Troubleshooting - How we can help you as quickly as possible

[Steve]

Nothing is more aggravating than discovering that something has stopped working! When a computer develops a problem, finding and solving the fault can be a troubleshooting nightmare. However, the nightmare can, in most cases, easily be avoided by a bit of planning, reflecting and logical progression.

At HEXUS.net Forums we're here to help you solve the problems you might stumble across from time to time. To help forum members provide relevant suggestions, there are a few things you can do. It will mean you're likely to get up and running again a lot quicker!

Have you checked the guides?

Have a quick look to see if we've already got a guide or FAQ list related to the problem you're having, and also do a search of the forums to see if somebody else has already posted about the very same issue. That might save you a lot of time. If you find nothing then consider the following tips:

Be as specific as you can

Some problems can be caused by a vast array of different things. The more specific you can be about a problem, the more likely it is that the cause can be identified and a solution presented.

If you get any error messages, include it in your post. Also, doing a search on the Internet for the error code might yield answers. If the error is a Windows blue screen error, then try searching Microsoft Technet for the first part of the error (e.g. 00000000xA) as Technet can, occasionally, yield useful answers.

Point the finger

Try to deduce what the problem might be. You've been using the system, what feels wrong? It's not always the case that the suspected problem is in fact what is wrong, but a lot of time you'll find it is. As an example, if a particular program freezes up, then perhaps that program is at fault. If that program is a 3D intensive game, then perhaps something graphics related is the problem.

What have you tried already?

Let us know what you've done already to try to solve the problem. This will help people spot anything you've missed or not thought to try. Otherwise, you're likely to get people suggesting that you do things you have already tried!

Post in the right forum section

This one is related specifically to the forum, rather than general help seeking. Make sure that you post in the most relevant forum. If it's an urgent disaster, or something nasty, post in HEXUS Help. A graphics bug should be in HEXUS Graphics & Displays. Some forums aren't as busy as others, but don't be mislead by that. People tend to view forums related to their specialty more often than the other forums, so you're more likely to get a quick and relevant response if you post in the right place.


Hopefully these tips will prove useful to you in solving any problems you get with the minimum of headache and the maximum amount of satisfaction.