Computers today are always getting better:  they're faster and more reliable. That doesn't mean that problems don't show up.

It seems like the more user-friendly a system gets, the more likely it is to develop new problems.  Thankfully, the ability to cope with everyday problems doesn't take a computer technician.  All it takes is some resourcefulness and a little bit of know-how.

The following are five of the most common computer problems found on today's PCs. Use this guide as a way to fix errors and save yourself some major hassles.  By conducting some routine maintenance, you can avoid future headaches and make your computer run better.

1. PC Slowdown

The Best way to combat PC slowdown is to take control of the many programs that are trying to run at once. When your computer loads, programs are set to start up automatically, whether you want them to or not. To see and control what programs are set to run on startup, open the MSCONFIG manager.

1. Open the start menu and click the button that says run. This will display the “Run Dialog.”
2. In this space, type the following: “msconfig” and press Enter.
3. This opens the system configuration dialog. Here you can see a series of Tabs:
4. Click on the tab that says “Startup”. Here you can see a list of all of the programs set to run when your computer boots. Beside each entry is a checkbox that you can select/deselect to specify whether that application should run or not.
5. When you've made your selection, click OK.

Your computer will ask to reboot and when it does, it will display a message telling you that you've changed startup configurations. Choosing which programs to de-activate doesn't have to be tricky. Remember that deactivating a startup entry doesn't uninstall or disable the program in any way; it just prevents it from loading automatically. You can always load program from the start menu when you want to use it.

The MSCONFIG manager is a powerful tool.  The other tabs let you override other automatic functions of your computer, but for the most part, the safest thing to do for people who aren't sure what all the settings mean is to simply manage the startup list, as described above.  Remember, Windows only posts non-essential programs in this list, so you can optionally disable all of the entries and not effect any harm to your system.  It's a good thing to know when you might be hesitant about undoing a given startup entry.  In every case, you're not removing a program, just telling Windows not to run it on bootup. 

2. Lockups and Freezeups

A computer locking up is almost always caused by one of two problems.

• One is that the available memory for your computer is being consumed. Cut down on running process in your PC by opening the task manager. To do this click “Ctrl+Shift+Esc” at the same time. On the applications tab, de-activate any programs that you're not currently using. Simply select it and click “End Task” to de-activate.

What this does is puts an abrupt end to over-consumption of memory.  That's useful if you just need to give your computer's processor a break.  This isn't a long-term solution, but does give you a entry into diagnosing problems.  So you've got 5 programs running.  Experiment with disabling different numbers of them.  It's better to just close them as opposed to using the task manager, but if your PC is freezing on and off, sometimes you've got to user your administrator muscle and open the Task Manager with Ctrl+Shift+Esc.  Either way, you can figure out what the load of your PC is.  Which programs are taking the most memory and using the most processing data?  If it's important, shut down other programs so your computer can focus on it.  If it's not, or you can run it later, shut it down and run it at another time when you can dedicate more resources to it.

• The second cause of computer freeze is overheating. Check your computer tower itself. Is it in a closed space where air can circulate? Inside of your computer case are heat-sensitive materials, especially things like the processor and the video card. There's a fan system in place to move air constantly over these parts and to cycle in cooler air. If that system is down, your PC may overheat. Check to make sure the fans are running and that air can circulate around the system. Also check for excessive build-ups of dust.

If it's just dusty, clean it out with compressed air.  If you feel that overheating might be a condition of where your computer is located, try moving it.  The key here is to turn it off and give it time to cool down, then try it in different places and with a cleaner set if insides.

3. Data Loss

The best way to prevent data loss is to back up your data. It's that simple. Moreoever, in today's world remote accessibility is rapidly becoming as important as the ability to have digital media in the first place. There are many free storage services online that you can use to protect data like photos, music and videos. Often these resources are available but people don't know about them. For example, anyone with a Windows Live account is granted a free 25 GB of storage space on the Windows Sky Drive. Users of Gmail are granted several free GB of storage space for documents inside Google Docs and those of you who want to keep photos safe have numerous outlets, including PhotoBucket, Twitpic, Flicker and more.

4. Problems Logging onto the Web

Diagnosing connectivity problems can be touchy because a lot of systems have to work in order for you to get (and stay) online. In the end, it may be necessary to rely on your Internet Service Provider for advanced help with your particular connection settings. There are, however, a couple of things anyone can try…

1. Open the Control Panel and access the Network Settings dialog. In Windows XP, there should be an icon for this. In Vista / Win7; it'll be in the Network Sharing Center where you can click on “Change Adapter Settings.”
   
2. Once you're in the right dialog, it should say “Network Connections” at the top and there should be a list of connections.

Right click the one that's giving you trouble. Depending on which version of Windows you're operating you'll have different options. One thing you can always try is disabling and re-enabling that adapter.

1. Right click on the connection and choose “Disable”. This should make the connection “gray out.”
2. Then right click on that connection again and click “Enable.”

What you're doing it basically resetting the Internet Connection, telling your computer to stop and start over.  This is a common fix and often works to help reestablish connections to wireless networks.  If you're still having trouble at this point, it's best to get someone on board who can go into your Network's router settings and see what's what.

5. Keeping your system up to date

It seems like such a simple thing, but many people suffer errors, compatibility problems and even Web malfunctions simply because they haven't updated their software. Windows needs consistent updates to keep your system protected and up to speed with developments. To update Windows…

1. Open the Control Panel

2. In Windows XP Click on “Windows Update.” In Vista / Win7, you may have to click on “System and Security” first.

3. Now find and click the text labeled “check for updates.”

Some people are afraid of getting overwhelmed with updates; they can't tell what's important and what's not. The good thing is that Microsoft won't force updates on you. Instead it will categorized them by level of importance. It's a good idea to always get updates labeled as “important” or “critical.” Whether or not you use the others is up to you.

These five steps are certainly not the end all / be all for computer maintenance; but they are some of the best starting places. With an updated system, ready backups and controlled startup, you can find your whole computing experience to not only be more reliable but more satisfying. All it takes is a couple of minutes and some careful consideration.