Disclaimer: I assume NO responsibility for the below information. Try all the below suggestions at your own risk. Properly done, there should be no harm, but you are dealing with 110 volts a.c., which could be deadly.

These tips are for Windows based units, from 95 to XP.

What to do Before you Call the Consultant or Technician

1.  The very FIRST thing you should do whenever you get an error message is:


Write down the EXACT error message, in it's entirety.



2.  Save all your open files. Use [Alt-Tab] or the taskbar to switch programs.


3.  Exit your Windows operating systerm (Do a "shut down")


4.  Remove power to the computer.


5.  After 30 seconds, turn the computer on.


6.  Verify that you can duplicate the problem.

A lot of problems go away at this point. It pays to turn your computer off at night, or cycle it through a "Shutdown & Restart"

COMPUTER WON'T START UP

1. Verify that your computer has power to all the components. You should have a light showing on the surge suppressor, or you can use a portable lamp to test each outlet.

2. Make sure all the cables in the back of the computer are connected and tight. If something is hanging loose, look at the connector. Match it up to the corresponding connector on the back - you should be able to find a match. If any of the sound card wires are loose, you will have to check the owner's manual or the manual that came with the sound card. On some computers, the wires are "color-coded" to the adapter they go to.

3. If you normally shut off the system with the surge suppressor, check all the individual units to make sure one of them hasn't been turned off.

4. If you have an anti-virus software, try to run it from a write-protected floppy disk. Check the instructions that came with it for how to do this

5. If you open a lot of programs at once, you may need to run one or two less, or upgrade your memory. For Windows 3.1/3.11, go to the Program Manager click on "Help", click on "About", and check your "System Resources". If they are low (below 30%), you may want to run less programs at one time or add more memory to your system. For Windows 95, you can "right-click" the Task Bar, select Task Manager, and look at the "Performance Tab".

What to Write Down Before You Call the Consultant or Technician

1. Name of the computer maker (Acer, Apple, AST, Compaq, Dell...)(Packard Bell does not qualify....)

2. Type of Computer (Pentium, PowerPC, dual core....)

3. Operating system (Windows XP {Home or Professional}, Win 95, ME, NT, OS\2, Linux, Unix...)

4. Write down the exact symptoms. In particular, write down the exact error messages as they appeared.

5. List all the programs you had open at the time (Windows, MSWord, Powerpoint, etc...)

6. Have a pencil and paper ready to write down the consultant's suggestions. Remember, he charges by the hour.......

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