Whether you have a laptop or a desktop, none of our suggested solutions below risk further damage to your computer if you follow the steps carefully.

We’ve focused on repair tips for Windows PCs rather than Macs, as Windows PCs tend to be prone to more glitches – though some of the tips will also work for Macs.

If your computer starts up by the best expert computer shop near me

If your computer repair in Dubai starts up normally, but then has a problem once it has started, such as the screen freezing or it running very slowly, there are a number of tricks you can try.

Restart your computer

This has become a cliché but it solves many desktop and laptop problems. It’s quick and easy so is always worth trying first. If your computer screen has frozen you can usually force a shutdown by holding down the power button until the computer turns off, then starting up again.

If it won’t turn off, you can force a complete shutdown. With a desktop PC do so by turning off the power at the mains, and with a laptop do so by removing and replacing the battery.

Back up your files

Even small problems, such as your computer running slowly, could be symptomatic of a bigger issue. To avoid losing important files and photos if the problem escalates, back up all your files to an external hard drive or to online cloud storage.

Run computer security checks

If things aren’t working as smoothly as they should or you’re frequently experiencing problems, run a security scan. Some particularly malicious malware or viruses can stop your computer from starting, but more commonly they will just make your system sluggish. A security scan will put your mind at rest and will let you rule out malicious attacks at an early stage.

Remove recently installed programs

If your computer has problems just after you’ve installed a device or a software program – whether you’ve installed it from a disc or downloaded it from the internet – uninstall the last piece of software you put on your system. To do this safely and fully, go to the Windows Control Panel (accessed from your Start menu) and select ‘Add or remove programs’. Once you’ve uninstalled the program, check for improvement. If everything’s working OK again, you can try reinstalling.

Check for duplicate programs

Problems can arise if you have two versions of the same program running (for example, if you’ve reinstalled a piece of software to get the latest version rather than using the program’s update option). You can check if you have multiple versions of the same program running using the Windows Control Panel, which lists all programs you’ve downloaded to your computer. If you spot duplicates, uninstall both versions, and then try reinstalling (if you’re installing from a disc, you may also need to check online for updates).

Don’t use more than one antivirus program

It’s vital to protect your computer with appropriate security software. But running two antivirus programs on your computer – for example, running Microsoft Defender, which comes free with Windows 8 or 10, and then installing an extra antivirus program from a company such as McAfee or Norton – can cause conflicts on your computer. This can make your computer sluggish and at worst can cause computer crashes.

If you have two different antivirus programs installed on your computer, make sure only one of them is active. Find out which security software. recommends in our security software reviews.

Check for and install Windows updates

This is a straightforward way to ensure you are up to date and should improve the performance and reliability of your computer. You can set your computer up to check for and install Windows updates automatically. If you haven’t already been running updates regularly then it may take some time to download all updates, but it’s worth it

WARNING – DO NOT select the option to install Windows – if you do so and proceed with a full Windows installation, it will wipe your drive and re-install Windows from scratch. This will lose all of your data. Using the repair option will not affect your data, but to be on the safe side, back up your files before trying this method.