Often times when you receive an error, or your shared drives are gone, you are unable to print, don't have internet access, programs aren't opening, your computer is just slower than usual, or many other random issues that can occur while using a computer, a restart or "reboot" will solve the issue. It is an important first step in the troubleshooting process and will fix a lot of computer issues quickly and on the spot. It is important to note that restarting or rebooting your computer is different from logging off/out, so if you've logged out and are still experiencing issues, try restarting instead.
Step-by-step guide
Before restarting your computer, you should close any open applications making sure to save your work if prompted.
- Click on the Start button
- Click the arrow next to Shut Down
- Click Restart
Reboot at end of day
To help avoid needing to restart during the day while you are working, instead of just "logging out" or "locking" your computer when you leave to go home, try to get in the habit of restarting. You don't have to wait for your computer to finish coming back up since it will automatically log you out during the reboot process. Simply click restart and go.
Reboot before calling help desk
Before calling the IT Help Desk to place a trouble ticket, please restart your computer to see if it resolves your issue. The chances are that is one of the first things they will ask you to do, so restarting before you call can help expedite the troubleshooting process by ruling out a reboot as the solution.
If restarting your computer doesn’t resolve the issue you can create a trouble ticket by using the self help portal at http://itsupport.cwf.org, emailing the helpdesk at ithelpdesk@cwf.org, or calling x7300
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