The First Steps Of Any Tech Troubleshooting
My loyal readers should know the Troubleshooting Basics (the first things you do) for when your device, gadget, computer, program, or doodad is misbehaving.
The first thing you check is: Is it plugged in? Turned on/getting power?
Never assume that just because you didn’t disconnect the printer (aka “pull the cord out”) that the cord/cable is connected. Eyeball your connections to confirm. Why spend hours installing device drivers, or reconfiguring your network, only to discover that the cat (or vacuum cleaner) has loosened a cord?
(Cordless mice and keyboards need batteries.. when was the last time you changed yours?)
The second thing to do/try is always: Close it, then “launch” it again. (You may need to use Task Manager to “End” the “Task” to get the malfunction program to close.)
If that fails, the third step is ALWAYS: reboot. (aka “restart”, aka “turn it off then turn it on again”.)
Only after you have done those three fundamental steps is it okay to think about calling tech support.
Why do I say that? Because those three things solve 99% (or so) of all “glitches”. And it is the first things your tech is going to ask you to do.
It really doesn’t matter what tech problem you are experiencing, nor on what device, nor who made it. A Samsung Wireless Internet Blu Ray player, or Sony camera, or Gateway laptop.
These are the ABC’s.
It’s 2012. We should all know these by heart. (Because even though they market us these doodads (and services) as mature and “easy to use”, truth is, they aren’t quite ready for Prime Time.)
Today’s reading reco: Tone The Brightness of Your Monitor Down With PangoBright
“The illumination factor of the LCD and LED monitors of today, can be quite bright. To manage the illumination on my monitor, I use an automated utility called F.lux to manage the brightness of my monitor to match the indoor lighting. It has been a keeper on my main PC for the past couple of” […] Read more..
Today’s quote: “Each generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one that comes after it.” ~ George Orwell
Copyright 2007-2012 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.
>> Folks, don’t miss an article! To get Tech – for Everyone articles delivered to your e-mail Inbox, click here, or to subscribe in your RSS reader, click here. <<
All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.
2 Comments »
Post your Comment/Question
• About Tech Paul
I am a Retired computer & network technician. I used to think the machines were pretty cool. Now I don’t.
They’re anything but.
I regularly posted how-to’s and tricks & tips and general computing advice here starting in 2007. (Use the Search tool to find answers. But be aware, many are rather dated.) Sometimes I answered (your) specific questions in an article if I believed the answer was generally helpful to “everyone”. All the writing you see was my own, typos and all. There always is/was an implied “IMHO” in what you see here.
Note: You are responsible for using this blog and its content. I am in no way liable for any losses caused by user error, viruses and/or other malware, hardware or software failure, or any other conceivable reason.
-
Say "thank you!" Buy Tech Paul a cup of coffee (and keep T4E ad free).
-
-
McAfee® Cybersafety Resource Portal, an online help center designed to assist victims of computer crime and provide information on how to avoid becoming a victim.
-
Subscribe to Tech--for Everyone by EmailRecent Comments
-
-
-
-
Also:
-
-
Tech - for Everyone 
TechPaul,
Thank you for the link back there brother… Super Hot here (cooking on the east coast).
Rick
LikeLike
Rick,
So I hear. I join the – oh, I imagine five, or six others – in hoping there is some relief from the drought/heat wave before too much longer…
(Always a pleasure to refer folks to your great website.)
LikeLike