Triona's Tech Tips

If you’ve ever run into a computer emergency (and who hasn’t?) here are my top five fixes.

1. Reboot
   Yes, you’ve heard it before, but it bears repeating: Rebooting your computer should be your very first troubleshooting step.
2. Try a different program
   This helps to isolate the problem. For example, if you can’t print, is the problem only with your word processor or are you also unable to print from the Web? If you can’t get on the Internet, are both Web and email not working?
3. Scan for viruses
   Virus-writers don’t exactly quality-check their handiwork. Viruses or malware will often cause your computer to slow down or behave in strange ways.
4. Check the Frequently Asked Questions
   Almost every software and hardware vendor has a support area on their web site where you can check for the solutions to common problems.
5. Reboot your network
   For Internet problems, try turning off your cable or DSL router, then your hardware firewall if you have one, and finally your computer. Turn them all back on in the same order waiting about twenty seconds between each one.

Subscribe free to Tech Tips and receive bonus tips, tricks and product reviews. Click here to subscribe or send email to techtips-request-at-guidryconsulting-dot-com, subject “subscribe”.