Repair The Problem Yourself

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Do it yourself? Don’t let these words strike fear into your nerves or wallet. Use the many resources available to diagnose and resolve the problem. At the very least, you’ll be a more knowledgeable owner if you do finally have to take the equipment to a repair facility.

Begin by consulting the manufacturer’s technical support.

Read Using the Manufacturer’s Technical Support for more information. Don’t despair if you don’t find the answer from the manufacturer’s information, there are many other resources available.

Next use the many online resources.

Help sites. The Internet is full of computer help sites. Some are free, some require an annual membership fee, and others charge a fee for each consultation. To find sites, you can start with a directory like Yahoo!’s Computers and Internet directory, particularly the Technical Guides and Support listing. Or you may want to use a search engine like Google—with search terms such as “pc help,” “mac help,” “computer tech support,” and “computer troubleshooting.”

Select the sites that appear most useful to your need. Many sites will also have links to other sites.

• If you own a PC, PC911 has how-to’s, tips & tweaks, reviews, and links to other sites. The one drawback to this site is the number of ads on both sides of the page.
• If you own a Mac, a good place to start is Applelinks. This site has news, reviews, and how-tos.

Forums and newsgroups. Another online source of support is discussion groups also known as forums or newsgroups. In these you can read through the existing discussions to see if your question has already been answered. You can also join in and post your own question or answer. Many computer support sites host forums. Google Groups hosts the Usenet discussion forums.

Consult a book!

Last but not least, books. There are many books written to help everyone ranging from the novice to the expert. Check out the computer section at your local bookstore or browse the shelves at one online. Here are a few suggestions.

• Repairing and Upgrading Your PC by Robert Bruce Thompson and Barbara Fritchman Thompson published by O'Reilly.
• PC User's Bible by John Ross and Kelly L. Murdock published by Wiley.
• Upgrading and Repairing PCs 18th Edition by Scott Mueller published by Que. This tome is updated annually.
• Surviving PC Disasters, Mishaps, and Blunders by Jesse Torres & Peter Sideris published by Paraglyph Press.
• Fix Your Own PC by Corey Sandler published by Wiley.
• Real World Mac Maintenance and Backups by Joe Kissell published by Peachpit Press.

Prepared by Remar Sutton and Associates and licensed to Educators Credit Union. Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.

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