Top 10 Most Common IT Help Desk Problems
Below is a list of the top 10 help desk problems that IT professionals help resolve:1. Blue Screen of Death
The blue screen of death strikes fear into just about any Windows user who experiences it. This blue screen, otherwise known as a stop error, indicates a system crash, and it often makes users fear the machine’s permanent demise. However, it’s often possible to resurrect computers that have succumbed to the blue screen of death. The issue often lies in the hardware or one of the drivers, and it frequently occurs after you’ve installed new drivers or a new piece of hardware. A quick reboot is sometimes enough to solve the problem. Crucially, the blue screen of death often gives essential information about what the problem is. Reading the text on the screen can help you determine whether a reboot will help or whether you need to seek professional support.2. Password Predicaments
Numerous help desk tickets involve password trouble — employees have forgotten their passwords, for instance. One study has found that up to 57% of full-time employees had to reset a work-related password in the past 90 days. Some companies set up authentication portals to make password authentication more convenient. Through these portals, users can enter their authentication information themselves to avoid the need for IT intervention. This system saves IT departments substantial time and energy and lets them focus on more pressing computer difficulties. If your company doesn’t have a portal like this, an IT help desk can step in. Help desk personnel can help employees reset their passwords so they can get back to work quickly. Businesses aiming to optimize their IT support should consider exploring the financial implications, as detailed in CloudSecureTech’s article on the cost of IT support for small businesses, to make informed budgeting decisions3. Slow Internet
One of the most common help desk problems involves a slow internet connection. A slow connection often results when a network extends over several buildings or several floors of the same building. Using multiple cloud-based services can also slow down the connection speed. In some cases, the issue arises because of how far certain offices are from the network nodes. In other instances, dense building materials can block the wireless signal, making it weaker and rendering the connection slower. A network upgrade may also temporarily slow the connection, or viruses and spyware may be clogging the network. IT help desks can step in to check these issues out and resolve them swiftly.
4. Lost Wireless Signal
Another of the most common service desk problems involves a lost wireless signal. In some cases, the same difficulties that lead to slow internet can cause your company to lose its wireless signal entirely. In other cases, an overloaded router may not be admitting access to the network.
In this scenario, you may need to try connecting to the network on another device using a different router. An IT department can determine the root of the problem and let you know what steps to take to regain internet access.
5. Failure to Recognize a USB Device
Many help desk issues involve a computer that refuses to recognize a Universal Series Bus (USB) device. You can try to decipher the reason for a computer’s failure to read a USB device in a few different ways. First, check whether the device works in any of the machine’s other USB ports. If so, there may be a problem with the individual port in question.
You can also check to see whether the device works on another machine — if it doesn’t, the device itself may be compromised. An IT help desk can assist with looking for the causes of these errors and determining possible solutions.
6. Printer Problems
Being unable to print is frustrating — it slows you down and prevents you from producing the tools you need to do your job. Often, printer problems arise because of issues with access permissions or drivers. Many businesses require employees to gain authorization and have the correct drivers installed through the help desk before they can access network printers.
It’s also possible that the printer is not connected correctly to the network or that a more basic, easily fixable issue exists — the printer is out of ink or paper, for example.
7. Slow Operation
If your computer is running too slowly, any number of issues could be at work. You may be running several programs at once and bogging down your processor. Viruses and malware may be affecting your computer’s performance, or a scheduled system scan or update may have slowed your computer temporarily. Your IT department can look into all the possible issues and help you determine what to do.
8. Unsaved Files
What happens if you accidentally close a document without saving it? It’s possible that you’ve lost your unsaved changes, but sometimes your IT help desk can recover them. Microsoft Office, in particular, has autosave options that can sometimes recover the lost work. You can also search your computer for backup or temporary files with an extension like .tmp or a prefix like ~. Your help desk can assist you in scouring your computer for files that might contain the latest changes.
9. Deleted Files
What happens if you accidentally delete important files from your computer? Often, it’s easy enough to recover them from your computer’s trash folder or recycling bin. If you’ve already emptied the trash or recycling, the problem becomes more challenging. Your IT department could have access to an automatic backup of all your saved data, which could help you recover your work.
10. Login Difficulties
If you know your username and password are correct and are still having trouble logging in, your IT help desk can help you locate and resolve the problem. You may have made too many login attempts, for instance, and your IT department can reinstate your user rights.
Partner With XL.net to Get Assistance With the Most Common IT Support Issues
To see the benefits of working with managed IT services to resolve help desk tickets quickly and easily, partner with XL.net.
Our Service Desk includes a team of friendly, skilled, knowledgeable engineers who can help troubleshoot even the trickiest computer problems. We offer constant support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and you can usually speak to an expert right away, without long wait times. Our service can even proactively prevent errors by giving you the technological tools you need to keep your computers and networks running smoothly.
Contact us today to get started with Service Desk or learn more about how it can help your business resolve IT errors.
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