It will be extremely helpful to follow these simple guidelines to get effective assistance.

Before you seek assistance, write down everything you want to ask.

Call the support desk if you can. Although fewer and fewer companies offer free telephone support, especially out of warranty, some companies still do. However, it is rarely a good idea to pay for telephone support because the rates are often between $35 and $200 per problem.

Have access to the system when you call.

Be polite. Whether or not you think support personnel know what they're talking about, let them think you think they do. They will be more willing to help and escalate problem to supervisors if necessary.

Always provide as much information as possible, especially when e-mailing. For example, writing "My sound doesn't work" isn't particularly helpful. Identify your exact OS version, your hardware (such as computer or motherboard model number, processor speed, amount of memory, and model of hardware that pertains to your question), and any other piece of information you think might be pertinent. Also include information about what happened when the problem first occurred, what changes you made, if any, before the problem occurred, the steps you have taken to resolve the problem, and so forth. Many times, you'll have to fill out a Web form with this information. Even if the form asks for information that you're sure couldn't possibly pertain to your problem, answer these anyway, because leaving out the information will only delay the answer.

Expect to answer questions you've already answered. Support personnel always seem to ask you for information that you provided earlier. Just tell them again. Don't make an issue about it; doing so will only delay assistance.

Information-Sharing Groups

These often take the form of Usenet newsgroups, or other similar forums on Web pages. Some, such as Microsoft's public newsgroups, are monitored by experts, and some aren't. There is no guarantee that anyone will respond to a particular post, and there is also no guarantee that information provided will be accurate or useful. Despite these limitations, however, you can often get the help you need from these groups.

There are many Web pages with articles and forums that are searchable from Web search pages such as Google (google.com). Frame your topic as succinctly as possible and click the Search button. Very often, you'll find some useful information.

Boot Floppies

When a computer can't boot, a boot floppy is often the only way to get access to the hard drive to troubleshoot and repair the system. Boot disks for 9x allow you only to get to DOS, but you'll have access to any FAT or FAT 32 hard drive on the system. Boot disks for XP/2000 can be used only to boot to Windows.

9x/DOS Boot Disks

When you install Windows 9x, you are prompted to create a boot floppy. If you don't have one, find a 9x computer that works and create one. With a blank floppy in the drive, go to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, and select Windows Setup tab. Then, click the boot disk tab. Follow the simple instructions for making a disk.

You can also make a disk using DOS, but it won't have all the features that a Windows boot disk has. For Windows 98SE and previous versions, you can format a floppy using the option to copy system files. Alternatively, from a DOS prompt you can use the command format a:/s. This is useful anytime you need a bootable floppy with extra room or more available memory.

You should have one for each version of 9x, but a different version's disk will often work in a pinch. The exception to this is that boot disks for 95 might not be able to access FAT 32 hard drives.

Note Although you will be able to start up any PC with a Windows 9x boot disk, you won't be able to access an NTFS-formatted hard drive partition. Therefore, unless you have a 2000 or XP computer with a FAT 16 or FAT 32 partition you need to access, a 9x boot disk isn't going to do you much good on these systems.

XP/2000 Boot Disks

Boot disks for XP and 2000 are different. There is no provision in 2000 or XP to create a boot disk. A boot disk will work only if Windows system files are intact. The most common reasons you might need to make a boot disk are if something happens to the MBR, or the disk configuration has been changed. In the latter situation, the problem is that one of the files, Boot.ini, points to the wrong partition for the boot files. In this case, you'll have to edit another boot.ini file to make the boot disk work, and then you'll need to edit the boot.ini file on the computer to correct the problem and enable Windows to boot normally. See the note after the tutorial for more information. You can make a boot disk on any XP or 2000 computer, or even a Windows NT 4.0 system. Tutorial 11.1 provides instructions for making an XP/2000 boot floppy.

Tutorial 11.1: Making an XP/2000 Boot Floppy

On any 2000, XP, or Windows NT 4.0 computer, format a floppy disk. Do this by inserting the disk, opening My Computer, right-clicking the floppy drive icon, and clicking Format from the menu that appears. Do not select the Quick Format check box.

Double-click to open the disk partition where the boot files are stored, the C: drive by default.

If hidden files aren't already showing, click the Tools menu and then Folder Options from the menu that appears. Click the View tab.

Look for and select the Show Hidden Files and Folders option button. In addition, make sure the "Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)" check box is cleared. It is also helpful to clear the "Hide file extensions for known file types" check box.

Locate the following files and copy them to the floppy disk: boot.ini, ntldr, and ntdetect.com. To copy the files, right-click each, click "Send to" from the menu that appears, and then 3-1/2 Floppy (A).

Note This boot disk will work only if the disk configuration of the computer you're making the boot disk on is the same as the computer you need to start; for example, if there is only one disk partition on each machine. If the disk configurations are different, you'll have to edit the boot.ini file in Notepad. That exercise is beyond the scope of this tutorial. Search the Internet for editing boot.ini. A good selection of useful boot disk files can be found at bootdisk.com. There is also a Web site, http://www.nu2.nu/bootdisk/ntboot/index.php, where you can copy or even download a boot.ini file that is purported to be all-purpose.

Basic Repairs that Might Help (and Couldn't Hurt)

There are certain simple things to try with a malfunctioning computer that can save a great deal of time if they work:

Check for power.

Reboot (after removing the floppy).

If the computer is locked up, you'll have to turn off the power, wait 30 seconds, and turn it back on. On ATX systems, which have a soft power switch, holding down the power button for at least four seconds will almost always shut the computer off.

Boot from a boot floppy.

Reinstall or roll back a device driver.

Reseat expansion cards.

Disconnect and reconnect connections.

Clean adapter card contacts with a pencil eraser.

Replace the power supply.

Run ScanDisk and Defrag.

Check Windows Device Manager.

Check for a software patch or update, or update hardware's firmware.

Remote Troubleshooting

You might find yourself in the position of having to troubleshoot a computer but traveling to it is impractical or impossible. Remote Desktop and Remote Assistance are two features that can make remote troubleshooting possible by actually placing another desktop on your own either through the Internet or a private network. PCAnywhere from Symantec.com is an excellent program for this purpose and is much more reliable than the Windows features. Another nice feature is that it can be configured to work from behind a firewall if one or both users have a router or firewall set up. Remote Desktop is a program that comes with XP. You can install it on other Windows computers by using the XP installation CD-ROM. When the main page appears, click Perform additional tasks, then Set up Remote Desktop connection, and follow the prompts.

Remote Assistance, which is basically the same, is available on Windows Messenger (XP only), or on NetMeeting (in any version with NetMeeting installed, type conf in the Run dialog). Search the Windows Help files for more information. NetMeeting, however, is often unreliable.

Some tips on troubleshooting:

Any time troubleshooting becomes too time-consuming, or if the problem resists all efforts to solve it, it is best to back up the data, format the hard drive, reinstall Windows and the programs, and then restore the data.

If you run a virus scan and find any Klez or Elkern viruses in the System and/or System32 folders, chances are the system is damaged beyond repair. Reinstall the system as described previously. However, Panda Software (pandasoftware.com) has repair utilities available that might help so the system can be repaired instead of redone.

If you intend to format the hard drive and reinstall the system from scratch, and you don't have driver disks for all the hardware, it is a good idea to run an information-gathering utility that lists hardware, as discussed earlier in this tutorial, and print a report. This way, if Windows doesn't recognize some of the installed hardware, you'll have a much easier time finding drivers.

If you are upgrading Windows, instead of running the upgrade disc from within the previous version, it often is a better idea to back up the data, format the hard drive, and run a clean install from the upgrade disk. This is especially advisable if you're upgrading Windows Me. While installing Windows, you'll be prompted to insert the disk from the version of Windows that was previously installed on the computer. Make sure you have it handy.

Things Not to Do with a Computer
Overview

Many of us have heard of how the PC user called in to say his cup holder was not working on his computer only to find out he was referring to his CD drive. Well, that's obviously a silly thing to do, but following are some less obvious but also not-so-wise things to do with your computer.

The switch on the back of the power supply that says 115/230 is not to be used to see if there is a problem with the power by switching it back and forth.

No matter how much you think you know, make it a rule never to plug in a new USB device until you read the manual. In most cases, the software has to be installed first or in a specific manner, and by skipping the proper steps, you might waste a lot of time trying to get the device to work correctly.

We are constantly getting laptop computers in the shop for repair due to all types of liquids spilling on the keyboard that were kept right next to it. Unlike a desktop computer where the keyboard is a separate and usually inexpensive peripheral, the notetutorial keyboard is directly over the circuitry of the computer, and the liquid will wick its way into every crevice and corrode and short out the system.

Speaking of spilling liquids on the laptop, customers often turn on their laptops after only wiping the outside of it right after the spill. Basic science tells us that will only ensure more, and most likely permanent and possibly fatal, damage. We try to tell all of our customers that if a spill ever occurs to immediately remove the battery, unplug the laptop, turn it upside down to minimize migration of the liquid into the components, and bring it to a qualified technician right away to be cleaned out. Never let your curiosity force you to turn it back on.

A customer recently walked into the shop and asked if we could test his Pentium 4 processor. When asked if he had it with him, he retrieved it from his pocket and held it up proudly by the corners. It might have been working before he brought it in, but its chances started decreasing when he handled it that way. Do not ever handle a static-sensitive component (processors, memory, add-in cards, etc.) with your bare hands unless you are wearing a wrist strap and using precautions to ground yourself and prevent static discharge.

Another customer brought in his server because it was dead. We checked it out and discovered a 1/4-inch gap between the processor and its heat sink. We removed the heat sink and found globs of thermal transfer compound—so much that the heat sink didn't make good contact with the processor—and there was a thermal pad as well. Now, the ironic thing is that this customer is obsessed with cooling. There were two fans on the processor and various case fans. However, his failure to follow directions (see tutorial 3, "Motherboards and Their Components") caused his CPU to overheat and fail. The rule: use either a thermal pad or a small amount of thermal transfer compound, and make sure that the heat sink is flush against the processor.

One time a customer called and frantically explained that his video disappeared, and he needed his computer for business right away. He was willing to buy a new monitor. We told him to bring in his computer and monitor. When we checked out the monitor, we found that the brightness had been turned all the way down. The lesson here is to always check the simplest, most obvious things first.

Often, when a PC comes in to the shop it has loose wires hanging inside even though the original system builder took the time to tie the wires. The problem was that they used rubber bands, and the rubber bands had rotted away from age and the heat within a computer. Another thing we have seen is shorted wiring from twist ties. When the paper on a twist ties dries up and goes away, all that is left is a thin metal wire that can wear through insulation and short out connections. When you tie up all the wires inside your computer to make them look neat and to help increase the airflow for cooling, use nylon zip ties or nylon wire restraints and clips designed for the purpose. They are easier to work with and will last much longer.

Up in the cooler climates, we occasionally have PCs come in for freeze-ups or damage that cannot be immediately explained, until we find out that the computer is kept right next to a radiator or heating vent.

One of the frequent cause of problems in PCs we see is viruses. Most name brand computers come with some form of virus protection. Usually, it is good for one year or is a three-month trial version. When we ask the customers if they have virus protection, they say yes. When we ask them if it is up to date, they usually assume that you install it and forget it and you are protected forever. After they get the bill to clean out the virus and save the data on the computer, they rarely forget to stay up to date.

On that note, many people out there cannot believe they got a virus because they do not open attachments or open e-mails only from people they know. They forget or do not know that the virus can come from an e-mail sent from their friend's or family member's PC without their knowledge. Additionally, viruses can come over the Web, even if there is no browser open. In fact, my virus detection software detected and cleaned a virus while I was researching links on a Web site while writing this tutorial.

Another less technical but important issue is the choice of cabinets for computers. While many computers are getting smaller all the time, we constantly see customers choosing a computer desk or cabinet that does not fit the case. I recently installed a pair of computer systems at a home and the new furniture had arrived and was installed. The so-called computer desks looked great, but the first thing I noticed was that the shelf for the PC had a door and only one small hole for the cables in the back. There was no consideration of ventilation, or cabling, and you had to open the door just to insert a CD, DVD, or floppy disk. Things worked out after I opened the backs and installed small bumpers on the doors so they would allow some ventilation. Often, the problem is size, and there is no room for the computer once it is in place with all the cables attached. It sometimes seems as if the designers of computer office furniture forget that they have to accommodate machines with cables attached and the need for ventilation.

Many times, I have been called upon to work with a small business that has two or more PCs they purchased at a big box store or online, and now they want to be able to take advantage of networking or need a server to accommodate their needs and growth. The assumption of many of these customers is that a computer is a computer, and one for home is the same as one for business, and the only difference is the work they are doing on them. That cannot be further from the truth. The difference between a professional versus home version of Windows when purchasing a new PC is usually $60 to $90 dollars versus approximately $180 dollars to upgrade later. Most home PCs come with a home suite of programs to keep the cost of the PC lower and more attractive to the buyers. However, Microsoft Office Professional or a similar office suite at the time of purchase will cost you about $300 now, or you can buy the full product later for about $600. The point here is that consulting an expert first will probably save you time and money in the long term.