Computers are great tools when they behave well. When they become unstable and unpredictable, they can cause a lot of stress and worry. Of course you can always pay the $35-50 per hour charge to have the behaviour corrected. Depending on the problem though, this can be a costly option.

If your computer is still under warranty and you suspect that you have a problem with the hardware or equipment then you can return your machine to where you bought it and get it serviced. If you have a software or virus problem, you'll usually have to pay out of your own pocket. If you'd rather not pay, there are a few approaches that you can use to try to diagnose and fix the computer's problems yourself.

You can rely on utility software such as Norton Utilities if you have a copy. If you are using Windows 95 or 98, you can rely on the built-in utilities' programs that come with Windows . For example, Scandisk will check the hard drive for problems and the Disk-defragmenter will reorganize files to improve the performance of your programs. You can find these tools under your Start menu. Choose "Accessories" then "System tools".

If your computer is not performing as it usually does, you may also wish to scan for a virus. But don't depend on your antivirus software if it is not up to date. Instead, go to the site of the company that provides your antivirus software and download the latest update. Once you have the latest version, you can do a scan of your entire system.

In the meantime, you might want to determine if the problem is only occurring with one particular program. If it is, chances are you can download fixes or patches from the software's official site. These patches are designed to fix problems that were detected in the software after it was released.

Competition often forces software companies to release new versions of their software before it has been thoroughly tested. So, you end up being the one who does the testing. When you report a problem to the company, your problem or question and the fix will likely be posted in a troubleshooting FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) on the company's site. Chances are that if you experience a particular problem with a program, someone else has already reported it to the software maker or vendor and a fix is posted at their site.

Unfortunately, a lot of the bad behavior we observe in computers is often the result of our own interactions with the machine. For this reason, sometimes the best approach to troubleshooting your computer is to treat it well in the first place. Make sure you always shut down your computer properly and that you follow the correct procedures for installing and uninstalling software. You may also want to avoid installing beta versions or early releases of software.

In the meantime, keeping track of your computer's behavior on a regular basis will help you deal more efficiently with problems when they arise. I keep an exercise book open in front of my computer and use it as a log to track problems and errors. Anytime I get an error message or have a problem, I note the circumstances, the actual message and what other programs I had running at the time.

You can also use a log to keep note of when you installed any new software. When you start experiencing problems, consult your log and try to see a pattern. If you need to have your computer serviced because of a problem, then bring your log with you.

Fortunately, the trend in each new version of operating systems such as Windows is to provide tools that can monitor the computer's behavior and provide built-in solutions to problems. As well, more and more software now comes within a family of products that are designed to work smoothly with each other so that you don't experience software conflicts. These trends are good news for those of us who are dependent on computers. They're especially good news for those of us who don't have the know-how, patience or dollars to cope with computers when they misbehave.

Previously published in The Express 07/01
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