IT geeks are just like you, with the exception that they can fix computer problems. They aren’t born with this knowledge, however; it’s not coded in their genes. Instead, IT pros use a simple 11-step programme that anyone can refer to when their computer is not working. And it solves nearly all problems.
If you're sitting in despair and shouting 'my computer is not working!', don't worry. Follow these eleven steps to get your machine up and running again:
This works surprisingly often. Things get disconnected and new things don’t get plugged in properly. Same goes for Wi-Fi and projectors.
Most of the time when the internet doesn’t work, the router needs rebooting. And most of the time when something goes wrong on a computer, rebooting is an essential first step.
Read the, ahem, manual! Geeks don’t like to admit it but we sometimes read manuals to find out how to do things. But ssshh, don’t tell anyone!
But if none of the obvious things work, you're going to need to do some diagnostics. I find it very helpful to keep a log of what I tried and what worked or didn’t work.
If you can repeat the problem consistently, it’s much easier to fix it. You can try something and see if it helps or not.
Start with a theory of what’s going wrong – ‘the upgrade didn’t install properly’ or ‘the password is wrong’ or whatever.
Type in a description of the problem, ‘windows upgrade failed’ or ‘change my password in XYZ application’. Look for sites that look plausible, such as vendor support sites.
Sometimes, Googling a problem produces lots of different possible explanations and you may need to try several different solutions, so always give yourself a way back. The log will help and if you’re doing serious computer surgery, it’s a good idea to have a backup.
Apply the solution you discovered and see if it fixes the problem. If it does, then you’re done. Hurray. If not, go back to step 6.
‘If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again but then give up. Don’t be a bloody fool about it.’
If you can’t solve it in a reasonable time, get more help. Call company tech support, or a vendor, or a friend. (Not me!)
Refer to Step 11 and call for help. There's no shame in it, and if you've documented the problem and kept a log of your attempts to fix it, an IT pro, like our friends at Chalkline, should be able to solve your problem.