You will have fewer issues with a computer that is taken cared of. For individuals that remove programs just by deleting their folders, open unknown emails with attachments and go online without any protection, you should start pay more attention in how you use your computer. With proper use, you can avoid seeing messages like Dr Watson and win32k.sys blue screen errors.
A slow PC which experiences freezing and crashes intermittently is probably in need of a tune up. Usually this just means trying to return it back to its original state as if it were new without having to do a full reinstall. Starting afresh however is sometimes a good idea if you experience countless issues. Alternatively you can run the Recovery Console and start a repair installation.
Opting to restore your entire PC, gives you the choice to install only the programs you'll use and not every single one that happens to be lying on your desk. You should be able to free up tons of space since you will have to copy your old computer files either to disk or portable drive or transfer to another computer. Hopefully your computer isn't too bad and it just needs a cleanup. Is your desktop filled inch-to-inch with files and folders? Then it's a good sign that you're PC is in need of a little organization.
Don't just dump files onto your desktop. It's fine to have a few main folders that you want quick access to but keep it as sparse as possible. Create top level folders which contain related folders. Absolutely avoid the one folder approach where everything just gets dumped in without thought.
Experiencing excruciating long boot-ups and shut-downs? Train your eye to the bottom right of the system tray and you might just see a bunch of applications operating that you don't need. You can easily turn the auto-start ability by changing the settings on each application. However, you will want to keep antivirus programs enabled.
You should at minimum have one antivirus program running on your computer. You can download pretty decent free antivirus software such as AVG antivirus. Malware, spyware and viruses there are a gazillion threats on the Net. Running two or more scans from different antivirus programs is a good idea. Antivirus programs don't guarantee to catch every infection so running two or more will increase protection.
Rootkits can be especially nasty and can cause atapi.sys blue screen as well as other problems like ad pop-ups. Worse case scenario your computer could be rendered unusable from infections. Although the majority of third party programs are safe to download on the Net, be vigilant as there are some that contain malicious code.
A registry that is filled with useless or invalid entries will only cause errors and slow your PC, but it can be cleaned quite easily with a registry tool. Make a habit of using a registry tool to cleanup orphaned entries, especially after uninstalling applications.
If you're unlucky enough to experience severe problems such as the BSOD you can check for a guide on how to fix blue screen of death online. Since blue screen errors can be caused by various issues, you should write down the exact error message before looking for a fix. Your computer will benefit a great deal from regular maintenance and cleaning. A little care and attention will make your computer faster and less problematic.
There is more than one method in How To Fix Blue Screen Of Death. Get specific solutions to fix BSODs like the Atapi Sys Blue Screen here.
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