bob the CompuNerd"
Several Frequent Personal Computer Glitches, Their Meaning, and How to Locate Online PC Support
