Technology Self-help
About this page
This page is a guide to self-help troubleshooting steps you can take to make your help desk call more productive.
Before you call the Help Desk
If you are experiencing computing problems, please go through the following checklist and have this information available before you contact the Help Desk. This will help us a great deal inunderstanding the problem at hand and in assisting you in a timely fashion.
Basic items you might want to have in your checklist:
- Is the system on?
- Is everything plugged in?
- Do you see any loose/unplugged cables?
- Does your machine have power?
- Does the office area have power?
- Has the brightness or contrast been turned down/up on the monitor?
- Has the power strip blown a fuse? Is it still plugged in?
- Has anything changed, been upgraded or modified on your system since it last was working?
- Has the machine been moved?
- Are others experiencing the same problem?
- Can you get the problem to reoccur after rebooting your machine?
- Are you typing your password and user name correctly? Is the caps lock key on? (passwords and user names may be case sensitive)
- Are you using the correct user name for the system you are trying to access?
- How long has this problem been going on?
- When did it last work properly?
- Were there any other symptoms like scorch marks, a funny smell or smoke coming from your computer? Do not try to start any computer that appears as though it may be damaged, unsafe to use or that has any exposed wiring!