If your computer has slowed down recently, and an error message such as a runtime error and DLL error have become a common affair, it is time for you to do some PC troubleshooting. Discussed below are some simple steps to help you troubleshoot your PC.
Check Any New Hardware or Software You Installed Recently
If the problems on your computer follow a recent software installation, it is quite likely that this program either has copied incompatible or outdated files to your system, or is having conflicts with other programs running on the system. In this case, you may try to resolve the error either by updating or uninstalling this troublesome program.
In the same way, if the errors appear soon after you install a new hardware, there may be problems with the device driver of this hardware. To check this, try to update the driver by downloading the updated files from the hardware manufacturer’s Web site. If the error still appears, there might be some physical problem with the new device and you may have to get it replaced or repaired.
Scan the PC for Malware Infections
A sudden slow down in computer performance and frequent errors may also indicate some sort of malware infection. Malware programs, such as virus and Trojans creep on to your system through infected Web sites, email attachments, and external media. Malware programs such as spyware and adware are also known to come bundled with other software, especially free games and media files that you may download from the Internet.
To resolve problems caused by malware infections, ensure that your antivirus and antispyware programs are updated with the latest malware database and then run a full system scan to detect and remove these malicious programs. If you do not have a malware removal tool on your PC, you may search for, and download a reliable tool from the Internet.
Scan and clean your Windows Registry
Registry problems may generate several computer errors, such as runtime errors, driver errors, and DLL errors. Windows XP and other Windows operating systems use the Windows registry to store software, hardware and other system configuration information. Registry problems occur when registry files get damaged due to an uncontrollable increase in its size pertaining to the accumulation of outdated, invalid, and corrupt entries within it. To prevent and fix registry problems, it is essential that you regularly scan and clean your registry. The best and the most efficient way to perform these tasks is to use a reliable registry cleaner tool.
Perform a System Restore
Many times, PC errors occur if you or a program you installed recently made some changes to the system configuration that did not work as desired. If you are unable to revert these changes manually, the error may continue to generate and prevent you from working normally. In this case, you can use the Windows System Restore utility to revert your system configuration and system files back to the time when your computer was operating without any problems. The System Restore utility that ships with Windows XP and Windows Vista operating systems, continually monitors your system for any major changes and creates a restore point before these changes are implemented. These restore points comprise the changes done to the registry and system configuration. So, when you perform a system restore, these changes are reverted and you may have your system working normally again. You can launch the System Restore utility by navigating through Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore. If required, you can use System Restore to make manual restore points. You may need to do this before you are going to make any major configuration changes to your system.
