Guide to Seeking Help in the Technology Forum

Posting And You... - A Multimedia Guide for Newcomers to Forums

>>>>> Incomplete questions will get you incomplete answers <<<<<

• Please provide us your level of computer experience
  • Software
    
    • Novice - I use the computer, but always turn to others for advice
      
    • Advanced - I can install software and troubleshoot most software on my own and rarely need help from others
      
    • Experienced - I often help others
      
    • Expert - I never need help, but this time I'm stuck

  
  
  • Hardware
    
    • Novice - I've never opened my computer
      
    • Advanced - I've installed components like memory, hard drives, etc
      
    • Expert - I've built my own computers
      

  
  
• What are your system specs?
  • Hardware:
    • Brand-name or custom-built? (by you or someone else?)
      
    • Hardware, model #s, etc...
      
    • What CPU? How much RAM? etc...
      
    • How do you connect to the Internet? (Dial-Up, DSL, Cable)
      
    • Is the PC on a LAN? (Wired, Wireless)

  • Software:
    • What OS (Operating System) are you using?
      
    • At what SP (Service Pack) level?
      
    • Are you current on all Windows patches, AV updates, etc...
      
    • What anti-virus, firewall, spyware, spamware software do you have installed?

  
  
• What are you trying to accomplish? (there may be a simpler solution that you've overlooked)

• What recently changed? Or what did you recently try to do? (This is not the time to be shy or embarrassed. We all make mistakes. But if you deny us information it will take us a lot longer, or even prevent us, from solving your problem. And we'll probably figure it out anyway)

• What have you tried thus far?
  • What were the results?
  
  
• Did you SEARCH the TECHNOLOGY FORUM (here)?
  • If YES,
    • Did you try any of the previously-posted solutions?
      
    • What were the results?
      
    • List a few LINKs to the TECHNOLOGY FORUM threads that did not solve your problem (use the http button)

  • If NO,
    • Please do so before posting any further questions

  
  
• Did you SEARCH GOOGLE?
  • If YES,
    • Did you try any of the previous-posted solutions? (List the SEARCH PARAMETERS that you used)
      
    • What were the results?
      
    • List a few LINKs to the GOOGLE threads that did not solve your problem (use the http button)

  • If NO,
    • Please do so before posting any further questions

  
  
• If you're experiencing a BSOD (Blue Screen Of Death), please include ALL of the information from the greyed-out areas of MSDN - Blue Screen Data

• Do not post in this thread. Instead, start a new thread for your question and use a descriptive, informative title. Use a descriptive, informative title. AVOID using terms such as PLEASE HELP!, URGENT!!, I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO SEARCH BUT...

• Present your information in a readable format:
  • Use multiple paragraphs (following the order listed in this Guide)
    
  • Avoid run on sentences (i.e. use commas, periods, etc...)
    
  • Avoid slang (narrows the audience that can understand what you're trying to say without an interpreter!)
    
  • Run your message through a spellchecker or check questionable words with an online dictionary (Merriam-Webster Online)
  
  
• Are you willing (and able) to check back here at least once (preferrably more) per day to report on your progress?
  
  • If not, trying to resolve your problem via a forum is likely to be painful and time consuming. See here for a case study. This problem could have been resolved in 9 minutes. Instead it took 2 weeks

  • When your problem is resolved, please
    • Post back and let us know what worked
      
    • Edit your originial Post Title to say Resolved or Fixed, so that the list is easier to manage for those of us who "work" here
      
    • Makes it easier for others who have the same problem to find a solution

>>>>> Incomplete questions will get you incomplete answers <<<<<

Spyware problems <~Thread to help you with spyware problems

Keep your computer running smoothly <~Thread to help you keep your computer running smoothly

Networking guide<~Thread to help you with your networking problems

Good Tech Sites<~Thread with good technical sites

DVD Burning FAQ and Guides<~Site that has tons of DVD burning FAQ and guides

Please do not start PMing the people who are trying to help you, there are three reasons for this:

1. Keeping all the information in the original thread makes it searchable and usable by others in the future
2. You will get faster help by getting the combined resources of the forum helping you
3. Having multiple PM conversations can result in you getting confusing and conflicting instructions, as no one has all the information about what's been tried so far

Once again PLEASE post the solution and edit your title when your problem has been solved.

TTA thanks very much.

Mod edit was simply removing update date from title.

Very nice. Glad you did it.

I wish more people would take 3 sec. and read this stuff...I am having flashbacks to the situation of a fewmonths back.

I've probably been falling down on the job.

I'll do my part and direct people back to this sticky to provide the information we need

Genius069: Listen carefully to the statements of:

• atomaro on Sep/10/2004 11:49 AM: It has frustrated me to the point where I gave up working on my sticky thread with ellory isles1 and TakeTheAdvice
  
• Genius069 on Sep/17/2004 @ 01:52 PM: TAT thanks very much
  


But, seriously now folks, "whomever" took the time to correlate, format, and ultimately present the existing, comprehensive list of appropriate questions in its current (finally-made-sticky) existence, deserves our eternal appreciation...


---


TakeTheAdvice *AND* TAT - THANK YOU!!!]

This is great... good guidelines as well.

bump

deleted

I guess I'm out of luck
Check this out

and this

Noone has been able to solve this problem other than change router/wifi card

ellory said: BeTeP said: I guess I'm out of luck
Check this out

and this

Noone has been able to solve this problem other than change router/wifi cardYou have multiple posts /threads on this. Your answer is in your other posts

Spoke with Dell yesterday - They'll be replacing my 1450 with Intel 2915 - Hope that one will work

level of computer experience: Novice


Hi could anyone help me out?

I decided to tool around with my network so i could file share between my pc and laptop (which didn't work cause i don't know much about this stuff) and now on my laptop LAN doesn't work. the Local area connection says it pretty much works but it says "network unplugged" so technically it doesn't work. The wireless card works (u.s. robotics)it says it gets a strong signal to my router (netgear mr814). Ive tried uninstalling the network adapter (start>control panel>system>hardware>device manager) but it just reinstalls itself automatically and still says the same thing. What do i need to do to get it to connect to the net again? Everything on my PC still works fine its just the laptop that is having issues

thanks a bunch

Please expand #11 to include

Are you able to precisely follow instructions? Are you able to precisely report back results? If not, trying to resolve your problem via a forum is likely to be painful and time consuming. See here for a case study. This problem could have been resolved in 9 minutes. Instead it took 2 weeks

I have asked mods to restick this

Mods appear to have taken the day off. I sent them a PM about some other issues 4 or 5 hours ago - and have received no responses

Got a PM that the mods received my resticky request. But this has not been resticked. I will PM again

Case study in why we need this information

Not sure if this has been added, but a great site for general technical support is MSFN.org. As long as you are detailed enough with your questions, most people on the board will help you out a bit. They are, however EXTREMELY tough on people who ask questions w/out being specific.
Example of bad: My computer won't work and all I get is a blank screen.
Example of being specific: Computer displays a black screen with the words "Bootloader not found. Please install an operating system." I heard two beeps when the system booted, and the hard drive light showed no activity.

This is coming from other thread
---------------
fokatkamaal said: This may be a little OT but here is my question,
I have a bad hard disk on my laptop, I have recovered data using method 3;I am trying to do a fresh load of OS, if I put windows xp cd it boots and starts loading OS but gives me blue screen before complete installation. I have an enclosure for the laptop drive and was wondering if I can try loading OS externally, (obviously I can try )but has anybody successfully done this, any help will be appreciated. TIA

Glad you got your files back!

Now...I'd start a new thread, please, in order to keep this thread from being polluted with anything other than data recovery questions. Thanks.

Be sure you post exactly what hardware you have, etc, etc, as requested in the guide to seeking help in the computer forum. (LINK) P.S. It wouldn't hurt to know the EXACT error message you're getting, rather than us trying to guess.

Good luck,

Mark
-----------------------

Thanks Mark, coming back to my question how do I install freash OS on external drive?

to answer on the error message, I hardly get time to read it, I had my camcorder recodring everything, but no luck

WWScoobyDo said: why can't I post a new thread here in "Computers"? Is there some sort of requirement/restriction I don't know about? Help!

You can post a new thread in the forum, no restrictions as long as the thread is related to computers.

ThursdaysChild said: I understand this forum is primarily for hardware issues. Can anyone recommend a place to get help / instructions on software? I'm trying to make an Access database do something it doesn't want to do. Thanks.Just not true. Post your question in a new thread

WHY IS THIS NOT A STICKY?