Before you can call your nearest local computer repair shop, there are some very basic troubleshooting tips which you can easily perform on the computer in case if it has some sort of problems. But for that it is important that you know about the basic points of your computer before starting the troubleshooting procedure. You must know whether the computer that you have is a Mac or a general PC. The maker of the computer like white box, dell or IBM must also be known by you. It is further important that you know about the Pentium processor and the operating system installed in the computer.
You must be aware of the memory and the space of the hard disc which is present inside the computer. This information is generally provided in the instruction manual or is written somewhere inside the computer. Knowing all this, you are then ready to start with the troubleshooting techniques on the computer.
Things to keep in mind
You must aware of the activity you were doing on the computer during the occurrence of the problem. You may write and attach the problem occurrence message so that the technical department could know the exact problem. Were you working some document out or working on the network?
Things to try once you know everything
1. Reboot (turn the machine off and then on again) - Believe it or not but this resolves most computer problems. 2. Run a Virus check, but first run a virus update. You can usually get your virus updated online 3. Try to decide on the area of the problem. Determine if it’s a network problem, a hardware problem, or a software problem. You can determine if it’s a network problem very easily by checking to see if the computer is on the network. Network problems are the usual culprits for Internet problems. 4. If your computer doesn’t start up, then you should look behind it and make sure that all the cables are plugged firmly into the computer. Make sure that the computer is plugged into the outlet (sometimes the cleaning crew messes this stuff up) 5. Check to see if you get any lights on the computer. If the computer lights turn on, but the computer won’t start and you have no sound, then you probably need to replace the power supply. You should call a repair technician to have it replaced. 6. If your computer freezes in the operating system. Try rebooting your system and as it reboots press F8 to see if it will go into safe mode, from there uninstall the application you installed that caused the problem, or reboot.
In case none of the above points help you solve the computer problem, at least you are now better aware of the points of the problem and could let the service center know about the problem. It is very important to stay refreshed and keeping attention on the activities of the computer. This way, you can help the repair person who helps you in the troubleshooting of the machine.