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Free troubleshooting guides

Try the easy fix,
before you call.

Plain-language steps for the most common home and office tech problems: slow computers, dropped Wi-Fi, printers, email, scams, and backups. Each guide takes minutes, and if it does not solve it you still have a clear next step.

Jump to the guides Call (279) 202-4794

Remote support nationwide / On-site around Sacramento

Quick answer

Most everyday tech problems follow the same short list: restart the device, update the software, and check the obvious settings. Start with the guide that matches your symptom, each has four to five steps that take minutes. If it is still broken, describe what you see and when it started and Kevin will take it from there.

Pick your symptom

Start with the right guide.

Ten of the most common problems, in the order people run into them.

01 / Slow computer

Guide 1

Won the staring contest at the loading circle lately. Restart, free up space, and quiet the startup clutter.

Open the guide
02 / Wi-Fi keeps dropping

Guide 2

A five-minute router restart fixes most connection dropouts and slowdowns.

Restart my router
03 / Printer will not print

Guide 3

Offline printers, stuck queues, and driver trouble. Three checks before you shop for a new one.

Troubleshoot the printer
04 / Email stopped sending

Guide 4

Mailboxes, server settings, and provider outages: what to check when your mail will not go out.

Check my email
05 / Scam popups and fake alerts

Guide 5

"You have a virus, call this number" is a scam, not a diagnosis. Here is what to do instead.

Spot the scam
06 / Data backup basics

Guide 6

The 3-2-1 rule in plain English, and what to do if files are already missing.

Protect my data
07 / Blue screen or restart loop

Guide 7

The machine crashes or reboots over and over. Safe steps before you panic.

Stop the loop
08 / Locked out of an account

Guide 8

Forgot a password or the account says locked. What actually works, and what never does.

Regain access
09 / Wi-Fi works, one device won't connect

Guide 9

The internet is fine; one device just refuses. Usually a setting, not a repair.

Reconnect the device
10 / Computer won't turn on

Guide 10

No lights, no sound, no fan. The hardware triage order, from cables to power.

Diagnose the power
Guide 1 of 10

Fix a slow computer.

If a machine was fine a few months ago and now crawls, it is rarely broken - usually it is full, cluttered, or overwhelmed. These steps take about 20 minutes and are safe to try on any Windows or Mac computer.

Try in this order

  • Restart it. Plug it in, restart fully, and let pending updates finish. A fresh boot clears stuck programs and memory leaks.
  • Free up disk space. Delete downloads you no longer need, empty the recycle bin, and keep at least 15% of the drive free.
  • Trim startup programs. Apps that launch at boot are the usual suspects. Disable everything you do not need every day.
  • Cut the tab and app load. Close unused browser tabs and apps before judging speed; memory exhaustion slows everything.
  • Update the operating system. One round of updates often fixes the exact bug behind a slowdown.

Still stuck? Ask Kevin for help ↗

Guide 2 of 10

Restart your Wi-Fi router.

Most dropped or slow connections are stale routing tables, not dying hardware. This five-minute restart is the single most effective fix, and it costs nothing.

Try in this order

  • Unplug power from both the router and the modem and wait a full 60 seconds.
  • Plug the modem back in and wait for its lights to go solid before touching the router.
  • Plug the router back in and wait two minutes for it to finish starting up.
  • Reconnect your devices. Forget the network and rejoin on every device that still fails.
  • Place the router deliberately. Elevate it, keep it away from walls and metal, and use 5 GHz for devices in the same room.

Still stuck? Ask Kevin for help ↗

Guide 3 of 10

Printer will not print.

Printers fail in the same three ways over and over: offline on the network, a stuck queue, or an outdated driver. All three are quick software fixes, not reason to buy a new printer.

Try in this order

  • Set it as the default printer. Many "nothing printed" moments are just jobs going to an old or absent device.
  • Clear the print queue. Delete stuck jobs, then resend. A wedged queue blocks everything behind it.
  • Reconnect it. Remove the printer in settings and add it again so it refreshes its network address.
  • Update the driver. Download from the manufacturer's site rather than a search-result download button.
  • Print a test page from the system before blaming the printer itself.

Still stuck? Ask Kevin for help ↗

Guide 4 of 10

Email stopped sending.

Outgoing mail fails for a short list of reasons: a full mailbox, an outdated SMTP setting, or a provider outage. You can check all three in minutes.

Try in this order

  • Check storage. A full mailbox blocks sending. Free space by deleting large attachments or archiving.
  • Confirm the password. If it changed recently on the provider side, refresh it in every device you use.
  • Verify SMTP settings. Compare the outgoing server name and port with your provider's current help page.
  • Check for an outage. The provider's status page usually posts these before you notice them.
  • Restart the app and device once, then test from a phone and a computer to isolate the problem.

Still stuck? Ask Kevin for help ↗

Guide 5 of 10

Scam popups and fake alerts.

Browsers are saturated with popups that say "your computer is infected, call this number now." They are ads, and the phone number connects to a scammer. Treat them as spam, not as a diagnosis.

What to do instead

  • Do not click anything in the popup and do not call the number. Closing the browser window is enough.
  • Close the browser (and quit it entirely) to clear the fake alert screen.
  • Do not enter payment details. Legitimate software never demands money via an alert.
  • Verify with real protection. Only the antivirus you installed can report a real issue.
  • If you already called or paid, contact your bank and change affected passwords. Kevin can help clean up afterwards.

Still stuck? Ask Kevin for help ↗

Guide 6 of 10

Data backup basics.

Backups are the difference between an annoyance and a catastrophe. Start with the 3-2-1 rule and automate it so you never have to remember.

The 3-2-1 rule

  • 3 copies of important data, including the working copy you use daily.
  • 2 different media, such as an external drive plus cloud storage, so one failure does not take both.
  • 1 copy off-site, in the cloud or another building, for fires, theft, and drive failures.
  • Automate it. A backup you must remember will be forgotten. Schedule it and verify it runs.
  • If data is already missing, stop using the drive immediately and get help; continued use lowers recovery odds.

Still stuck? Ask Kevin for help ↗

Guide 7 of 10

Blue screen or restart loop.

A blue screen or a sudden restart loop is the computer loudly stopping to protect itself. Most of these are driver or update problems, not dying hardware. Stay calm, these steps are safe on any recent Windows machine.

Try in this order

  • Let it finish its own cycle. Two or three restarts while updates finish are normal. Give it ten quiet minutes before touching anything.
  • Read the stop code. WHEA, CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED, and similar codes on the blue screen name the culprit. Write it down; it decides the next step.
  • Boot into Safe Mode. Safe Mode disables third-party drivers and startup programs, and usually gets you to a desktop you can work from.
  • Remove the newest change. The latest update or a recently installed driver is the usual trigger. Roll it back or uninstall it from Safe Mode.
  • Run a startup repair. If Safe Mode is stable, a startup repair or system reset clears most remaining loop causes.

Still stuck? Ask Kevin for help ↗

Guide 8 of 10

Locked out of an account.

Forgot a password, or the screen says "account locked"? That is my most common call, and the answer is almost never "keep guessing." Wrong attempts make the lockout longer.

What actually works

  • Use the official reset, not guesses. Almost every provider can send a code to your phone or alternate email. That is the only safe path.
  • Find the "I forgot my password" link before calling anyone. The official path is usually right there on the sign-in screen.
  • Use recovery options you set up. Phone, alternate email, or security key. If any is registered, it is faster than any other route.
  • For work or Microsoft 365 accounts, check with your admin or the business IT owner first. That is often the only path, and it is free.
  • Never pay a recovery service. Legitimate resets are free. Anyone charging to unlock an account is running a scam.

Still stuck? Ask Kevin for help ↗

Guide 9 of 10

Wi-Fi works, one device won't connect.

When every other device is online and one stubborn one is not, the router is fine. This is a device-level problem, and it is usually a quick one.

Try in this order

  • Forget the network and rejoin. The device is holding stale credentials more often than not. Forgetting clears them.
  • Restart that device fully. Sleep mode does not count. Power it all the way off and back on.
  • Toggle Wi-Fi off and on, or airplane mode for 30 seconds, then back to Wi-Fi.
  • Check the band. Older devices cannot see 5 GHz networks. Put the device on the 2.4 GHz band, or enable mixed mode on the router.
  • Reset network settings as the last safe step. It clears cached Wi-Fi and Bluetooth data without touching your files.

Still stuck? Ask Kevin for help ↗

Guide 10 of 10

Computer won't turn on.

A machine with no lights, no fan, no sound is usually a power or connection problem before it is hardware death. Work this list in order, and most people catch it early.

Try in this order

  • Confirm the outlet has power. Plug a lamp in. Power strips and surge protectors fail silently.
  • Seat the power cable fully at both ends. If you have a spare cable, swap it in for the test.
  • Test the monitor separately. "It won't turn on" is sometimes "the screen is dead" while the tower hums along. Listen for fans.
  • Drain the machine. Unplug it, hold the power button down 10 to 15 seconds, plug it back in, and power on once.
  • Check for a power button light on the tower itself, not the screen, to tell the difference between a screen issue and a whole-machine issue.

Still stuck? Ask Kevin for help ↗

When the guides are not enough

The free next step.

These guides cover the ninety percent. For everything else, remote support covers all 50 states and on-site visits are available around Sacramento. Describe the symptom and when it started; the free 15-minute consultation usually happens the same day.

Describe your issue Call (279) 202-4794

Plan around the next problem.

Monthly support covers routine issues before they become downtime, with monitoring, patching, and backup verification.

Review monthly support plans ↗

Questions

Troubleshooting Questions

Why is my computer suddenly so slow?

A computer that has been in use for a few years usually slows down because it is full (low disk space), running too many startup programs, or low on memory. Restart it, close unused tabs, and check disk space. If a tune-up does not help, a flat-rate support session usually resolves it.

Why does my Wi-Fi keep dropping?

Dropping Wi-Fi is most often a crowded channel, a router that needs a restart, or a weak spot in the house. Restart the router once a month, move it away from walls and metal objects, and try the 5 GHz band for devices near it.

Why will my printer not print?

Printers usually fail for one of a few familiar reasons: it went offline, the print queue is stuck, or the driver is outdated. Set it as the default printer, clear the queue, and re-add it. A quick remote session fixes most stubborn printers.

My email stopped sending. What should I check?

Email that stops sending is usually a full mailbox, an outgoing server (SMTP) setting, or a provider outage. Check the sent folder and mailbox storage, verify the outgoing server settings, and confirm the password was not changed recently.

A popup says I have a virus and to call a number. What do I do?

Popups warning about viruses are almost always ads, not real warnings. Close the browser without clicking, do not call the phone number, and do not enter payment details. Real antivirus alerts come from protection you installed.

How often should I back up my files?

A good rule is 3 copies on 2 different media with 1 off-site (the 3-2-1 rule), running automatically. If you have no backup and data is missing, stop using the drive immediately; it raises the odds of recovery.

Do I really need to restart my router?

Yes, once a month or when things misbehave. A restart clears stuck routing tables and stale connections, which fixes many slow or dropped connections in under five minutes with no risk to your data.

I tried these steps and it is still broken. What now?

If the steps here do not fix it, describe the symptoms and when they started. Remote support covers all 50 states, and on-site visits are available around Sacramento. Start with a free 15-minute consultation and agree a flat-rate scope.

My computer shows a blue screen and keeps restarting. What now?

Let the restarts finish if updates are installing, note the stop code on the screen, then boot into Safe Mode. If it is stable in Safe Mode, roll back the recent driver or update. If it still crashes in Safe Mode, it is more likely hardware and worth a professional look before it gets worse.

I forgot my password and my account says locked. Can you help?

Use the official reset path with a code sent to your phone or alternate email. Every wrong guess can lock you out longer. For work or Microsoft 365 accounts, check with your admin or the business IT owner first. Never pay a third party to unlock an account - that is a scam.