It’s so infuriating when your computer hardware or software doesn’t work, isn’t it?
We at Des Moines Tech Support understand that. Even we occasionally have frustrating days when systems seem possessed by gremlins.
What we have learned through the years is both patience and the process to solve vexing problems. We’ve learned that the unfortunate tendency is to always blame the hardware or software when we get frustrated. Too often the problem is that we simply didn’t understand the real problem.
Our profession of computer tech support is like that of medicine. The cure begins with the quality of the diagnosis. You can’t fix anything if you don’t know why it’s broken; but, how do you get the ‘why’? You take tree sequential troubleshooting steps: Ask, Focus and Verify
- Ask a series of basic questions about the symptoms of the problem. Maybe the problem has not been defined correctly.
- Focus on the likely causes and rule-out illogical speculation. Then, like staff at Des Moines Tech Support do, either go on-site to troubleshoot the affected ailing computer or connect from remote. Confirm that the proposed cure has no negative consequences before taking any action. This is a process similar to the Hippocratic Oath’s promise “to abstain from doing harm”.
- Verify that the proposed cure will most likely work under different scenarios and test the outcome. Verify that it always works or just sometimes or intermittently? Verify that you really understand why the cure worked? Return to step one, if necessary.
I should mention that there is usually a fourth step to troubleshooting, but its the step that most computer users neglect, but professionals don’t: document everything. Documentation is a critical component of professional troubleshooting. We really want to understand why each cure works?
Along with the right tools and understanding of the diagnostic features built into modern computer operating systems such as Microsoft Windows 7, we’ve developed and often memorized systematic checklists, troubleshooting procedures, and troubleshooting flowcharts. They really speed-up our work.
So, there you have it: three steps to troubleshooting and repair. You can take the three steps yourself, or you can make your life a little easier by having Des Moines Tech Support professionally do the work for you faster and with less frustration.
Learn more about our on-site and remote support options. Then, contact us to discuss how we can be of service to you.
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Bob Pauls writes for his company, Des Moines Tech Support, about appropriate technology and computers in business, education, and community development. You can follow Bob on Twitter @desmoinestech. Bob’s e-mail address is bpauls@dsmtechsupport.com
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