Redneck Computers

• Be at your PC. The best place to call from is right by the computer. If you do not have a telephone nearby, you will want to move one to nearby the computer. Going back and forth between the PC and the phone can be quite frustrating and counterproductive. Have your computer turned on, started up, and ready to troubleshoot if possible.
   
• Scope of the problem. Is the issue new, or has it existed previously? Has it ever worked? Did anything significant happen right before the problem started; i.e. software or hardware change?
   
• Your computer. Is it an IBM, a Compaq, a Dell, a Gateway, or did your neighbor build it for you? When was it purchased? How much memory does it have?
   
• Your operating system. Windows 95? Windows 98? Windows NT 4.0? Windows 2000? Win XP? Mac OS? Linux?
   
• Are you Dial-up or DSL? The technician may not have access to this information, or may not be aware if you have recently switched from one to the other.
   
• Your username or "login name." You chose this when you originally signed up. This is typically also the name before the "@" sign in your e-mail address if this is a business computer.
   
• Your password. Your password needs to be something easy to remember for you, but difficult to guess for anyone else. You chose this when you signed up.
   
• Your modem make and type. When you're experiencing dropped calls or slow connection speeds, this can be most significant contributor to the problem. Modems are a classic illustration of "You get what you pay for." Just bought a new computer? Unfortunately, that says nothing about the quality of the modem the manufacturer may have installed.
   
• Your web browser. The two most common browsers are Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape. There are differences between the two and differences between the versions of each one. Click on "Help" and choose "About..." to learn which version you're running.
   
• Your e-mail program. This generally would be Outlook Express, Netscape Messenger, or possibly Eudora.
   
• Error messages. You'll save time and trouble if you write them down, word for word. It may seem nonsensical if you don't understand the meaning, but sometimes the most arcane error message speaks volumes to a trained technician.

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