Hardware Upgrade Tip of the Day #18



*1. GETTING THE MOST OUT OF TECHNICAL SUPPORT--PART 1 OF 5          
  
Even the best hardware upgraders sometimes need help. Most of the 
time, a problem encountered during an upgrade has nothing to do 
with you and everything to do with the product itself, arising 
from some known (or unknown) software or hardware conflict. 
Still, if you don't prepare for an interaction with a company's 
technical support staff, you could wind up wasting valuable money 
and time. Over the next few days I'll pass along some tips for 
getting fast, efficient technical support. 

First, always try a company's Web site before calling. Nowadays, 
you'll find a host of technical support information posted on 
almost every computer-related Web site. It saves the company 
money if consumers browse the site instead of calling, so most 
vendors are quite good at keeping their Web pages current and 
well-stocked with technical support information and hardware 
driver software. If you don't see a technical support listing on 
the home page, search the site on the word "support" or on 
keywords related to your problem.


*2. GETTING THE MOST OUT OF TECHNICAL SUPPORT--PART 2 OF 5          
  
In the last tip, I mentioned that a company's Web site should 
always be your first stop for technical support information. If 
you don't find what you are looking for there, however, keep 
browsing. You may find what you need at another Web site. For 
example, if you're installing a new modem and you're having 
problems getting it to work properly, you should first check with 
the modem manufacturer and then with your PC maker. PC vendors 
often post any known hardware problems, complete with device make 
and model information, along with the solutions on their 
Web sites. 

Another general-purpose Web site for Windows-based PCs is the 
Microsoft site at 

http://www.microsoft.com 

There you'll find a massive technical support database that 
stores Windows-related problems for many hardware and 
software products.


*3. GETTING THE MOST OUT OF TECHNICAL SUPPORT--PART 3 OF 5          
  
Upgrader, heal thyself. To limit the length of a technical 
support call, perform your own diagnosis before you dial for 
help. Most technical support staffs run through a list of issues 
to rule out before they get to the heart of the problem you're 
having. This list will include items such as these: Are all the 
relevant cables attached correctly? Is the PC stable? Does a 
simple reboot solve the problem? Is it a Microsoft 
Windows problem? 

The further you can narrow down the list of suspects yourself, 
the faster your tech support call will end. If you can answer 
"tried that, didn't work" to your support staffer's initial 
questions, you'll be happier in the long run.


*4. GETTING THE MOST OUT OF TECHNICAL SUPPORT--PART 4 OF 5          
  
Have everything you'll need readily available before you make a 
technical support call. By "everything" I mean the problematic 
product's documentation and box, your PC's make and model 
information and a list of its current configuration, a list of 
ways you've tried to rectify the problem, and a detailed list of 
symptoms you've noticed. If the product is an internal one, 
you'll probably want to have the cover of your PC off so you can 
quickly list dip switch settings and serial numbers if need be. 
Just don't power up the PC without the cover on unless you know 
exactly what you are doing and there are no children or 
pets close by. 

With the right preparation you'll minimize the amount of time 
your technical support call takes.


*5. GETTING THE MOST OUT OF TECHNICAL SUPPORT--PART 5 OF 5          
  
Avoid calling technical support on Monday mornings. Surveys say 
this is the busiest time for technical support phone centers. 
Also, listen carefully to the "traffic warnings" that some phone 
centers provide for customers on hold. If you hear that the 
current average hold time is 20 minutes or longer, consider 
hanging up and trying again at a later time unless your 
situation is critical. 

And finally, don't hang up once you do get talking to a human 
being. Most phone centers classify "throughput" (the number of 
calls answered in a given time) differently from "closings" 
(calling back those people who require additional assistance). 
The support staff person you are dealing with may or may not be 
good at closing problems. However, if you refuse to hang up until
he or she has solved your problem, the burden remains on the tech 
staffer to resolve your situation as quickly as possible.


*6. HARDWARE ISSUES IN A WINDOWS 2000 UPGRADE          
  
Windows 2000 is now in the final stages of development. While 
this means most of the development is done, it doesn't mean you 
can install the latest version on your computer and expect it to 
run. The final pieces of the puzzle involve updating hardware 
drivers. Most hardware manufacturers are still working with 
Microsoft to modify their drivers so they can work correctly with 
Windows 2000. 

As a hardware upgrader, you'll probably be able to get your PC up 
and running, but you might need to swap out your sound card or 
modem for a brand that currently offers beta Windows 2000 drivers 
for its product. Before you upgrade your OS, check the Windows 
2000 hardware compatibility list at Microsoft's Web site: 
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/professional


*7. DESKTOP TRENDS: SLIM AND SMALL--PART 1 OF 3          
  
One of the latest desktop trends is cutting down on the physical 
footprint of a system so that it takes up significantly less 
space on top of (and even underneath) the desk. Unfortunately, 
this trend strikes fear into the hearts of hardware 
upgraders--and rightly so. While systems like the new Gateway 
Profile are futuristic-looking and inherently cool, they do 
nothing to stop the ever-shortening cycle of obsolescence that 
plagues desktop computer owners. If a desktop is not 
upgrade-friendly, it will quickly lose value and usefulness. Over 
the next few days I'll pass along hints to help you keep these 
new slim and small systems useful for more than five or 
six months.  

First, buy as much RAM as you can afford when you first purchase 
a slim and small desktop. The Gateway Profile, for example, has 
only 2 DIMM slots for RAM. Thus, you'd have to throw out the 
stock 64MB module of RAM later if you decide to upgrade to the 
Profile's maximum 256MB of RAM.


*8. DESKTOP TRENDS: SLIM AND SMALL--PART 2 OF 3          
  
The new slim and small desktops feature very few add-in card 
slots because they take up too much room for these space-saving 
computers. Upgrade fans must take advantage of other buses for 
expansion and upgrades. The most obvious choice for these new 
systems would be USB (Universal Serial Bus). With USB, you can 
add a whole range of new peripherals to your slim system, 
maintaining its usefulness for a longer period of time. USB's 
hot-swap capability lets you quickly configure your system to 
match your current needs and keep your spare devices stashed 
away. This way, you can maintain the small desktop footprint, 
but have room to expand.


*9. DESKTOP TRENDS: SLIM AND SMALL--PART 3 OF 3          
  
Small office/home office (SOHO) networking is another way to 
extend the useful life of your slim and small PC. If you're on a 
network, you can use one of these less powerful systems as a 
file server or print server. Some of the small-footprint systems 
feature integrated Ethernet adapters; you can take advantage of 
these in an office environment. At home, you can go with a USB 
networking solution or even a card-based networking kit if you 
have an open card slot in your slim system.  

In a SOHO network, you can even share an Internet connection. 
Thus a fast PC on your network can act as the Internet gateway, 
while your over-the-hill small-footprint PC can act as a 
browsing station.


*10. MULTIFUNCTION DEVICES GO USB          
  
Sharp at 

http://www.sharp-usa.com 

has announced that its multifunction devices, which allow you to 
copy, fax, and print all with one unit, will come in a USB 
interface. Its AR-150 line of Imagers will offer both parallel 
port and USB connections. However, USB mode loads all the 
necessary driver software, whereas the dumber parallel port 
connection requires you to load the drivers yourself.  

Before you buy any of the all-in-one boxes, always check the 
performance and price of separate printer and fax components. 
Never assume you're getting a deal just because these units do 
more than one job.
