Here are some simple tips that can save you a lot of headaches and a lot of money!!!

Just Take a deep breath…. Think about what you’re
doing… and most of all…

DON’T PANIC!

These are in no particular order:

1. Understand that a PC is NOT a magic box.

2. Reboot!

3. Read the documentation

4. Read everything on the screen.

5 Read the HELP File.

6. Check all the cables.

7. Check How much Disk Space is available. (commonly mistaken for memory).

8. Know if your machine is compatible.

9. Purchase antivirus software.

1. Understand that a PC is NOT a magic box.

Just because the movies show computers that can carry on a conversation, take you to a special effect “cyber-world” and can solve everyone’s problems… please understand that they are just machines.  Justlike your car, microwave and stereo they are just tools that we use to do a certain task.  They cannot do anything that you do not know how to make them do.  If you think that by just getting a computer your checking account will now always balance out and your bills will always get paid on time then I have some swamp land in Florida to talk to you about!  You did not know how to drive just because you bought a car, you wont know how to fly if you buy a plane, and you won’t be able to make super cool home videos and mix your own CDs just because you buy a PC.  You must learn how to do this.  And that extremely dumb box you paid all that money for will not show you how no matter how much you beg…

Reboot!

Over 80% of ALL PC issues can be solved by simply rebooting the machine. WHY?  Just because!  Accept it.  You don’t know why popcorn pops….

Actually what happens is when you open and shut programs on your Windows PC, the computer does not always give you back all the resources (disk space, memory, etc.) that it took.  After a while the PC will actually run out of resources.  And sometimes the programs on your PC will start fighting for resources.  Then you shut your computer down it releases those resources.  Sometimes your PC just gets confused. and rebooting “resets” the configuration in Windows.  It can be annoying, especially on older machines, but if you are doing some serious work involving several applications you may need to reboot twice in one day.

Read the documentation

“When All Else Fails, Read The Instructions.”  This is a real no-brainer, but this can save you from having to call tech support.

Read Everything
On The Screen

This is extremely important if you are browsing the internet.  A lot of people get a pop up message on their screen, just click “OK” “Yes” or even the opposite without reading what it says.   This is very dangerous.  If a message comes up asking if you want to install the latest porn downloader, and you just click “Yes” to make it go way – guess what – you are now downloading porn and not even realizing it.  It’s one thing if this is your goal for the day,  but an entirely different thing if you loose your job, girlfriend or spouse because you now have dirty pictures all over your PC.  Take the time to read everything you see before you just click on it and worry about it later.

Read The Help File

Most technicians that get asked to do something in a particular application will simply do one of three things.  One – they already know how. Two – they will read the help file.  Three – they will look it up on Google.  Usually the tech does not know any more about what you are asking than you do when you first ask.  However, most of the answers can be found by simply click on Help and the searching the help files.  It can be a bother to do.  But you doing it can be a lot cheaper than paying somebody else by the hour to read the same file.

Check All The Cables

OK, here is the way it is.  I HATE charging people for an hour of work when the only reason their printer is not working is because it is not plugged in.  I have had to do this on a number of occasions, and do charge…. but I feel really bad for the person who has to pay.  Please make sure all the cable are connected and plugged in before you call.  I really don’t want your money that bad.

Check
How much Disk Space is available.

Double click on My Computer.  Right click on the C: drive and then click on properties.  This will show you how big the total drive is, how much space is being used and how much space is free.  You should never have less than 15% of your total drive free.  And this should not really be less than 250 megs unless it’s a real old PC with a very small hard drive.  If you run totally out of space your PC will run slow, quit responding and may not be able to boot up.  Remove any files and programs that you do not need to clean up space, and usually deleting e-mails and a few documents is not enough.  If you don’t know how to do this, find out… it’s not hard.

By the way, if you want to know how much memory (RAM) you have… right click on My Computer and click on properties.  You will see the total at the bottom of the window.

Know if
your machine is compatible.

Every application that you can buy for your computer has on it (or the web page if you are downloading it) what the minimum requirements to run it are.  Make sure your PC is up to the task before you buy it.  Not every computer can run every piece of software.

Purchase antivirus
software.

For the love of all that’s good a precious BUY AN ANTIVIRUS PROGRAM.  This will usually cost around $45.  The average time it takes to clean a virus infected computer up is 4 hours.  Spend a little now and save a lot later.  Make sure that it is kept up to date.  Generally virus programs should be updated once a week.  When you buy the software you will probably get free updates for a year.  After that time you will have to pay to renew you subscription for the following year.  These updates keep you protected from all the new viruses that come out.  If you let your subscription expire you will not be protected from the new stuff.  You will want to get a good antivirus software, not some freebie application you find on the internet.  The different brands of antivirus all tend to be better than others some weeks, while the competition is better the next week.  The big names are McAfee, Norton, Panda and Trend Micro.  There are others, and the choose is strictly up to you and what your needs are.  Whatever you decide, do something!