People always apologize all over the place whenever a problem turns out to have a simple fix. Small problem or not, I typically charge a small fee just to cover the higher gas prices and time I blocked out for the appointment.
To avoid the small fee or feeling silly, here are a few things to try before calling your computer guy whether you have to pay him or not.
1. Turn the computer off and back on.
2. If you are on broadband Internet and it isn't working (You can't get Internet OR email) unplug the power from your modem then plug it back in. If you are going through a router, do the same with the router.
3. If you have recently moved the computer, recheck all of your connections. Sudden loss of sound, Internet, keyboard, mouse or printer is often caused by the device coming unplugged from the power or back of the computer.
4. If your computer won't turn off, hold the power button down for about 15-20 seconds. This will trip a breaker and the power will go off. If it doesn't work, you aren't holding the power down long enough.
5. If your computer won't come on, you need to check all of the power buttons, you could have three or more. One on the computer, one on the monitor, and one on the power strip. Your printer also likely has a power button. Your modem may also have a power button if you are on broadband. Check all of the power buttons.
6. Don't call tech support in a panic. I see many simple problems made into big problems by foreign tech support. This has little to do with a language barrier. Tech support (no matter what language they speak) has a habit of assuming that your computer is the problem when the problem could be as simple as a check box in a program or a reboot of the system. If possible, wait 24 hours before calling tech support. If you know a computer expert, it is always better to have human eyes on the problem than to have someone who must rely on your description of the problem.
