Is Your Computer Trying to Tell You Something?

Just like any device that endures wear and tear, our computers go through transformations over time, becoming outdated and losing their strength. No one wants to be caught off guard when a computer fails to understand what's needed or, worse yet, loses essential data right when it’s needed the most. Here are five signs indicating that your computer might be suffering, and it’s time for a lab checkup.

Strange Noises? It's Time to Listen:

Every computer has a hardware expiration date, which is inevitable with frequent use. Roughly two years into usage, your computer might start making odd noises like clicks or squeaks. This usually points to changes in the fan's strength or, in a worse scenario, the motherboard. Don’t ignore these noises! Understand that your computer is speaking its language, saying: 'It's time you invest some money and time in me.'

Typically, you can address noise issues by thoroughly cleaning the air vents with compressed air or a small vacuum designed for this purpose. Before cleaning, back up your data on an external hard drive. If the noises persist even after cleaning, it indicates a deeper issue unless the computer is more than five years old. In that case, it might signal the end is near.

Slow 'Thinking' and Performance Issues

In this regard, a computer's performance starts to resemble that of a human: the older it gets, the slower its reaction time. Just like humans, computers endure wear, leading to slower operation for various reasons. This could be due to an overloaded hard drive, viruses attaching themselves to the system, spyware, and more.

While you can usually improve performance by running a virus scan, such changes are inevitable in any computer older than two years.

What You Should Know About 'Error Messages'

Every computer experiences this occasionally, receiving an error message (often appearing on a blue screen warning that Windows has encountered an issue and can’t continue). Most people don’t know how to deal with such error messages or decipher them. However, if you note the error number before it disappears, you can find quite a bit of information and potential solutions on Google.

If this error message repeats multiple times, the computer likely faces a hardware issue, warning of possible system failure. Often, shortly after receiving a blue-screen warning, the hard drive crashes. The next step is formatting the hard drive and reinstalling the operating system.