RADIFIED
PC Stability Factors

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Responding to PC Stability Problems

You want to resolve stability-related problems by the least severe method. First, try closing & reopening the affected program. This is the least painful approach. If it works, you got lucky. But this quick-fix solution might not solve your problem.



The next solution to try would be to: Close all open programs, and then re-open them. This is the next least-painful approach. This will work if your problem was caused by a conflict between two or more open programs. Again, this option might not be possible. If neither of those two solutions work, try performing a:

Normal Windows Restart, via the Start button. This will fix/solve most problems. It'll take a few minutes for your system to restart, but usually solves 90% of your problems. In factr, I usualy restart before installing most software programs. Less chance of problems this way. No, it's not necessary, but ... things don't always work the way they should. If, for some reason, you can't perform a normal Windows Restart, try a:

Ctrl-Alt-Delete, commonly know as a warm reboot or a 3-Finger Salute. If you system won't respond to Ctrl-Alt-Delete, it indicates a more serious problem. If you have a program such as Norton Utilities that provides you with CPU-usage information, that might be helpful in determining your system's status. A CPU running at 100% usually indicates something is not working right.

You can also try terminating individual programs thru the Ctrl-Alt-Delete function. If a warm re-boot (CTRL-ALT-DEL) doesn't work, the only option you have remaining is to:

Press the Reset button, commonly known as a hard reset. Press the Reset button only if nothing else works. Whenever you system doesn't shutdown normally, Windows will run a utility upon startup to verify that everything is okay with your system. This may take some time.

The worst type of problem comes when your system spontaneously reboots. You'll be working away, then suddenly .. bamb! There she goes. There's nothing you can do but say, "Good-bye."

Spontaneous reboots are indicative of the worst types of stability problems, and often indicate hardware-related problems, such as failing/inadequate power supplies, defective RAM, or hardware conflicts. If you can reproduce the problem, you have a better chance of fixing it.

Does it occur when the processor is running hard? Is it related to a specific program? Did it begin after you installed a particular software program or a new component? Perhaps you recently updated your drivers, or a certain program...

My final piece of advice is: get some rest before you break out the sledgehammer. When it's 2AM, and you're tired, your brain doesn't work very well. That's why all the major industrial accidents, such as Three Mile Island (4:00 AM).. Chernobyl (1:23 AM) and Bhopal occurred in the early morning hours. You'll be surprised by how easily the solution to a problem appears after a good night's rest.

THE END. If you would like to TEST your system's stability, see here: PC Stability Testing.

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Before closing, I'd like to take a minute to mention <shameless plug> a few other Radified guides that you might find helpful. For example: