[Aura]

[img]http://imageshack.us/a/img90/6030/bannermo.gif[/img]



Hey guys, Aura here with another tutorial !

This time, the thread is under the banner of The Empire, and even though it touches on computing (it's posted in the Windows section obviously), it's more about order and making a good quality thread asking for help, or asking questions. In this thread, I'll explain how the thread of someone who needs help with a problem or of someone who has a question should be presented, in order to get the most precise and helpful answer(s) possible. This will contribute, I hope, to raising the quality bar of the threads in this section, and help make it cleaner and more organized. Are you ready ?! Let's do this !

Small Warning

Okay, so before making a thread in the Windows section asking for help or to ask a question, please keep in mind that ALL HackForums rules applies to this section and that these principles are strictly enforced in this department too.

Rules and Help Docs



This means that if you're having an issue with an illegal copy of a software/program, or that you are running a non-genuine version of Windows, HackForums DOES NOT support these. Your thread will be reported and junked by a Staff member.

What to ask yourself before creating a thread in the Windows section

Here's a list of things you should ask yourself before posting a thread asking for help or a question in the Windows section.

• "Is my question related to hardware or buying a new computer/laptop ?"
  If your answer to that question is "yes", then your question should NOT be posted in the Windows section. We have a section specially for these kind of questions called the Computer Overclocking, Customizing, and Hardware. Here, hardware fanatics will help you choose a new hardware piece for your computer, help you pick a computer or laptop that fits your need and is in your budget, and even help you built your own rig if needed ! Therefore, all the questions regarding hardware, computers and laptops buying, comparisons, etc. should be posted and asked in this section, not the Windows section.
  
  
  
  
• "Is my question related to networking ? Do I have a problem with my router and I'm sure of it ?" (or any other related questions)
  If your answer to that question is "yes", this question should not be asked in the Windows section. We have a section called Networking, Routers, Switches, and Firewalls for these kind of questions. If you are sure that the issue/problem/question is specific to Windows, then it's yours to decide if you want to ask this question in the Networking, Routers, Switches, and Firewalls section or the Windows section(s).
  
  
  
  
• "Is my question about Virtual Machines, virtualization, etc. ?"
  Once again, if your answer to that question is "yes", then it should not be posted in the Windows section. We have a section dedicated to questions and problems related to Virtual Machines and virtualization called Virtual Machines section. You'll get better and more appropriate answers there than in the Windows section.
  
  
  
  
• "Is my question about Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8 ?"
  This is one thing I encounter daily. Only a few people seems to know that we have a section dedicated to Microsoft Windows, XP, Vista, and Windows 7 and that we have another section dedicated to Windows 8, RT and Surface. So please, post your thread in the corresponding section for the Windows version you have. You'll not get the same answers if you post your question in the wrong section.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• "Am I going to ask for a way to get a free copy of a paid software/program/Windows, or a way to get a product key for a paid software/program/Windows ?"
  If this is your question, please refers to the rules I mentioned at the beginning of the thread to find your answers.
  
  
• "Am I going to ask for something that can be related to torrents?"
  Once again, refer to that point at the beginning of the thread.
  

Now, if you asked yourself all of these questions and that the answer is "No", then your question should be asked in the Windows section and you can go on with creating a thread asking for help. BUT, how should you create a thread in the Windows section to get the best, more precise, more accurate and helpful answers possible ? Here's what you'll see in the main part of this tutorial.

What information should be included in a thread

In this part of this tutorial, I'll show you the key elements to include in your thread when you come in the Windows section asking for help with an issue/problem or when you come ask a question. I understand that not every information shown there might be relevant to a thread, so you'll have to think outside of the box and sometimes include the information that not only you think are relevant to the issue or the question, but also try to think of what the members who will try to help you ask you for information.

• What version of Windows are you running ?
  This is the first information to include in your thread. You don't even have to include it in the post itself, you can use one of the three predefined section prefixes: Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows XP.
  
  
• What version type of Windows are you running ?
  By version type of Windows, I mean a 32-bit version of Windows or 64-bit version of Windows. The difference might seem minimal, but this can affect a lot of answers that will be given, along with the solutions and explanations. You can find your Windows version type in your System window. To access it, right-click on Computer, then select Properties. Check the "System type" line and you'll have your Windows version type
  
  
  
  
• Is your Windows installation coming from an official .iso or DVD, or from a torrented .iso ?
  Once again, the answer to this question can affect the answers by a lot. If you have a problem and you are running a copy of Windows installed from a torrented .iso, this can play a major role in the issue you're having. No one knows exactly if the Windows installation .iso you've downloaded has been modified or whether it's an official .iso. Therefore, it can affect how your Windows installation operates.
  
  
• What program are you having issues with ? What is the version of that program ?
  It will be easier to determine what the issue with a program is, if you mention in your post what program you are having issues with in the first place, and what version of that program are you running. Why stating the version ? Because sometimes, a certain program's version can have issues that are known, and for which fixes/patches/solutions/etc. have been released. If that information is given, it will help a lot when other members will try to help you troubleshoot your problem or answer your question. For most programs, you'll find the version number in a window that will pop-up if you go in the "Help" or "?" menu in the menu bar and select "About ..." or "About [Program Name here]".
  
  
• What are your computer's specifications ?
  This is another important information to add to your thread, your computer specifications. Why ? Because bad computer's specs can explain a lot of problems, like why your computer always shutdown when you play video games, why your computer is running slow when you have X programs/applications opened, etc. The preferred way to show your computer's specs, is to download and install Speccy, by Piriform (the creator of CCleaner). Speccy is a system information software that will display your computer main hardware components and theirs specs. What you should do once you installed it, is to execute it, then take a screenshot of the main window (that show all the general specs of your computer) then add that screenshot to your thread. It will help a lot in analyzing the problem/issue and the eventual cause of that problem/issue. Also, it should be added when you have a performance question about your computer and you want to know if your computer could handle certain tasks or programs/softwares.
  
  
  
  
• Are there any events reported in the Application Event Log ?
  If you have an issue/problem with a program that crash. Which means, the program stops responding and you have a window stating that Windows is looking for a solution for the problem and all that, then there's big chances that the program crash have been reported the Windows Application Event Log. It would be a great add to your thread, if you were taking the time to go in the Event Log, look for any entries related to your faulty program that have "Error" as a status. When you find this/these entry/entries, you can copy/paste the content by using the [ code ] tags, to make it easier to read. To access the Windows Application Event Log, right-click on Computer and select "Manage" (requires Admin. Rights). Then, select "Event Viewers", "Windows Logs" and "Application".
  
  
  
  
• If you're having a drivers issue, consider the following :
  • Are you using a third-party software to manage your drivers ?
    If you are using a third-party software to handle (install, upgrade, uninstall, etc.) your drivers, please state it in your thread. Why? Because the first solution will be to make you download new drivers for the one you updated or added. Drivers should NEVER be handled by a third-party software like Driver Genius, SlimDrivers, etc. Again, why? Because these softwares cause more driver issues than they solve. You never know: which drivers are being installed, if these drivers are stable or not, what is the version of these drives are stable or not, what is the interpretation of these drivers, are they coming from the device's manufacturer official website, are they being installed like the device's manufacturer recommend to install them, etc. I'll never repeat it enough. NEVER use a third-party software to manage your drivers. This job should be done manually by getting the desired drivers from the device manufacturer's official website, that's it.
    
    
  • Did you install/update/etc. the drivers from the device's official manufacturer website ?
    Another thing to state. If you updated your network card drivers for example with drivers you found from perfectdrivers.com, state it. Why ? Because like I said in the precedent point, drivers should be download from the device's manufacturer official website only, and no where else. These drivers are approved by the manufacturer and tested by the company that makes your device. Why would you trust any other websites with drivers that could end up being bad drivers or even corrupted drivers ?
    
  
  
• Can you take screenshots of the issue/problem ?
  If you can add screenshot(s) of the issue/problem you have, it will help a lot the people who tries to help you. Not only because they'll be able to see the full error message that might be displayed if there's one, but because they can see the actual issue and what it is.
  
  
• Describe the issue
  This is the core of your thread. Give a detailled description of the issue you're having or ask a clear question with explanations and example if needed. Explain what the issue is, when it happens, how does the system (Windows) react to it. If it happens often, what are the consequences of that issue/problem, etc. Any details that are relevant should be written in the thread in order to give the best idea possible to other members of what the issue/problem is and what steps should be taken to solve it.
  
  
• State the solutions you tried and/or information you have so far
  This the second most important type of information to include in your thread. Describe or list all the solutions that you tried so far to fix the problem or the information you have on the question you're asking. Why ? Because this will help members avoid to post a solution you already tried, therefore, forcing them to look for another solution to help you and posting it, making answers way more efficient than if they post the same solution(s) you tried over and over again. It will help to filter the spam by a lot in your thread, I guarantee it. Also, if the members see that you tried the common fixes and solutions for the issue you have and that didn't solve it, they'll start thinking that the problem is maybe a little bit harder than they expected and that will make them think more before posting aa useless answer in your thread.
  

Examples

Below, you'll find two good examples of threads that I describe in my tutorial : one asking for help with an issue under Windows, the other one asking for a question. I included in both examples all the information that should be included for their kind of thread. Try to picture the screenshots I could add to these too.

Issue :

Code

Hey guys, Yoan here AKA Aura with a problem !

So when I try to open more than 5 tabs in Google Chrome, my computer starts freezing and eventually crashes. I always used Firefox in the past and I never had any issues with it. I can open maybe 10 tabs and I won't have any problems in Firefox. However, in Google Chrome, let's say I have : Facebook, HackForums, Youtube, Twitter and Wikipedia open in 5 tabs, when I click on the tab icon to create a new one, my computer completely stop responding (and Google Chrome display the "This program stopped working..." message) and then crash. I hear my fan going crazy then it shut downs, with any warnings or anything (no BSOD).

So here's what I can find in my Windows Application Event log about Google Chrome. This entry is from the last time it crashed :

[Here, imagine that I copy/pasted the content of an entry in the Application Event log related to Google Chrome, that have an "Error" status]

Also, here's my computer specification :

[Here, imagine I included a picture of the main window of Speccy (a program that displays your computer's main specs.)]

So far, I tried to uninstall it and reinstall it via the Programs Control Panel two times and it didn't worked. I also tried in Safe Mode and I still have the same problems.

Anyone have an idea on what the problem is and what would be the solution ?

Thank you !

Question :

Code

Hey guys, Yoan AKA Aura here with a question for you !

So I was wondering, how would a live Windows environment react to the fact of being used on multiple computers ? I mean, let's say I have a live Windows 7 (no matter the edition) on my USB flash drive and that I plug in a couple of different computers : a computer at school, a computer at my work, a computer at my friend's house, etc. I guess it would have to install all the computer's drivers everytime I plug it in a new computer right, as I know it's the "hard" part of running a live Windows environment, drivers compatibility. In the end, would my live Windows 7 accumulate all the drivers it install and then crash because it have too many drivers installed and don't know which one to enable in the right situation ? Or will the drivers dissapear from the live Windows ? Because when I use a live version of Windows, I won't save anything to my USB flash drive no, or do I save everything I do ? Because if I don't, then as soon as I shut down Windows and remove my USB flash drive, all the drivers will be "flushed", no ?

I'm just a little bit lost on this subject and I would like answers to my question, and if someone could explain me if I'm theory is wrong/false, what don't I understand ?

Thank you guys !

- TO BE CONTINUED ON THE SECOND POST -

[Aura]

The End


And that's about it ! If everyone was reading this thread at least once, and would learn to know how to post a good thread with all the requires information, I assure you to the troubleshooting would be way easier for both you and the members who tries to help you. Just remember, there's never enough information on a problem or a question, everything you can add to it will just be more helpful !

If you think that this thread is lacking anything, that a point is not well explained or you think I should change something in it, feel free to post in this thread with your thoughts or send me a PM and I'll see what I can do.

Also, feel free to check my other tutorials, as they might come in handy when you'll want to create your thread in the Windows section !
- I'll be updating this list with any HQ tutorials / guides I find in the Windows section too. -

[Brotherhood] How to install Windows 7 from a CD/DVD or USB flash drive
[Brotherhood] How to identify a missing device and the drivers on Windows
[Brotherhood] Windows Disk Management Utility
[The Brotherhood] Anti-Viruses VS Anti-Malwares : The differences
[The Brotherhood] Windows Libraries

Credits

• #Thunder : Thank you for the graphics in the thread, I really appreciate it ! Even if you're not known as a graphic artist, you do hell of a good job ! Also, thank you for the place holding !
  
• Realistic : Thank you for giving me the first grammar and spelling mistakes to correct in my thread <3
  
• CyberneticTitan : People should never underestimate the power of Ctrl + F. Thank you for helping me correct basics mistakes !
  
• Wallet : You took your time to read my whole thread and correct a lot of paragraphs for me, I really appreciate that ! Thank you !
  

-This post is reserved for the future if I ever need to add more informations as the first post is about 50 characters from the maximum characters limit -

[Aura]

-This post is reserved for the future if I ever need to add more informations as the first post is about 50 characters from the maximum characters limit -

[#Thunder]

It was nice seeing you build this thread in the subforum. Hopefully having this thread will help make troubleshooting easier for us.

[Aura]

It was nice seeing you build this thread in the subforum. Hopefully having this thread will help make troubleshooting easier for us.

Hope so. Everytime we start posting in a new thread, we have to ask over and over again for the same information and we're losing "time" doing that. Plus, sometimes the OP doesn't even answer. Without adding the fact that some members post random answers without knowing the facts and conditions first.

[Mr.Steven]

Informative thread, should help newbies understand the way they are supposed to ask for help here.

Thanks for contributing to this forum Aura.

[Aura]

Informative thread, should help newbies understand the way they are supposed to ask for help here.

Thanks for contributing to this forum Aura.

No problem and thank you 🙂

Just trying to keep this section more organized and structured so it will be easier to assist members who have problems and come here ask questions.

[Kansas]

This should be stickied seeing as the Windows section currently doesn't have any other set reference as extensive as this is.

Apply for one Aura...

[Aura]

This should be stickied seeing as the Windows section currently doesn't have any other set reference as extensive as this is.

Apply for one Aura...

You know I'm way too modest to apply for one 😊
Also, if it ever have to get stickied, I want it to be the best tutorial of the Windows section, none the less. And yes, it's sad to see that there's no sticky in that section, despite the fact that it's cover the most popular OS worldwide ... Maybe one day, who knows !

[Canonsx130]

A very well made tutorial :) The pictures looks really good and catchy. Good work 🙂

[Aura]

A very well made tutorial :) The pictures looks really good and catchy. Good work 🙂

Thank you buddy 🙂
I tried to make this tutorial as much visual as written to help beginners and new comers on HackForums that wouldn't be aware of how the forum works and how Windows works too 🙂

[Gustav.]

A very horrible thread, poorly constructed and use of codes.

You are doing a great job Aura, continue to do what you can to provide assistance in the Microsoft windows section, great job 👍

[Aura]

A very horrible thread, poorly constructed and use of codes.

You are doing a great job Aura, continue to do what you can to provide assistance in the Microsoft windows section, great job 👍

I don't know but, I was kinda expecting that kind of reply from you 🤣

Thank you man, hopefully I'll be able to take care of this section as good as you take care of the White Hat Help section.

[Corso]

Now if only some of the idiots who posts for help would actually take the time to open this thread... We can dream right?

[Aura]

Now if only some of the idiots who posts for help would actually take the time to open this thread... We can dream right?

Yeah we can. Let's still hope one day they'll read it 😝 But it would have to always stay on the first page. I give this thread not even 24h before it falls in the depth of this section, lol.