http://systemini-net.tweeterest.com/index.php/security/31-makeuseof/2168-why-did-windows-crash-a-troubleshooting-guide Why Did Windows Crash? A Troubleshooting Guide
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You were minding your business — going through expense reports or browsing the internet — when the worst struck 10 Signs Your Computer Is Going To Crash & What To Do 10 Signs Your Computer Is Going To Crash & What To Do Computer crashes often occur suddenly and with little obvious warning. Once it happened, there is not much you can do, other than wait for the reboot or manually force a reset. The randomness with which... Read More . Your PC crashed, and you don’t know what to do. Confusion is typical when your otherwise normal day gets interrupted. Yet, there’s no reason to worry. With this simple guide, you’ll be able to diagnose the case of a PC crash in minutes. Download this entire article as a PDF. Feel free to share it with your friends and family. In this article: What Is a PC Crash? | Software Failure | Hardware Failure | Crash Indicators | Most Common Causes for a PC Crash | First Crash | Problem Persists | Analyzing Hardware Issues | Analyzing Software Issues | Asking for Help | Preparing Precise Logs | Tech Support Forums 1. PC Crashes and You This article will focus on what an unexpected computer crash is and how to identify the issue. Computer crashes occur for a variety of reasons. To the average PC user Why Does Windows Crash? The Top 10 Reasons Why Does Windows Crash? The Top 10 Reasons Oh, great. Another blue screen, boot issue or frozen screen in Windows. Now you have to restart and lose most or all of the work you’d been trying to accomplish. It’s frustrating both because of... Read More , PC crashes are often taken as signs that a PC is broken or damaged. In reality, PC shutdowns are rarely something to worry about. As long as no immediate harm has come to the PC in the form of physical damage, voltage spikes, or product defect, your PC should not be in any lethal danger. 1.1 What Is a PC Crash? The simplest way to explain a PC crash is through the metaphor of a chain. There are two types of chains in a PC: a hardware chain and a software chain. When you first boot up your PC, the hardware chain activates. The BIOS checks to see which hardware components are connected to the motherboard and powered by the PSU (Power Supply Unit). If a hardware component, such as a hard drive, is not properly connected to the motherboard, you will be informed of the issue through an error message. Once the hardware chain finishes, the software chain initiates. The first link on the chain is the OS (Operating System). If OS files are damaged in any way, you will receive an error on your display. Afterward, drivers and startup items load. Finally, typical programs become available for use and the chain ends. A PC crash is caused by a break in this logical chain. Of course this can also happen while the PC is already running. If any links are broken, damaged, or missing, your PC will crash. 1.1.1 Software Failure The three main reasons for software failure are: OS corruption, program crash, and driver failure. Out of the three, a driver failure is the most common. Different drivers connect with, and control, different hardware components. OS Corruption — An OS error occurs in your operating system. This type of error indicates that your system files are corrupted, damaged, or missing. OS files can become corrupt for two main reasons: faulty disk drive sectors or deleted system files. Faulty hardware sectors occur when the physical disk of your hard drive becomes damaged or worn. A damaged hard disk cannot read files properly, which your PC considers a corruption. On the other hand, the issue may stem from system files simply missing. Certain viruses aim to delete system files, which are the most crucial files of a PC. If system files end up missing, the OS cannot perform and your PC will crash. Program Crashes — Program crashes are often associated with hardware failure. Programs rarely crash a PC in themselves. If a program fails, the program itself will crash, rather than the PC as a whole. Instead, program crashes are a method of troubleshooting deeper problems. For example, if your PC crashes every time you are using your Chrome web browsers, it may be a result of RAM failure. If your PC crashes every time you begin playing a PC game, your GPU may become easily over-stressed and shut down your PC. Driver Failure — The majority of PC crashes do not occur due to software or hardware failure. Drivers allow for the use of hardware components. Driver failures are a type of software bug, wherein the connection between your hardware and software fails. Drivers may be faulty when installed, or may corrupt over time. Outdated drivers How to Find & Replace Outdated Windows Drivers How to Find & Replace Outdated Windows Drivers Your drivers might be outdated and need updating, but how are you to know? First, don't fix it if it ain't broke! If drivers do need updating, though, here are your options. Read More may lead to PC crashes, as can the latest drivers. Driver hotfixes are often released by software developers when a driver works improperly or is released unstable. 1.1.2 Hardware Failure Unlike softwar...
Why Did Windows Crash? A Troubleshooting Guide
You were minding your business — going through expense reports or browsing the internet — when the worst struck 10 Signs Your Computer Is Going To Crash & What To Do 10 Signs Your Computer Is Going To Crash & What To Do Computer crashes often occur suddenly and with little obvious warning. Once it happened, there is not much you can do, other than wait for the reboot or manually force a reset. The randomness with which... Read More . Your PC crashed, and you don’t know what to do. Confusion is typical when your otherwise normal day gets interrupted. Yet, there’s no reason to worry. With this simple guide, you’ll be able to diagnose the case of a PC crash in minutes. Download this entire article as a PDF. Feel free to share it with your friends and family. In this article: What Is a PC Crash? | Software Failure | Hardware Failure | Crash Indicators | Most Common Causes for a PC Crash | First Crash | Problem Persists | Analyzing Hardware Issues | Analyzing Software Issues | Asking for Help | Preparing Precise Logs | Tech Support Forums 1. PC Crashes and You This article will focus on what an unexpected computer crash is and how to identify the issue. Computer crashes occur for a variety of reasons. To the average PC user Why Does Windows Crash? The Top 10 Reasons Why Does Windows Crash? The Top 10 Reasons Oh, great. Another blue screen, boot issue or frozen screen in Windows. Now you have to restart and lose most or all of the work you’d been trying to accomplish. It’s frustrating both because of... Read More , PC crashes are often taken as signs that a PC is broken or damaged. In reality, PC shutdowns are rarely something to worry about. As long as no immediate harm has come to the PC in the form of physical damage, voltage spikes, or product defect, your PC should not be in any lethal danger. 1.1 What Is a PC Crash? The simplest way to explain a PC crash is through the metaphor of a chain. There are two types of chains in a PC: a hardware chain and a software chain. When you first boot up your PC, the hardware chain activates. The BIOS checks to see which hardware components are connected to the motherboard and powered by the PSU (Power Supply Unit). If a hardware component, such as a hard drive, is not properly connected to the motherboard, you will be informed of the issue through an error message. Once the hardware chain finishes, the software chain initiates. The first link on the chain is the OS (Operating System). If OS files are damaged in any way, you will receive an error on your display. Afterward, drivers and startup items load. Finally, typical programs become available for use and the chain ends. A PC crash is caused by a break in this logical chain. Of course this can also happen while the PC is already running. If any links are broken, damaged, or missing, your PC will crash. 1.1.1 Software Failure The three main reasons for software failure are: OS corruption, program crash, and driver failure. Out of the three, a driver failure is the most common. Different drivers connect with, and control, different hardware components. OS Corruption — An OS error occurs in your operating system. This type of error indicates that your system files are corrupted, damaged, or missing. OS files can become corrupt for two main reasons: faulty disk drive sectors or deleted system files. Faulty hardware sectors occur when the physical disk of your hard drive becomes damaged or worn. A damaged hard disk cannot read files properly, which your PC considers a corruption. On the other hand, the issue may stem from system files simply missing. Certain viruses aim to delete system files, which are the most crucial files of a PC. If system files end up missing, the OS cannot perform and your PC will crash. Program Crashes — Program crashes are often associated with hardware failure. Programs rarely crash a PC in themselves. If a program fails, the program itself will crash, rather than the PC as a whole. Instead, program crashes are a method of troubleshooting deeper problems. For example, if your PC crashes every time you are using your Chrome web browsers, it may be a result of RAM failure. If your PC crashes every time you begin playing a PC game, your GPU may become easily over-stressed and shut down your PC. Driver Failure — The majority of PC crashes do not occur due to software or hardware failure. Drivers allow for the use of hardware components. Driver failures are a type of software bug, wherein the connection between your hardware and software fails. Drivers may be faulty when installed, or may corrupt over time. Outdated drivers How to Find & Replace Outdated Windows Drivers How to Find & Replace Outdated Windows Drivers Your drivers might be outdated and need updating, but how are you to know? First, don't fix it if it ain't broke! If drivers do need updating, though, here are your options. Read More may lead to PC crashes, as can the latest drivers. Driver hotfixes are often released by software developers when a driver works improperly or is released unstable. 1.1.2 Hardware Failure Unlike softwar...