I still amuse myself by thoughtfully stroking my chin and declaring any troubleshooting issue to be a PEBKAC
to the user in question, before fixing it with the aid of Google.

I consider myself a techy, but still find Google an invaluable tool in general troubleshooting.

General good troubleshooting advice:
-strange error message comes up. Google it - chances are, someone else has had the same problem and managed to fix it.
-Think back to the last change you made on your computer before a problem occured - installing a program, changing the resolution, adding a printer. If the two are linked, try undoing whatever change you made and seeing if the problem goes away.
-If graphics are going screwy, then a good place to start is the graphics card - update your drivers, restart. In fact restart first; I know we always say, turn it off and on again, but that's because if fixes 90% of problems.
-Strange things happening when you type? Make sure none of the modifier (shift, ctrl, alt) keys are stuck down - start notepad, bash away at all the keys on your keyboard to make sure their not stuck.
( LemonEntryMyDearWatson This time, Moriarty, the hand is on the other foot, Thu 24 Sep 2009, 13:08, 1 reply)

Yes, yes and yes
tip for the bottom one. On laptops. The numlock key normaly turns 1/2 your keyboard into a keypad. Check before telling me your password doesn;t work or that the new password I just gave you doesn;t work.
( Crap Little Monkey Deathstar, so good they built it twice, Thu 24 Sep 2009, 13:18, closed)