How many tech supports, customer services or support groups have you contacted and have not gotten a response in a timely manner resolving your issue?  With 20 years computer experience, I know and understand the frustrations associated with computers, technical support, customer service, knowledge bases, etc.  If you feel your problem/question is important enough to have found this site, then I wish to be of assistance.

Free online assistance requires some reading with a high success rate in answering / resolving your question / problem the first time.

I recommend self help first to familiarize you the end-user with resources readily available within your operating system or program, saving frustration & time of trying to search a knowledge base, using search engines only to be referred to a forum hoping the answer is easy to find, or trying to contact the manufacture/tech support/customer service resulting in more delays and frustrations.

Some end-users may find available resources and manuals too technical, wanting to just find the answer in laymen terms and fast.  Sometimes there is no simple answer for there are 10’s of thousand combinations of conflicts, brands of computers, types of components and devices to ever changing in design, operation of and new problems and conflicts.

Thank you for taking the time to read thus far and hopefully self-help may have resolved your question/problem.  If not, then the next step is to answer a few questions.

Continue Troubleshooting

• When was the last time you Updated Microsoft Operating System or Office 97/98, ME, 2000, 2003, XP?  Your Operating System and or Office components Word, Excel, Access etc. may be vulnerable to data theft.
• BIOS Beep Codes/Error Codes - Power On Self Test (POST) - When Booting - Entering Your BIOS
• Computer Safety Tips - that save time, money and frustration 
• Device / Driver Trouble/Conflicts
• E-Mail Guidelines and Security Tips
• Error Messages - Fatal or Processor Exception Error Messages
• First Steps - Protection of your System Configuration and Backup of same
• Microsoft Office Updates - Office 97/98, ME, 2000, 2003, XP
• Security/Protection of your Files, Personal Information and System  whether hard drive failure, viruses from e-mails, backdoor attack by an attacker/hacker or other means as theft or disaster.
• Spam and E-Mail - Unsolicited Electronic Mail Act
• System File Restore - Windows 95/98/Me/2000/XP
• System Information - System history, devices, programs, hardware, utilities and more.
• System Resources - does your computer become unstable, icons change appearance, acts weird
• The Net: User Guidelines and Netiquette?
• Virus Prevention Tips - Protect from Virus's and Hacker's
• Although you are Virus Protected and Virus Free - What about protection against a Trojan Horse or other viruses, theft of personal information from back door attacks ?

It is paramount for protection and security to stay current with updates for all software installed. Updates

Security/Protection of your Files, Personal Information and System

Protect not only your personal information, but your system and data/files created as well. Besides accidentally deleting data inputted by yourself, friend or family member, I am sure you are aware of other means such has hard drive failure, viruses, be it from e-mails or a backdoor attack by virus or attacker/hacker that can cause havoc to your system or other means as theft and/or disaster.

First line of defense is daily/weekly updating your virus protection program's definition library and internet security w/ firewalls in place. Another defense measure is updating your computer's operating system (OS), software, and hardware. Microsoft comes out with critical security file updates/downloads for many of your OS components i.e. Outlook, Explorer, etc., that are found to be vulnerable by would be attackers. Many computer users never update their OS of these critical updates or know about the site to visit. If you use XP, make sure in/under System Properties, select the Automatic Updates tab that the items you wish are checked.

The following link provides a system check for updates based on your OS, however it does not work using Netscape.

http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp

Second line of defense is backing up only the files you created by a program used. How often is up to you, in what you feel comfortable with. Using a removable storage device, i.e. Zip Drive, CD's, DVD's or Hard Drive is a very good alternative to storing on your hard drive only. Now where to store this removable media? Another places, be it a friends house, work, or fire proof safe. As a retired firefighter, many things are stored in the refrigerator/freezer, usually after a fire items in the refrigerator/freezer are untouched. Also, there are those who go on vacation who leave emergency information in the refrigerator/freezer in how to contact them, in the event their home burns while they are gone.

Another place to store your files is if you have a web host (domain), with plenty of storage, FTP (file transfer protocol) to your site these files.

It is paramount for protection and security to stay current with updates for all software installed. Updates

Virus Detection and Prevention Tips - Viruses and Hoaxes

1. Do not open any files attached to an email from an unknown, suspicious or untrustworthy source.
2. Do not open any files attached to an email unless you know what it is, even if it appears to come from a dear friend or someone you know. Some viruses can replicate themselves and spread through email. Better be safe than sorry and confirm that they really sent it.
3. Do not open any files attached to an email if the subject line is questionable or unexpected. If the need to do so is there always save the file to your hard drive before doing so.
4. Delete chain emails and junk email. Do not forward or reply to any to them. These types of email are considered spam, which is unsolicited, intrusive mail that clogs up the network.
5. Do not download any files from strangers.
6. Exercise caution when downloading files from the Internet. Ensure that the source is a legitimate and reputable one. Verify that an anti-virus program checks the files on the download site. If you're uncertain, don't download the file at all or download the file to a floppy and test it with your own anti-virus software.
7. Update your anti-virus software regularly. Over 500 viruses are discovered each month, so you'll want to be protected. These updates should be at the least the products virus signature files. You may also need to update the product's scanning engine as well.
8. Back up your files on a regular basis. If a virus destroys your files, at least you can replace them with your back-up copy. You should store your backup copy in a separate location from your work files, one that is preferably not on your computer.
9. When in doubt, always err on the side of caution and do not open, download, or execute any files or email attachments. Not executing is the more important of these caveats. Check with your product vendors for updates which include those for your operating system web browser, and email. One example is the security site section of Microsoft located at http://www.microsoft.com/security.

It is paramount for protection and security to stay current with updates for all software installed. Updates

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