Things to try before calling tech support

It has been demonstrated that the most frustrating and stressful experience people may suffer is computers problems. There is nothing more annoying than those error messages on your screen; worst yet, those computers that just won't boot up, not even a signal that will give you a clue about what is going on.
It has also been demonstrated that most of the "computers problems are user-related", and some times just a few previous steps may solve them without technician intervention.
That been said, I have to agree that computers are some how "temperamental" and what was working yesterday may not be working today.
But lets go through some basic problems and quick troubleshooting techniques that may save your day.

The computer won't start up.
Check that there is power on the electrical outlet. Check that the power cord is connected to the outlet and to the back of the computer. Check that the power cord is functional. Check that the power supply is set to 115 volts (look for an small switch on the back of your computer). If you have made an upgrade, check that the component is installed correctly.

You receive an error during start up.
Make sure you didn't leave a non-bootable floppy disk on the drive. If you installed new hardware, it may not be compatible with your system, maybe you forgot to connect some cable, or the card is not correctly seated. Check it out.

The computer boots up but doesn't load the OS.
Check if the data cable is connected to the hard disk and the motherboard. If you hear noises coming from the hard drive it may be damaged and you may need to replace it (when was the last time you made a backup?). If you suspect that a virus may be causing the problem, boot the computer from a clean floppy disk and run an antivirus. If you receive an error message that refers specifically to a file, replace that file or reinstall the OS.

No video display.
Check to make sure you are getting power. Check the connection between the monitor and the back of the PC.

The printer won't print.
Check if the lights are on, if not check the power cord and the power switch. Check the printer cable, make sure it is connected both to the printer and to the computer. Connect the printer to a different USB port (turn the printer and the computer off first). Check if more than one application is having the problem, if not, you may have a miss configuration on the application that is not printing. If you just replaced a cartridge, make sure you removed the adhesive strip and that it is correctly seated. Check that there is not paper jams.

If you are unsuccessful troubleshooting, document the problem. Try to reproduce the error, does it happens always when you open a specific program? Make notes about the messages you receive, the programs that were running or the task that you were performing at the specific moment it happened and then... dial 911.