Are you all of a sudden seeing a lot of the blue screen of death? Were you working on an important document and all of a sudden lost all your work to a sudden shutdown? Computer crashes are nothing but pleasant, but they can often be fixed with these easy, DIY fix-it tips that many of the computer pros use.

Run the Computer in Safe Mode to Target the Problem

Before you begin any work or modifications of any kind to the computer, be sure to shut it down and start it back up in “safe mode” to determine the source of the problem. If the computer stops crashing once you’re running in safe mode, this is a sign that the problem lies with something you installed. From here, you can easily narrow down the problem file/hardware.

Run a Virus Scan

Next, run a virus scan. Sometimes, computer viruses can be the culprits behind continuous crashes. Be sure to eliminate all results by quarantining and removing. Research any results that you aren’t sure about.

Think About Recent Software or Hardware Changes

Sometimes, a new driver or piece of hardware can cause a computer to act in odd ways. This is mainly because the change is sending what the computer perceives to be foreign data, and sometimes this can cause it to go haywire. If you recently updated a hardware driver or installed software/hardware and the problem started after the fact, you may want to look into rolling the driver back or uninstalling the software/hardware.

Wipe and Reinstall Your Operating System

If you can’t target the problem, it never hurts to wipe your computer and start from scratch with a fresh operating system. Start by restarting your computer, inserting your original operating system CD, and running it before your computer starts.

Replace the Hard Drive if All Else Fails

Sometimes, a crashing computer can be a tell tale sign of a bad hard drive. Anyone can replace a hard drive with a screwdriver and a few nuts and bolts. You can easily buy nuts and bolts online that will fit the specifics you need for your computer if you lose any in the process. Online retailers like wholesalebolts.com carry the quantity you need, and can ship them to you quickly.

Overall, many computer crashes can often be fixed with DIY methods. A computer crash is not the end of the world, and often times, a tech guru is not needed to target the source of the problem and eliminate it. Try these methods just before you go hauling your computer into a computer repair shop.