Click start control panel
administrative tools computer management then select event viewer this may vary
depending on what operating system you have
extend the events there you
will see errors in red you will no what exactly what the error was and at what
time it occured
Right click on the error
message select properties you will see all details about the error
or click start type in
event viewer press
ENTER
this should give you some
sort of understanding of the error and
you
might be able work your way through the problem
WARNING: Before you start troubleshooting remember that you
are dealing with electricity that can KILL.
http://www.kitchentablecomputers.com/static.php
- rules
Test all power and data leads that attach to your hard drive
IDE,SATA
the leads from your (motherboard to your hard drive) make
sure they have secure dust free connections and are not faulty
if its a 40 pin flat ribbon type it will be the first to
fail
make sure all leads that are attached to your drives dvd\cd
and floppy have secure connections and are not faulty
even something as small as a faulty electrical fan and its
lead can cause you problems
computers need all power and data to continue through every
working device and to have an end so any faulty leads will end up with a
computer error
Check your RAM.
The RAM is located in the middle of the
motherboard.
There are tabs that you can push to release the
RAM.
Remove it and put it back in place until the
tabs pop out.
Loose RAM can cause your computer not to start
properly where you want to see a video signal.
Remove the memory modules from their slots.
Take the opportunity to clean the
slots on the motherboards and the memory module connectors.
Use compressed air to blow dust away and clean contacts with
a soft cloth.
Do not use a metallic vacuum cleaner if it touches any
component it may create a short and cause damage to the motherboard or other
components.
Do not use solvent that may attract
dust and never poke things like cotton buds in to slots. lightly
rub an alcohol (Methylated Spirits) on a cloth not to hard let the alcohol do
the work on the copper gold or silver tabs and r
Allow the pins to dry.
They will air dry in a matter of minutes.
If reseating the memory did not
resolve the issue try swapping the location of the memory.
Make sure your graphics card is securely seated with no dust
built up or in the socket
if you remove your graphics check the socket to make sure
its dust free
Restart your computer then reinstall it this should activate
found new hardware wizard
Check the vga lead for secure dust free
connection or try another vga lead.