Before you do anything else — restart the device. Seriously. This fixes roughly 60% of all issues. If they haven't restarted in the last 24 hours, start here. It's not a joke, it's the most effective troubleshooting step in IT.
| Issue | Quick Fix | If That Fails |
|---|---|---|
| "I forgot my password" | Walk them through password reset portal | Reset in AD / escalate if locked out |
| "My account is locked" | Check AD — unlock account, check for failed login attempts | May need security review if suspicious activity |
| "I can't log into email" | Verify credentials in O365 portal. Check MFA status. | If MFA broken, escalate to identity team |
| "I can't log into the computer" | Check if caps lock is on. Verify domain login vs local login. | Check if computer can reach domain controller |
| Issue | Quick Fix | If That Fails |
|---|---|---|
| "My computer won't turn on" | Check power cable, try different outlet, hold power button 10s | Swap device, log hardware ticket |
| "My computer is slow" | Restart. Close unused programs. Check disk space. | May need reimage or SSD upgrade |
| "My screen is flickering/blank" | Check cable connections. Try different port. Adjust display settings. | Monitor may need replacement |
| "Keyboard/mouse not working" | Check USB connection. Replace batteries. Try different port. | Swap the peripheral |
| "No sound from computer" | Check volume settings. Check speakers are plugged in. Check mute. | Driver issue — may need update |
| Issue | Quick Fix | If That Fails |
|---|---|---|
| "Wi-Fi won't connect" | Forget the network, reconnect. Restart computer. Check airplane mode. | Check if building-wide outage. Escalate to network team. |
| "Internet is slow" | Check if it's one site or everything. Run speed test. | Network team if building-wide |
| "Can't connect to network drive" | Restart computer. Check VPN if remote. Map the drive manually. | Check server status — file server may be down |
| "Website won't load" | Try different browser. Clear cache. Check if other sites work. | If blocked, check content filter / web proxy |
| Issue | Quick Fix | If That Fails |
|---|---|---|
| "Projector not showing anything" | Check cables (HDMI/VGA). Check input source setting. Restart projector. | Bulb may be dead. Hardware ticket. |
| "No audio from projector" | Check audio cable. Check computer audio output setting. Check volume. | AV system issue — escalate |
| "Document camera not working" | Check USB connection. Reinstall drivers. Restart computer. | Hardware replacement |
| "Projector showing 'No Signal'" | Check which input source the projector is on. Toggle laptop display mode (Win+P). | Check cable — try known-good cable |
| Issue | Quick Fix | If That Fails |
|---|---|---|
| "Printer won't print" | Check printer is on. Check paper/toner. Restart printer. Clear print queue. | Driver issue or hardware failure |
| "Print job stuck in queue" | Cancel all jobs, restart print spooler service, try again. | May need driver reinstall |
| "Printer not found" | Check it's on the network. Re-add printer in Settings. | Network connectivity issue |
| "Print quality is bad" | Run printer's cleaning cycle. Check toner/ink levels. | May need maintenance kit |
| Tip | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Restart before troubleshooting | Most issues clear on reboot. Saves time. |
| Google the exact error message | Someone else has probably seen it. Include quotes. |
| Check if it's just one person or everyone | One person = local issue. Everyone = systemic problem. |
| Screenshot the error | Errors go away. Screenshots don't. Attach to the ticket. |
| Ask "what changed?" | "It was working yesterday" = something changed. Update? New software? Move? |