How to Fix Computer Problems and Prevent a Computer Glitch Caused by Heat

Overheating may cause your computer to suddenly go black and shut off right in the middle of your computer work, drop into the Sleep mode far too quickly or other unwanted actions. Prevent overheating because too much overheating can cause serious permanent damage. Sometimes your computer will restore itself and start working properly again once you finally fix computers problems caused by too much heat.

Instructions

1. Get your computer away from heat sources immediately and keep them away. To prevent future problems, block direct sun and don't set your computer on top of other heat sources such as other electronic equipment. Even if you have to temporarily tack up an old sheet to block the sun, do so right away. The sun can turn your computer into an oven. You don't always need to fix computer problems in a high-tech manner.

2. Blow out the vent right away. All computers have one or more small vents somewhere that are sucking in air from the outside to help keep the inside cool. Laptops, for example, often have them on the bottom where they sit on a hard surface and don't get a lot of air circulation. These vents easily get clogged with dust. To fix computer problems that have already occurred, use canned air to blow out the vent immediately so cooler air can begin to return to the inside again. To prevent the future computer glitch, find and blow out the vent every month. Do this more often if the computer is in a particularly dusty area. Vacuuming can add static electricity, so canned air works better.

3. Create more air circulation. Find the vent, and make sure that it isn't pushed against curtains or otherwise blocked from easily drawing in air. If your vent is on the bottom, you can sometimes fix computer problems by placing small pieces of wood or felt under each corner, or use anything that conveniently gets the computer up a little higher so more air can flow into the vent.

4. If the computer has suddenly closed down on its own without warning, allow it to cool completely before attempting to turn it back on. Then gently turn it back on to determine whether the computer glitch has been fixed.

Tips & Warnings

• Touch metal or use an antistatic strap to remove static from your body before handling electronic parts, which can become damaged from static electricity.

References

• Hardware Secrets; Cases: How to Avoid Overheating; Gabriel Torres; May 2005