I see all kinds of strange PC problems in my line of work. Sometimes the simplest steps can resolve the most perplexing problems. Here’s a list of some crazy things to try that you might not have thought would help.

  • If you use a wireless mouse, and all of a sudden your system doesn’t respond, or responds strangely to your mouse movements, check the batteries. They’re probably dying.

  • If you suddenly can’t print and you know you don’t have a paper jam, unplug the printer (don’t just turn it off). Remove and re-insert the plug, then try to print again. This technique cures a lot of printer ills.

  • If you use a flat panel monitor and suddenly all of your icons look really big and unclear, pull the plug from the back of the monitor and re-insert it.

  • If you use USB flash drives with Microsoft Windows, always remove the device via Windows before yanking it out of your system. This minimizes the chance that you’ll corrupt the drive and the data on it. To remove it in Windows, right-click the little green hardware icon at the lower right of your screen. Left-click the drive you want to remove. When it’s safe to physically remove it, Windows will tell you so.

  • Can’t get your wireless connection to turn on your new laptop? Look for a wireless ON/OFF switch on the sides or front of the laptop. Some models have physical switches that override whatever your wireless setting is configured for in the operating system.

  • As dumb as it sounds, reboot your computer every now and then, especially if you’re prone to leaving it on 24/7. The refresh will do it good.
Stumble it!