In today's day and age, you could be considered a cave man (or woman) if you don't own a computer. Owning your own computer means that you have probably run into your share of computer problems. Now, the severity of those problems likely vary. Regardless of what the problem is and how severe it is, one is just as irritating and overwhelming as the other because they get in the way of you doing what you're trying to do on your computer. So, here are three common problems that would have you calling a computer technician for assistance that you can actually solve on your own:

1. A Slow Computer

This is probably one of the most common problems computer owners run into. When a video or a website is running slow, it may not actually be your computer. Instead, it could be the internet connection. But, first, you should look at your hard drive to confirm there is an adequate amount of free space that allows your operating system to run efficiently and smoothly. If it is full, then the PC's performance will likely be slow. To speed up the performance of your computer, you need to empty some of this space.

Another place you can go to fix a slow running computer (if you're running Windows) is the System Configuration tool. This tool will allow you to disable service and programs that automatically start up when your computer is booted. Many of these can hinder your PC's performance. Check the columns labled Manufacturer and Startup to see which ones you can disable safely. If you see any that are listed as Microsoft Corporation as the manufacturer, don't disable them. If you're unsure what the program does, avoid disabling it. When you're finished, click OK and then restart your computer. You should be able to notice a difference in how fast it reboots and runs.

2. Problems Opening Attachments

More often than not, when you're unable to open a file on your computer, it is because you do not have the appropriate software on your computer to view it. For example, if you're trying to download a PDF file and view it, yet you don't have Adobe Reader or some other program that can read PDF files, you won't be able to open the attachment. 

For PDF files, you can locate and download a free PDF reader. This will provide you the ability to download, open and reader the file. If the file is a more complex format, simply look at the three letters that follow the period in the file's name. This will point you in the right direction on the type of program/software that is needed to download, open and read the attachment.

3. Long Download Time

Your first step should be to see if there are updates that need to be installed for your network hardware. If so, then download them. In some cases, connection problems can be solved by resetting your modem and/or router. You should be able to find a reset button them. However, if you can't, you can just remove the power cable and leave it unplugged for a few seconds. 

If the above doesn't solve your problem or you come across a problem that you can't solve on your own, don't hesitate to contact a residential computer service for help. 

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