What does 'reboot' actually do and why does it fix things?
Whenever something goes wrong with my computer, tech support tells me to reboot, and weirdly it often works. Why does turning a computer off and on again fix problems? What's actually happening when it reboots? Is rebooting a real fix or just a temporary patch over a deeper problem?
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3 Answers
Honestly at some point a clean reinstall of Windows fixes more than any amount of tinkering. XP gets crufty after a couple years. Back up your files, find your product key, and do a fresh install. It'll feel like a brand new machine.
Newegg is your friend for parts. Way cheaper than Best Buy or CompUSA and the customer reviews actually help you avoid junk. Just watch out for shipping on heavy stuff like CRT monitors. Read the reviews before you buy ANYTHING.
The best resource for this kind of thing is Tom's Hardware forums. Someone has almost certainly had your exact problem and posted a solution. The community there is really knowledgeable and helpful.
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