Self-Help Tech Support Keeps PC Humming

When an intern with Hollywood, Fla.-based P.R. firm Alan T. Brown Associates couldn’t find Microsoft Office on her PC, she rallied the troops. Together, the coworkers scanned Windows Explorer (the application that shows the computer’s contents), checked the cables networking the computers, and rebooted the system.

“Every trick that we know didn't work,” said a company exec. Half an hour later, they called in tech support, who discovered that an employee had downloaded a virus. An hour – and $125 – later, the problem was cured.

While the virus snafu was avoidable, how Brown’s employees handled the issue was textbook self-help. They started with the simplest cures: Checking cables, searching directories and eventually rebooting, or restarting, the system or modem. From lost files and software to application or screens that freeze, simple fixes can solve many PC woes.

The one issue that tripped them up was not policing downloads. Games, software, pictures or files downloaded from unknown – or even known – sources can contain viruses or worms that can corrupt files, cause slowed performance or irreparably damage a system. Too many downloaded applications may conflict with existing software on the PC.

Add to the policy a regimen of updating antivirus and firewall software or hardware to keep malware – or malicious software – from attacking your computer. Antivirus software should be updated weekly, if not more frequently.

To keep the PC running smoothly, conduct maintenance and software upgrades regularly. Download operating system updates and patches from Microsoft or Apple. Perform disk cleanup and system defragmentation. Learn new information online or by using built-in help features, read-me files, help wizards. If you hit a puzzling glitch, seek free advice on Internet software newsgroups, or try typing the error message into a search engine.

Finally, plug your system into a battery back to protect against data lost to a black- or brown-out. And back up your data regularly. If the computer crashes, at least files, data and works in progress will be accessible from another computer.

And if you do have to call tech support at the hardware or software manufacturer, help them help you. Before calling, write down the type of computer you're on (the processor speed, memory, Internet connection, etc.), and the version of the operating system and software you're running. If you can, reboot and try to recreate the problem. Write down the error message, and what you did to get to that point. Keep your notes organized, including the time and date of your call, your case or file number, and the tech support representative's name in case you have to call back.

Jeff Zbar, the ChiefHomeOfficer.com, is a speaker, writer and expert on alternative officing. He is the author of Teleworking & Telecommuting: Strategies for Remote Workers and Their Managers (Made E-Z Products, 2002); Safe@Home: Seven Keys to Home Office Security (FirstPublish 2001) and Your Profitable Home Business (on CD-ROM from Made E-Z Products). Visit his Web site to subscribe to Home Office Success Stories, his free electronic magazine on home business and teleworking.