Troubleshooting skills can be benefited by observing the following common solution guidelines:

• Be patient: Computer problems require a methodical approach to solve.
• Familiarize yourself with the involved hardware and software: Identify what hardware and software are installed.
• Limit changes: change only one item at a time and test the solution.
• Confirm recent changes: Systems and components that have recently changed are the most likely suspects.
• Attempt to isolate the problem: The solution can be discovered faster by isolating the problem areafrom other parts of the computer.
• Identify past problem areas: Items that failes in the past are likely to fail again.
• Try the easy and quick fix first: This approach avoids stalling the troubleshooting process while the problem is being reviewed in depth.
• Focus on the main problem area: Many systems used in Windows 7 tie in to each other and can impact each other.
• Profile the failure: The problem may be critical to the health of the computer, but it may not be a major issue if it rarely occurs.
• Log problems and attempted solutions: The cause of a problem may be very subtle and difficult to detect.
• Learn from mistakes: Review the success or failures of troubleshooting efforts to better understand successful and failed solutions.
• Ask for help: Failing to ask others for help can delay the development of a solution.
• Experiment: If attempted solutions are not working, then it may be possible to reveal a problem system by placing new stressors on it.