Troubleshoot the Microsoft Access 2003 Software ?

Microsoft Access 2003 is a database management system that is a component of the Microsoft Office Professional 2003 application suite. There are several problems including opening and saving files, database operations, and printing that can occur while working with Access. Many problems can be resolved by following a sequence of steps to troubleshoot the software. A contact to the Microsoft Access technical support staff is the final step if you are unable to resolve the problem on your own.

Instructions

Check your computer's configuration to ensure that your system has adequate resources to run Microsoft Access 2003. Access 2003 requires Windows 2000, Windows XP, XP Professional, or the Vista operating system. Microsoft suggests a minimum of 128 MB of RAM running on a Pentium-233 or faster processor. Normal installations require a minimum of 20 GB of free hard disk space. Make adjustments to your computer if needed to ensure that it meets the system requirements.

Click "Help" - "Activate Product", and enter your software product key using the activation link on the Internet. You must register and activate your software as a prerequisite for downloading updates and obtaining formal technical support from Microsoft if it is needed. Click "Help" - "Check for Updates" to download and install the latest updates for Access 2003. Check the Microsoft support web site for updates to Microsoft Office 2003 and your Windows operating system to ensure that these software files are also up to date.

Click "Help" - "Microsoft Office Access Help", and enter the word "troubleshoot" in the search bar on the right panel of your screen. Browse the list of common problems and resolutions to see if your problem is documented and follow the recommendation for resolution if provided. If your problem is not listed, re-start your computer and run Microsoft Access without any other software programs running. Record any error messages you receive and note any other software programs that were running during the error.

Search the Microsoft support web site for any information related to the specific error messages that you received, or software applications that you were running when the problem occurred. Click "Help" - "Contact Us" to contact Microsoft support directly if you cannot find a resolution documented on the Microsoft web site. Technical support options include email, telephone and on line chat.

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Reasons for Updating an Antivirus Protection Software

Malicious software or "malware" can take various forms such as viruses, spyware and keystroke loggers. Malware can cause a variety of problems ranging from annoyances such as popup ads to serious issues such as loss of data or hardware damage. Antivirus software is designed to detect and remove malware from your computer and also ensure that your computer does not become infected in the first place. However, your antivirus software must be kept up to date to ensure continuous protection for your computer.

Continuous Protection

The most important reason to update antivirus software is to ensure that your computer is continuously protected against viruses, spyware and other malware. New viruses are unleashed on the Internet every day and antivirus software developers must frequently update their products to recognize these new threats. A library of "virus definitions" containing data used to detect known viruses must be be updated frequently. Sometimes new virus definitions are released several times a month or even several times a week. If your antivirus program does not have these updates, it will not be able to protect your computer against newly discovered threats. Because updates are so important, most antivirus programs make it very easy to download these files. Some programs even download and install updates automatically.

Program Improvements

Another reason to download antivirus program updates is to upgrade the software with the latest bug fixes and enhancements. User feedback and testing may lead software developers to make changes or improvements to the user interface or the underlying program code. In some cases, updates may offer new features which were not available in older versions of the program. Updates may also improve program efficiency and add new functionality such as popup blocking, spam blocking, Web link scanning.

Technical Support

Software companies typically provide technical support for the most current versions of their software. Updating to the current version will make it easier for you to obtain technical support or other assistance with your antivirus software if you need it. Some software publishers do not provide any support for older versions of their products, so if you have a problem, you must resolve it on your own.

Compatibility

Antivirus updates can improve program compatibility and eliminate known bugs in the program code. Software publishers are often unaware of these issues until after a product has been released to the public on a wide scale and users begin reporting problems. Software can be optimized and refined to increase compatibility and reduce programmatic errors.

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Useful Computer Troubleshooting Software

With any computer, you will inevitably encounter software or hardware issues that require troubleshooting to correct. Unless you have extensive computer knowledge, pinpointing the exact cause of computer problems can be difficult without software utilities that can diagnose and fix whatever problems that may arise. There are numerous useful tools and utilities that can help simplify the troubleshooting process and get you on track to solving common computer problems.

Diagnosis

The most important aspect of troubleshooting your computer is understanding where the problem is originating. There are a number of programs that provide full system profiles of your computer, including information about the functionality of software and hardware components. Look in my PC and System Information for Windows (see "Resources") can generate a report detailing the technical specifications of your system, the current status of hardware and software and make troubleshooting recommendations. Moreover, these applications provide you with all the details of your computer in case you need to depend on technical support from the manufacturer.

Anti-Virus

It may be common sense, but an effective anti-virus program is one of the most important computer troubleshooting tools around. There are a wide variety of free and paid anti-virus programs that can be employed to scan for security issues that may be causing your computer to malfunction. Among the free options, Microsoft's own Security Essentials (see "Resources") is one of the best rated and most comprehensive programs available. Microsoft also provides a comprehensive list of third-party anti-virus programs on their website (see "Resources").

Software Maintenance

Many computer issues can be solved with some simple software maintenance. Removing unneeded files, disk defragmentation and managing the start-up program list can go a long way in speeding up your computer. Piriform Software is the maker of two of the most popular software maintenance programs that address these three troubleshooting areas (see "Resources"). CCleaner can easily clean your computer of unneeded files and remove unnecessary start-up items while Defraggler provides a quick and effective disk-defragmentation utility.

Screen Sharing

In the end, it may be necessary to turn to outside help to solve your computer problems. One of the handiest utilities to have in your troubleshooting toolbox is a good screen sharing program. These programs enable you to quickly share your screen with anyone in the world, be it a technically proficient friend or family member or your tech support.


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Giving Tech Support With Remote Control Software

In the past, both giving and receiving technical support was a very disconnected experience. The user seeking support would typically be faced with the prospect of calling the company they needed support from, navigating through a complex web of support options, and explaining their problem to a support specialist - all before they ever received any actual support. Even after navigating this rocky road to support, the user had only really just begun their journey.

What would follow is a lengthy phone conversation with a tech specialist who may live on the other side of the world, and have only a set of pre-determined solutions to work with. In addition, trying to translate the words of the support specialist into issue correcting actions can be a very tricky process for even the most advanced users. Different operating systems, software version and hardware configurations can often lead to branching issues that require an expert's direct intervention. Fortunately for all involved, the methodology of both giving and receiving tech support has changed drastically in the last few years thanks to the rise of Remote Control Software.

Remote Control Software, also known as Remote Desktop Software, allows for connections among two or more computers. Once connected, users can take complete control over each other's computers and will have an exact full screen representation of the accessed computer displayed on their screen. While many users are finding exciting and time saving ways to leverage this software, its use in the technical support environment has perhaps been the most widespread. Administers of technical support find these products to be incredibly advantageous to their work due to the incredible amount of saved time and stress. Technical support specialists dislike the long wait times their customers are forced to endure as much as the customers themselves dislike waiting on hold to receive support. It is for this reason that many tech support specialists prefer to use remote control software to administer support whenever the option is viable.

Despite the advantages for the tech support specialists, the real winners in these situations are the customers. Every customer that calls for tech support has the same goal in mind: get my problem solved as quickly as possible. For those individuals fortunate enough to receive technical support from a specialist using Remote Desktop Software, that goal is typically achieved and, quite often, surpassed.

Businesses who decide to make remote control support a cornerstone of their technical support strategy are often rewarded in ways that go beyond mere customer satisfaction. When a customer receives tech support through the use of these programs, they tend to feel as though the level of service received is of a higher standard. If the support succeeds in solving their problem, this can result in what is known as brand evangelism. This is the process in which individuals, extremely pleased with the services of a particular company, take it upon themselves to spread the word on their positive experience with the company, and encourage others to try the product or service that company provides. We see that tech support delivered via remote desktop software can not only be quicker and of higher quality, it can result in new levels of customer satisfaction and even inspire them to generate new customers on behalf of the company.

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