First Steps When You Have a Computer Crash

Computer crashes are one of the worst things that can happen to your business. Not only is it frustrating, but you end up losing all your information and not being able to do anything on your computer. However, after a crash, there are some first steps you should take to get back up and running as soon as possible.

Make Sure It Is Not a Fluke

Make sure it is not a fluke by looking at the disks to see if they are okay. For example, the problem might be with your hard drive rather than Windows or another application. In that case, the computer will usually still boot up, and you can access files on other drives until you fix things. 

If this doesn’t work, you can start checking the applications or system files that are giving you trouble. Unfortunately, when your computer crashes, it is not always an easy fix. But if you know what to do at this point, you will be on the right track toward getting everything back up and running again in no time. There are all kinds of reasons why a Windows crash can happen.

Check for Backup

When your computer is being overwhelmed with viruses, crashes are inevitable. In addition, if you have not backed up recently, it could be a problem that can cost time and money to fix.  

Doing these three things early will help keep the impact down significantly when something happens:  keep antivirus software updated, create regular backups, and keep a system recovery/repair disk on hand. In addition, if your computer is under warranty with an onsite service contract, call them first for help.

Use Data Recovery Software

If you only have one copy of your files, it’s essential to use data recovery software to get them back. These tools are designed specifically for this purpose, and they’re very effective at recovering lost documents. There is no reason not to do so when the worst-case scenario is losing some or all your files. 

Reboot Your Computer

When your computer suddenly crashes or freezes, it’s because there are problems with the memory. Failing to boot up enough means that something is wrong. It could be a hardware problem, but just as likely, you have software issues. 

The best way to resolve this issue is by rebooting your computer. If, after an initial reboot, the computer doesn’t work again, you should remove external devices one by one.

Uninstall the Software Then Reinstall It

Step one is to uninstall the software then reinstall it. It’s crucial that you only delete the program and not your data files, so ensure you know where they are before deleting anything. Sometimes a complete uninstall isn’t enough. In this case, go ahead and manually remove all its traces from your system.

Scan for Viruses and Malware

In case of a complete crash, which erases the entire system configuration and data on your hard drive, restoring lost files can be pretty difficult or even impossible without backups. So the first step is to scan for viruses and malware because these malicious programs often cause computer crashes by infecting core operating system files and modifying them. 

If you can’t scan for viruses on your system, use an external device like a flash drive or CD to transfer the antivirus software so that you’ll be able to run it from outside of the infected computer. Once your virus protection is up and running, try to save copies of your files on external storage devices like flash drives or CDs, and always have backups, so you don’t lose all your data in case the computer crashes again.

The most important thing you can do when your computer crashes is to remain calm. The chances are good that the data on you will lose your hard disk drive, and it’s well worth taking a few minutes or hours to attempt a recovery if possible.