Diagnosing the problem
If you have a problem working with your laptop, there is usually a simple and quick solution.
Think about what you were doing before the problem occurred:
- Did you add new hardware to the laptop – for example, a new USB device? It may be that this hardware is not compatible with your version of Windows. If so, you may be able to find help from the device manufacturer’s website – in particular, make sure that you have the latest version of the drivers for all attached devices.
- Have you recently added any new software? If so, try uninstalling the new software and see if the problem remains.
- What software were you using when the problem happened? Does the problem only occur when you are using this software? If so, it is likely that the issue is with that piece of software and you should contact the software provider.
Hardware problems
If you have a problem after installing new hardware (e.g. external USB devices), try removing the device to see if the problem continues. When adding new hardware, ensure that the device is compatible with your version of Windows. Visit the device manufacturer’s website and make sure that you are using the latest device drivers.
Software problems
If you experience problems only when you use a particular software application:
- Check the software documentation or contact the manufacturer for troubleshooting information
- Ensure that the program is compatible with the operating system installed on your computer
- Check that your computer meets the minimum hardware requirements needed to run the software (see the software documentation for information)
- Ensure that the software is installed and correctly configured
- If necessary, uninstall and then re-install the software making sure you have downloaded the latest, updated version