Getting Help - Using Microsoft Knowledge Base to Get Answers

This site is devoted to Windows based PCs, specifically Windows XP computers. Visit a MAC site or a Linux site for other assistance.

When you get error messages with strange terms that you don’t understand, there is a great place to go to try to figure out what’s gone wrong and how to fix it, the Microsoft Knowledge Base. Microsoft has an extensive set of troubleshooting articles. The easiest way to find the article that deals with your problem, is to use the search tool they provide.

It’s important that you use the very most important terms when searching for the answer to your problem. That means get specific. If there is an error number, include that as a search term. Describing the problem in your own words can also be a useful way to get an article that will address your specific problem.

Your search will generate a list of possibilities, which may or may not have anything to do with your problem. Read through the list and open and read any that seem to be relevant. Most articles have additional references to help you understand what is being discussed. If you find a relevant article, but find it to be too confusing for you, you can at least offer the article as a possible solution to the problem to the friendly computer geek who usually helps you with computer problems.

If you understand the discussion, then go ahead and implement any fixes that are suggested. Be sure to follow the directions completely, and when that includes instructions for backing up, do it. Don’t save time by skipping steps you don’t think are important.

If you can’t find anything relevant at Microsoft, you can also search the Internet.