When a computer starts to randomly act up, either by freezing, running slowly or displaying error messages too often, it is often the result of issues that went unnoticed for long periods of time. Understanding what caused the issue can be difficult, without the help of professional computer repair services. Determining whether it was a software or hardware issue is the first step and, if you’re seeking an expert in computer help, you will need to clearly explain the issue.

In this article we are going to explain the main differences between software issues and hardware issues, how to determine the cause of a malfunction and when to get professional help in order to save your personal computer.

Software and Hardware – What’s the Difference?

If you look up this question, you’ll get a bunch of technical definitions ( https://www.simplilearn.com/difference-between-hardware-software-article ) that, at first glance, don’t seem to explain much but, what you need to know first and foremost is that hardware is the part you can see and touch of a computer. Your mouse, your keyboard, your screen and other not-so-obvious elements such as hard drive, RAM, CPU, motherboard and power supply. It doesn’t matter If it is hidden somewhere inside your actual computer, if you can eventually touch it, that’s part of the hardware.

Software, on the other hand, refers to all of those elements that you cannot see, such as the operating system, the programs that are installed on the computer and digital files.
As you can probably guess, these two require different approaches when it comes to repairs. Hardware problems usually require a replacement of physical elements, while software components.

How to Tell There’s a Problem with Your Hardware

There are multiple issues that are caused by hardware components. Unlike software, which is prone to moral degradation only, these elements are also subject to physical degradation as well, which multiplies the issues that can arise.

• Strange Noises: yes, computers make noises and that’s normal, but if the noise is weird, strange, or uncommon, that might be a sign of hardware issues. A failing drive or a broken fan often makes grinding, clicking or buzzing sounds.
• Frequent Crashes of blue screens: software can and will cause crashes, but if your computer is often displaying that blue screen of death, as it is “nicknamed” around, then that might indicate a faulty RAM, which is part of the hardware.
• Computer Won’t Boot: if your computer often gets stuck in a boot loop or if it won’t turn on at all, then that could indicate an issue with the motherboard, power supply or hard drive.
• Peripheral Failures: there are two main issues that generate incompatibility with peripheral devices, and these are port problems or hardware issues.

How to Tell There’s a Problem with Your Software?

• Slow Performance After Installing New Programs: computers are not designed to stop working or to work worse simply because you installed new programs. If you experience slow performance right after installing a new program, that can be the result of a software issue. Bloated software, a multitude of background tasks or conflicting apps can all slow the pace of your computer’s performance.
• Pop-Ups and Unexpected Adds: these can oftentimes be generated by malware or adware infections, which are software-based and therefore represent a software issue.
• Programs Crashing or Not Responding: if your screen freezes, that’s a hardware issue, because you can touch your screen, but if a program or a window within the screen freezes, that’s the result of software issues.

What to Do When You Experience an Issue?

Regardless of whether your issue is a matter of software or hardware, the best course of action would be to contact professional computer help. When looking for computer repair services, it is advised that you know how to explain your issue, especially if this is a long-distance, remote, service.

If your computer screen crashes often, if certain ads keep popping up, if your computer starts making swam noises or if it simply doesn’t perform like it used to, then you should professional contact computer help and let the experts bring your computer back to life.

When to Seek Professional Computer Help?

The best time to seek professional computer help is when you realize you have no idea what’s making your computer act up, nor do you have any idea how to fix that. “DIY” methods can end up damaging your computer, so it would be best to let experts do what they know best and fix your computer. Certified technicians working for computer repair shops have the knowledge and tools to correctly determine the reason for the issue and offer prompt diagnosis.

If you notice that your system will not power on, if there are signs of physical damage, such as pieces of your computer falling off, strange sounds and foul smells, if you need data recovery in case of a failing drive or if the issues you’re experiencing keep coming back despite continuous updates and reinstallation attempts, then you should definitely contact professional computer repair services ( https://topnotchcomputers.com/residential/computer-service-repair/ ) to fix your computer.

Conclusion: Is Computer Repair Really Useful?

Considering how computer repair can literally save your computer from hitting the computer cemetery then yes, computer repair is really useful, but it is also good to know a thing or two before contacting professional help.

By knowing how to describe the issue you’re facing and understating what causes specific issues, you will be able to communicate a lot easier with the technician and you will feel actually useful in saving your PC.

Remember that, the first step is that of contacting a professional technician, one that can help you repair your computer, not simply replace it. It might appear difficult to find such determined companies, but with a little bit of luck and some online research, you will be able to find the best match.