



Hardware conflicts



The Device Manager will show you devices with conflicts with a yellow exclamation point.



First, use the software utility Memtest86+ to ensure your RAM is the problem. If errors arise, you next need to determine exactly which memory stick is to blame. To do this, remove all the sticks from your system—save one inserted in the primary memory slot. If the system boots fine, and no errors are detected in Memtest86+, continue testing in the same fashion—one stick at a time, inserted in the primary slot—until the system fails to boot, or Memtest86+ indicates problems.


Memtest86+ found some errors with this system.

Heat is thy enemy



Next, make sure that all of your PC's vents, grates, and filters are unhindered by dust, pet hair, and other gross materials that prevent proper airflow. These areas are hotbeds (pun intended) for heat buildup. If you find any problem areas (see the disgusting example below), use a can of compressed air to clear the airways.

For laptops, make sure that the machine is on a hard, flat surface that won't "smother" the chassis around its vents, thus restricting airflow.

Not only is it gross, it's also killing your computer.

You can monitor the temperature of your CPU with my favorite free monitoring tool, PC Wizard. In addition to other helpful uses, it will show you the real-time temperature of all your system components.


The pea method for applying thermal paste.

If you have recently installed a new CPU, the crashing could stem from a poor application of thermal paste. So remove your heatsink, clean your surfaces with a cotton ball and a little rubbing alcohol, and try again.

There are competing theories on how to apply thermal paste, but your goal is always the same. The thermal compound fills the microscopic valleys on the surfaces of the CPU and heatsink to provide the most even and full contact between the two components. The paste is ineffective when too little—or too much—is applied. So I use the pea-drop method: I place a small, pea-size drop in the middle of the CPU, and then place the heatsink directly on top, letting the natural pressure of the heatsink spread the paste evenly.

Not enough power

It's always fun to cram more powerful components inside your PC, and of course overclocking your CPU will yield performance dividends. But you can only upgrade so far before you begin running low on juice. Your PC will become unstable and unexpectedly restart if you put too much strain on your power supply.

There's no easy way to determine which components are drawing the most power, but your component manufacturers' websites might list power consumption specs online. From there, you can calculate your approximate total power consumption, and compare it to the output of your power supply.

A 650-watt power supply should be adequate for most systems.

If you determine your PSU can't handle the load of all your components, you have to make some difficult decisions. If you overclocked your CPU, you can return the processor to its original state. Otherwise, you can replace your power-hungry components for less needy ones, or follow the most sensible path and simply upgrade your power supply. A 500- to 650-watt power supply should be able to properly power an average performance PC.

Fragmented hard drive


Defragmenting your PC is as easy as pushing a button.

Run the Disk Defragmenter in your System Tools every week or so to keep your files straightened out. The process is a pain in the butt while using the PC (you can't save data to the disk while it defragments), and it can take upwards of an entire day to complete. So set it and forget it before going to bed or work.


A cluttered Registry


Fear the never-ending root folders!

A good Registry cleaner, such as Free Wise, is the perfect tool for clearing away the clutter. Free Wise will scan your Registry, find the problems, and exterminate them, leaving your Registry obstruction free.

The dreaded virus




Gather clues to fix the problem


That's right: Every time the computer crashes and you don't fix it, you make Windows sad.

Windows 8 redesigned the BSOD to be more user friendly.
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