Her cousin had ensured her that the problem with her laptop not starting up was due to a fried power supply due to a severe lightning and thunderstorm that knocked out the electricity to the house.

It makes obvious sense. Occam’s razor theory would suggest that the most logical and simple cause is more than likely the one you’re looking for as a solution. The only problem this time though is that it didn’t work. I replaced the power supply as suggested and still no power to the machine.

I’ll be the first to admit that when it comes to hardware on a computer, the power supply is an area I have the least amount of experience. But I followed the instructions as suggested and made sure all wires were reconnected as needed from the original power supply.

No power though.

That leads me to the remaining question then for this person’s desktop and my own. Why won’t it power up? How do you go about troubleshooting an issue like this? Is there some easier way to narrow down where the problem might be coming from?

I’d really like to not have to replace the desktop if it’s something simple, but I’d also like to not waste a bunch of time trying to diagnose and issue that will end up costing more to fix than the $300-400 to replace the entire unit.

Image: knowprose on flickr

Post from: EveryJoe

Diagnosing Power Problems on Desktop PC

Mark Russinovich, now a Fellow in Microsoft, originally developed them along with Bryce Cogswell when they were in the company Winternals Software. The company subsequently was acquired by Microsoft in mid 2006. Initially, many of the tools were not just freeware but were also accompanied with the source code. No longer, of course.

The utilities are categorized under File and Disk utilities, Networking utilities, Process utilities, Security utilities, System information, etc. The Windows Sysinternals website is one of the rare treasure troves of the Microsoft Website that is rich with learning resources and regular updates.

The suite at 9.6 MB includes close to 70 tools and every PC user should own them. Download the Sysinternal Suite now. Why not, when they are freely available?

I will try to give you a detailed overview of various of these tools regularly from now on, so keep watching this space.

Post from: EveryJoe

Sysinternals Suite For Troubleshooting PCs

Basic users have always been Microsoft’s target audience, unlike some other operating systems that seem to be cut out for power users. In this tradition, Window 7 is apparently going to have troubleshooters in eight categories, to enable users use diagnostic tools by following simple instructions.

Until now, windows has been accused of being insensitive to users’ USB connectivity needs. USB in Windows 7 is going to be more reliable though. There is still the 3.0 speed boost to gripe about, but that is beside this point here.

I guess that after Windows Vista has been written-off by many as Microsoft’s biggest disaster, all eyes are on Window 7. After getting his hands on the pre-beta version, Randall of InfoWorld feels that Windows 7 is a Vista twin, a slightly tweaked and nearly baked version of the latter.

John Martellaro, the Mac Observer, wonders a scenario when Apple issues a license to drive OS X. He speculates in-depth about the tipping points and the impact on Microsoft. Worth a read.

Post from: EveryJoe

Internet Roundup About Obama Viruses, Windows 7, Apple Licenses

Below are a few simple ways to make sure your computer stays safe and secure for that much longer (they all eventually get messed up, even you Mac):

• Run a software firewall (Windows XP comes with one built in, not too sure on the Mac OS front but I would imagine they have something).
• Keep anti-virus software installed and up-to-date (AVG is free for the PC and ClamXav is free for the Mac).
• Install a router. Make sure you are running a decent home router (at home) and a good commercial router (for businesses). They are insanely cheap today, so there’s no excuse not to run one. Belkin, Linksys and Netgear all make decent home routers.
• If you run wireless, secure it. Today, almost all wireless routers support WPA or WPA2, so use it. In fact, it’s easier to remember your WPA key than it is to remember WEP. I think that “my Awesomely Secure Pa55word” is much simpler to remember than “FF5C0B374FA81D2959C2578F65″.

These are only a few ways to help protect your PC and information. Losing your data is a pain. Identity theft is an even bigger problem. Don’t get caught in either one.

P.S. – Keep an eye out for the fun contest (which should be starting on Monday, right here at That Damn PC).

Post from: EveryJoe

How to protect your computer, simple and easy

Don’t yell and don’t swear, if you want me to take your request seriously and not dump it at the bottom of my list of things to do then talk to me professionally. I have things to do and you have things to do and it only exacerbates things when you raise your voice when I explain that it will take some time to get to your request. There are 50 other people who called before you and gave me the same story.

We all think we’re important people. Whether you are the mail room attendant or CEO, you think you are the most important person in the world. News flash for you — You’re not! It’s never easy to deal with multiple problems coming in at one time. One call for a printer down, one for email not working and yet another for the simple reason that the phone doesn’t ring loud enough (get a hearing aid). It’s even harder to deal with an angry, cursing, loud-mouthed person who has a problem and it generally leads to hurt feelings and tears shed later on.

A simple, email (if email is available) or phone call to the help desk is all that it takes to get the ball rolling. The job of the IT gurus at the receiving end is to take it all in and prioritize. Obviously the sprinklers going off in the main network closet is a much higher priority than your printer not spitting out the latest Sunday comic. So deal. That over worked, sometimes underpaid and never over appreciated IT guy will fix your issue. Just cut them a little slack — they are probably also understaffed.

Post from: EveryJoe

Patience is a virtue

First, a question (or two) — What is the worst situation that you have experienced while dealing with an IT department? What is the worst situation that you have experienced while working in an IT department? Now as you can see, I want your stories from both sides. I believe in what my father used to say, “I don’t pick favorites between you and your brother. I dislike both of you equally.” So please, leave a comment below and I promise, I’ll read it.

Now, on to the story. Just a couple of weeks ago I had a wonderful coworker ask me:

How do I fix my monitor?

I started to rattle off a canned answer before I realized that they had not told me any information about what the issue was. When I pressed them for more information, they had no idea of how to respond. As we went back and forth with questions like, “Is the monitor on? Is it dim? Does it have lines across it?” I came to realize that this issue stems from a much larger problem — We in IT don’t have all the answers. I know it’s hard to believe but it’s true. This is especially true when we don’t have all the information.

The reason I’m telling you this is that most of the time when a problem arises relating to a computer, people grab the closest tech-savvy person and ask them to fix it. This does not work. People are trained in different aspects of IT. If you were an accountant, you probably wouldn’t want me running to you each time I was short on cash. Why? Because you’re not a loan shark. Sure you deal in money but that doesn’t make you qualified nor interested in what it is I have to say. The same rings true in IT. A desktop support guy (or gal) is probably trained in desktop computer issues. This doesn’t include servers, networks, car engines or your blender. So please, be kind to your IT guy and give them the information that they need so they can either solve your issue or point you in the right direction.

By the way, in case you were wondering — This user had unplugged the VGA cable from their computer while cleaning. They didn’t think it did anything so they coiled it up, nice and neat, and taped it to the back of the monitor.

Post from: EveryJoe

A new way of thinking