How to Fix a Fatal Computer Error

[greg]

Getting a fatal computer error can be frustrating and confusing. Fixing these errors is not so much a matter of technically understanding exactly what happened, but understanding what to do to prevent it from happening again. Fatal exceptions usually stop a program from working altogether, so you will have to start over whatever it was you were trying to do. Before you start over, though, you should try a few simple steps that will likely make the program work next time.

1.
Step 1

Close all of the other programs that are running and try again. Sometimes programs don't work well together. You may have to open the Task Manager by hitting "Ctrl+Alt+Delete" to access the list of running programs. From here, you can close down programs running in the background that you may not need.
2.
Step 2

Restart the computer. If closing down other programs didn't work, often a restart will resolve the problem. After you have restarted, don't do anything else before attempting the operation again. This will reduce the possibility of other programs interfering.
3.
Step 3

Run the Scandisk program that comes with Windows. There may be some errors on your hard drive that are causing fatal errors. Sometimes Scandisk can fix the hard drive problems and prevent the error from occurring again.
4.
Step 4

Go to Windows Update and download the latest files if you are not currently up to date with all of the patches and service updates. Windows will automatically determine which updates you need.
5.
Step 5

Uninstall any recently installed software. The software may have a problem or might have installed incorrectly. It also just might not work well with other programs.
6.
Step 6

Take out the RAM and take it to a computer store to see if there are any problems with it. You can try replacing the RAM without having it checked, because RAM is relatively inexpensive. But if you can find a computer dealer that has a RAM tester, you can usually get your RAM tested for free.