What is the make/model and type of your hardware?

• We don't know if you're using a 10-year old laptop, a brand new desktop PC, or a toaster.

What operating system (and version) is installed on the computer?

• Please be specific. Windows 10? macOS 13? Ubuntu 22.04?

Have any new programs or updates been installed recently?

• These could be the cause of your problem.

What error messages have you received?

• Please be extremely specific. Screenshots, pictures or video are very helpful. If that's not possible, list the exact error message text or ID number(s) just as it appears, and how you got to that point.

What were you doing when the problem was discovered?

• Context can be very important in determining why an issue may have happened.

Can you replicate this issue again?

• If yes, please provide exact steps for how to do so. If this is a GUI program, every single button press, mouse click and the order they were performed in may be relevant to why the issue is happening.

Why do you think you're having this problem?

• Could it be that there is nothing wrong and you are just seeing something unfamiliar? Perhaps a recent update caused the change in behavior.

Does anyone else have this problem?

• It may be helpful to ask around first and see if a solution already exists.

Does the problem occur on any other computer?

• Try to narrow down the issue as much as possible. If the issue only happens on one specific computer, then it may be a hardware problem or a software configuration issue that is specific to that device.

Have you made any changes to your computer recently?

• Modifying important system files could be related to your problem.

Has this problem happened before?

• If this issue is a regular occurrence, it may be helpful to say so.

How long has this problem been going on?

• An issue that has just now started to happen may point to a recent hardware failure or software configuration change.

Have you tried using a search engine to find a solution?

• Someone else may have already experienced the same problem and found a workable solution you can use.

Have you tried restarting the computer?

• Sometimes problems occur only one time or are intermittent and may resolve themselves after a restart.