Sometimes, regardless of the different fixes you try, you cannot fix whatever problem is happening with your PC. In the previous installments in this article series, we discussed various aspects of how to troubleshoot your PC's hardware issues. We've covered how to get started off on the right foot and down the right path towards fixing the issue, how to troubleshoot new devices that have never been inst

alled in that particular computer system before, how to troubleshoot devices that have been installed to replace old devices of the same make and model, and how to troubleshoot devices that have not had any changes made to them at all and only suddenly quit working.

If you followed all of the steps outlined in the previous installments of this series and the device is still not working correctly, you may now be feeling like you are at something of a loss. There could be several different reasons that the device is still non functioning, and those potential reasons are as follows:

1.)    The device itself may be faulty. You may have purchased a bad device, and a replacement device may correct the issue. Or your previously functioning device may have been damaged somehow due to overheating, dropping or corrosion, or some other sort of physical damage, even just simple wear and tear due to normal use.

2.)    You may have an overcrowded PC. Much like a wall socket in your home, if you plug too many things into a computer, it may short out and mess up, so to speak. If you have more devices installed on your PC than its processor, memory and other components can handle, then your PC may just simply be too full. Sound cards, video cards, joysticks or other video game controllers, multiple disk drives, multiple hard drives and more may be too much for your PC to handle. If you have recently added a new component that is NOT the malfunctioning component, try removing and uninstalling it to see if you can correct the problem that way. If you have not recently added a new component or device, you can try disabling components one by one until the malfunctioning device begins to work again.

So when you feel like all else has failed, don't give up hope entirely. At the very worst, you will just have to replace the device. At best, you will find out your computer's limitations and know in future how many components and peripherals your PC can handle before it becomes overloaded.