Common Computer Problems & DIY Workaround

Whether you are using an old PC or a new Mac, some common computer problems will make their way to your system without any prior alerts. Some of these problems demand your time and effort, while some can be resolved in a few clicks. 

If not resolved in time, these common problems can damage any hardware component completely, beyond repair. On noticing any performance issues, the first thing that you can do on your Mac is upgrading the macOS and applications that you use regularly. If upgrading the OS doesn’t work for you, you can look for other resolutions. 

Let’s have a look at these technical issues that seem annoying and need to be resolved immediately. 

Common Computer Problems & DIY Workaround

Camera Not Working

If your mac webcam not working appropriately is an issue, it restricts you from many activities. You are not able to participate in any video calls, including your office meetings. On trying to connect to the webcam, if you get an error message “There is no connected camera,” there might be a hardware issue.

macOS does not come with any native camera settings app, so the applications that use Mac Camera come with dedicated configuration options. Alternatively, check your webcam permissions by clicking the Apple menu in the left corner of the screen. Next, click on System Preferences, select Security & Privacy, and then click the Privacy tab. 

Scroll down to Camera in the left pane and ensure that the app that you want to assign access permissions is tick marked and displayed in the right window. Alternatively, you can enable your Mac camera with Terminal. After you tweak the settings and permissions, restart your Mac to check if things work appropriately.

Computer Runs Slow

If you have been using your computer for a couple of years, this is quite common, and there’s nothing to worry about. Digital devices work pretty well during the first few years, and the performance degrades as the computer starts to turn older. While slow performance can be annoying, it can be a sign of something more severe, so take note of it. 

The slow performance can be a result of outdated hardware or outmoded software components. So, first of all, take a look at all the applications and check if any update is available. If yes, install the upgrade to replace the applications with their latest versions and restart your computer to check if it performs better than before. 

Another reason can be the hundreds of applications that you might have installed on your computer. These applications are consuming their part of system resources as well as the storage space and making your system sluggish. 

Deleting these applications can improve the system productivity and performance considerably. When deleting applications, focus on removing high-resolution games and graphics apps like Photoshop as they can be the real productivity hogs.

Downloads Take Time

Downloads Take Time

If you are experiencing slow downloads, first you should check your internet speed as your computer might not be at fault. In this case, it can be a slow internet connection or an outdated network driver that might be causing the problem. Check if your WiFi is working properly and if there’s uninterrupted connectivity and signals coming through.

If everything seems to be fine, check if the file you are trying to download is giant in size, as this can make the download slow. A large file can even take a few minutes to hours to download, so maintain your patience levels. It’s recommended to avoid downloading large files from the internet and use alternate methods to view the content online such as YouTube. 

You can test the internet speed online to check if the ping rate is appropriate. Moreover, you can try an alternate web browser to the one you are using currently. In addition, try to switch off and then switch on your WiFi, modem, and router devices. At last, contact your internet service provider and ask for fixing the problem. 

Hard Disk Working Inappropriately

When files on your Mac suddenly go missing, or you get an error message while attempting to access some files, the chances are that your computer’s drive is not working properly. You can use Disk Utility to identify and fix several issues such as multiple applications quitting unexpectedly, file corruption, etc.

To check and repair your Mac hard drive, run First Aid on every single volume and container on the device. If Disk Utility notifies that the disk is about to crash, make sure to backup your entire data and replace the disk with a new drive. If you have an old hard drive, upgrading it to a solid-state drive is a good piece of advice because SSDs are more reliable and efficient.

You can also upgrade to Windows 11.

David Smith

As an gaming addict addict, David spends most of his time trying new games. He loves to play Destiny 2 and LoL. Seriously, he might be playing right now.

GPCD