As trite as it may sound, many problems reported by clients can be resolved with a reboot. When
contacted regarding a problem, ask if this has been tried. Some circumstances don't warrant this-
specific error messages about program functions, hard drive error messages or virus alerts. Other
common problems involve a word processor or browser crash or the inability to print from these kinds
of programs. Once a program stops responding, it may damage the files required
for proper operation of the computer. Restarting the computer will reload the damaged files. Users
should be informed that chronic or repeatable problems are the ones that need to be addressed.
Make sure the problem is yours alone. Often, networking instabilities can cause client machines
to stop operating properly. Check with other machines in the workgroup or within the same corridor,
for instance.
Computers crash for a reason. Check with the user as to what they were doing and what other
programs were running at the time. Ask if any special messages came up on the screen (network broadcast,
application error message, etc.) and if so, what the message said. Often, the error message generated
at this point is a good indication of what went wrong (but not necessarily how to fix it).
Sometimes, the only available 'fix' to a problem is to upgrade the software. Many vendors issue
new software releases (versions) between major product releases. The upgrade might actually be in
response to your very problem.
Computer components fail in various ways. Some are rather spectacular (like monitors), others more
understated (like net cards). Startup is the most stressful time for computers and the time
when component failure can occur. Hard drives and floppies are the most common failures. Equipment
determined to be 'dead' should be referred to the Microrepair Shop for further analysis.
While many problems manifest as non-functional equipment, more often than not the cause is newly-installed
software. Full disclosure from the client is essential to resolving these problems. Software is
often unsupported due to conflicts or incompatibilities with recommended programs.
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