Using forums to answer questions about Windows XP
Published: May 13, 2005
When my friends have a computer question, they call me on the phone. They don't e-mail, send screen shots, use Remote Assistance, or visit newsgroups, or post to forums. They dial me up to ask their questions. There are so many other ways they could find the answers they need and all without bothering me!
Personal griping aside, many knowledgeable computer users aren't aware of the numerous online resources available to them either. Some well-informed Windows XP users post only to the Windows XP Expert Zone newsgroups and scour them for answers or randomly search the Web for solutions to computer problems.
There are lots of other options, though, including non-Microsoft support forums. (A forum is simply an online discussion group.) The Windows XP Featured and Related Communities and their respective forums are good places to look for peer-to-peer support. And you'll find useful information in the Microsoft manufacturer partner forums such as ones hosted by Dell, HP, and Gateway. Microsoft and non-Microsoft community Web sites work together to provide a diverse and important resource of information for everyone.
In an earlier column, Finding Help Online for New Computer Users, I explained where to find free help and how-to information from Microsoft and on the Internet. That column will be helpful if you're just getting started using Windows XP.
In this article I'll focus on my favorite non-Microsoft communities and Microsoft manufacturer partner forums. Here I'll explain how to successfully search for a solution or post your own query in these discussion groups. And I'll describe the product or technology the site focuses on; how often people post to those forums and how quickly you can expect a response from a specific forum; and describe the special attributes of each site.
Once you've finished this article, you should be able to find answers from countless Web sites quickly and easily. I hope it helps all users from PC newbies to the computer savvy find the solutions they need.
Related communities vs. Microsoft Manufacturer Partner forums
Windows XP Featured and Related Communities are community Web sites such as ActiveWin.com, TweakXP.com, and The Firing Squad that Microsoft nurtures with a Community Partnership Program. Each site is predominantly consumer focused and supports Windows client software, hardware, or technology. These sites offer tips, tweaks, and support forums on almost any computer subject imaginable. They have proven themselves a valuable part of the Microsoft community and are trusted and reliable Web sites.
Tip: If you think you've found a site worthy of being a Microsoft Featured or Related Community, you can nominate it here.
Microsoft manufacturer partner (sometimes referred to as OEMs) forums are a bit different. They're created and managed by companies that have manufacturing relationships with Microsoft such Dell or Hewlett-Packard (HP). These sites can also be quite helpful, because they often offer a combination of support forums, FAQ pages, online testing applications, and live chats.
These non-Microsoft sites are not managed or monitored by Microsoft although the participating Windows enthusiasts and customers work hard to provide accurate information about Microsoft products. (Even the Microsoft public newsgroups, of which the Expert Zone is one, are not formally supported by Microsoft. In their own communities, Microsoft may monitor content to ensure the accuracy of the information you'll find, but any information provided by Microsoft staff is offered "AS IS" with no warranties, and no rights are conferred. You assume all risk for your use.)
In both the related communities and Microsoft manufacturer partner sites you'll find forums. You can read posts or search for an answer in archived posts. Often you can do so without creating a logon name and password and without registering. Almost all require some sort of registration to post though, which can range from simply creating a user name and password to supplying your name, address, product ID, e-mail address, phone number, and other personal information. If a site requires more than a user name and password, consider reading the site's privacy policy before providing too much private information.
There are many Windows XP Featured and Related Communities and it isn't feasible for me to describe each of them here. You can subscribe to the Featured Community RSS feed to read best-of-breed contents from these sites. The following are a few of my personal favorites, ones that contain forums that I think really stand out.
ActiveWin.com for all Microsoft products
ActiveWin.com is a Windows XP Featured Community and an all-around best-in-show for obtaining information on all Microsoft products. You can access their Active Network forums on all versions of the Windows operating system as well as Internet Explorer, Microsoft Office products, Windows Messenger, Xbox, and others. Most of the forums are quite active with hundreds of posts and replies each day, especially the Windows XP forums. You can expect a quick and generally polite and reliable response coming almost always the same day you post your query.
From the ActiveWin.com forum interface, you can also easily see the original post's title, side by side with the number of replies, number of views, and the date and time the last post was made to each thread. The figure below shows an example of the interface. You can see that the forum is active with several posts and replies generated each day.
The ActiveWin.net forum has an easy-to-use interface.
You don't have to register to read posts at ActiveWin.com. To use ActiveWin.com forums to both read and post forum entries:
| • | Click Create a User, enter the information on the Create a User page, and then click Submit. |
There are only two items to create—a user name and password. However, you can add quite a bit more, including first and last name, age, gender, location, occupation, home page, and more. This registration is minimal compared to what some other sites require and is one of the reasons I really like this forum.
FiringSquad for games
If you're into gaming, you should be into the FiringSquad. The FiringSquad is another Windows XP Featured Community and one of the Internet's largest and most-recognized hardware and gaming sites. Their goal is to help gamers get the most out of their PCs, and make the PC experience as gaming-friendly as possible.
FiringSquad forums include those dedicated to hardware, to software, to handheld games, and to solving gaming-related PC problems. Gamers will especially like the Hardware Discussions, where problems with drivers, choosing a graphics or sound card, adding RAM, or upgrading a CPU are the conversational norm. As with other successful and high-traffic forums, you can expect a reliable answer to your post the same day. There are typically hundreds of posts and replies on any given day. The FiringSquad also offers previews of games, free trial downloads, and reviews of motherboards and cards.
You don't have to register to read posts at The Firing Squad. To both read and post entries in the FiringSquad forums, click Register at the top of their Web page. On the Registration page, create a user name and valid e-mail address. You have to enter a valid e-mail address and wait for confirmation to post. You'll also need to enter your birthday, and once the confirmation e-mail has been received, log on to the site within two days to make it work. After logging on, you'll be prompted to set preferences for posts, including how you'll view posts and in what order. You can also subscribe to newsletters and enter contests and giveaways. With that done, click Forums, and you're ready to post!
The Green Button for Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition
The Green Button is a must-see Featured Community for Windows XP Media Center Edition users. You can access the latest forum posts right from the home page by simply clicking the ones you want to view. If you want to view all of the available forums, you can access them from The Green Button's Community page. (Just click Community on the Green Button's home page to get there.) From here you'll find forums on all Media Center topics, including using the Media Center and installing and tweaking Media Center hardware. There's also an area designed for Media Center developers. These forums are very active, and you'll probably receive feedback the same day you post a question. The figure below shows some of the Media Center forum categories. You can clearly see lots of topics, thousands of replies, and how quickly the replies come in.
The Green Button offers several Windows XP Media Center Edition forum categories.
You can read posts at The Green Button without registering. To also post forum entries, click Become a Member. On the Registration page, type a valid e-mail address so registration confirmation can be sent, a user name and password, your time zone, and choose a skin. Once you receive the confirmation e-mail, click the link and log on using your user name and password.
Lockergnome's Windows Fanatics for technology enthusiasts
The purpose of Lockergnome is to "inform, empower, and entertain." They bill themselves as a resource for people who are curious about the world of technology. At Lockergnome, a Windows XP Featured Community, you can expect daily infusions of technology articles, general insights on new technologies, and technical information on hardware and applications. They offer tutorials and are a great resource for Windows XP users too.
Their forums are also useful. There are forums for hardware, games, dealing with spam, creating wallpaper, and yes, even a forum for Windows fanatics. Although some of their forums don't get a lot of traffic, the Windows Fanatics forum does.
As with all of the forums discussed so far, you'll have to locate the link that takes you to the forum pages. Most of the time, it's an icon named Forums or Community. At Lockergnome, look for Tech Discussion. Clicking Tech Discussion takes you to the forum pages. In the Windows Fanatics forum, you'll find topics on anything related to Windows and Windows XP. As with other sites, simply browse through the posts by clicking then and then click Reply if you want to respond.
In the Windows Fanatics forum, posts are generally related to annoyances and general problems, such as icons not showing up when they are supposed to, the Recycle Bin not deleting its contents properly, modems hanging, or newly installed RAM that isn't recognized. Posts are both hardware and software related and you can expect an answer to your post the same day.
As with other forums, you do not need to register to read forum posts. To use the Lockergnome Windows Fanatics forums to post forum entries, you need to register. You can register from any forum page by clicking Register. (If you're under the age of 13, you'll need your parent's permission.) Once at the Registration page, you have to enter a user name, password, and valid e-mail address. You'll also have to type the security code shown on the page, and configure time zone settings. As with other sites, you'll receive a confirmation e-mail with a link for logging on.
WUGNET for Windows XP help, freeware, and shareware
Windows Users Group Network (WUGNET) is best known as a unique and comprehensive outlet for finding and linking to the best freeware and shareware on the Web. It's also just as well respected for its daily computing tips. WUGNET offers support forums and is another well-established Windows XP Featured Community.
WUGNET support forums include those for general computer support, Internet Explorer, all versions of the Windows operating system (including Windows 3x), and forums for laptops, virus issues, entertainment, and Microsoft Office products. They even have a Vintage Computing forum where you can talk about MS-DOS, vintage applications, and orphaned computers.
You can access all of the forums from the WUGNET home page by clicking Forums. Although their Windows XP Pro forum doesn't seem to get quite as much traffic as previously mentioned sites, don't let that stop you from visiting it. There's activity every day and you're likely to find what you want and get an answer to your post the same day. The forum interface is filled with information and is well worth a visit. In a recent stop there I found information about configuring a good backup strategy, when to use Disk Defragmenter, a list of common technical questions and their answers, and tips for improving computer performance.
To read posts, you don't have to register. To use WUGNET forums to post entries, you need to create a user name. To start, from any forum page, click Log In. On the Web log in page, click Sign Up. You'll need to enter a screen name, password, valid e-mail address, and your birthday. You'll also create a display name and type a security code that is displayed on the page. Once you receive a confirmation e-mail message, follow the directions for finalizing. Finally, return to WUGNET, locate a forum, and click Log In.
How to find a Microsoft Manufacturer Partner forum
Microsoft manufacturer partners include some of the leading computer manufacturers in the world. As industry partners with Microsoft, they customize their computer products to work well with the Windows operating system. Industry partners include Dell, HP, and Gateway. When you need assistance with one of their Windows-based computers, visit their Web site and community forums for help.
Sometimes this is a better option than using a Microsoft Related Community site, because the manufacturer and forum posters can pinpoint exactly what computer model you have. With that information they'll know what sound and video cards are installed, what CPU and RAM are used, what additional software is installed, and all of the other information about the computer.
To find out if your computer manufacturer has a support forum, visit their Web site and look around. Type "forum" in their search options or visit the support pages. Dell and HP have forum areas.
Business support forums are also available. These types of forum include IT information technology (IT) forums, and more. General user forums can be helpful, but you'll often find more in-depth information in business and IT forums.
How to use the Dell support forums
Dell support forums allow you to browse message boards by PC system or by the type of electronic device you have. You don't have to register. Simply choose your specific product and select the forum you'd like at access. For a PC system, this could be audio, BIOS, general hardware, the hard drive, modem, keyboard and mouse, or any other component. Once in the correct forum, you can easily search for your answer.
For example, if you have a Dell Dimension PC and the mouse doesn't do anything when you right-click, here's how to search for an answer in the Dell support forums:
1. | Point your browser to the Dell support forums. |
2. | Under Browse Message Boards, click Dimension. |
3. | Under Dimension Message Boards, click Keyboard/Mouse. |
4. | Scroll down to the Search box and type Error when right-clicking with mouse. Click Search This Board. |
5. | Read through the results to find your answer. |
Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of traffic at these types of forums. You might not get an answer right away. Dedicated forum moderators to answer questions aren't in evidence like you typically find in the Microsoft Featured Communities. However, it's worth a shot, especially if your problem seems manufacturer-specific.
How to use HP business support forums
Some Microsoft manufacturer partners offer more than just general troubleshooting about specific hardware or software. HP Business Support forums are one example. At this forum, HP experts sometimes participate and offer personalized advice. You'll have to register to get started though, which includes submitting your name, address, and valid e-mail address.
Once inside the forums, you can get help on anything HP makes, including desktops, workstations, handheld computers, laptops, printers, and storage hardware. The forums I visited seemed pretty active with several posts and replies each day on things like business desktops and office laser printers. In fact, HP encourages posters using its points system where posters have a running tally based on their participation. On the day I visited, many problems seemed to be related to updates and boot problems with several posts having 10–20 replies. A poster should get a valid reply and solution quite quickly.
HP also offers the IT Resource Center forums. Over 700,000 peers use these forums, so you're likely to find the answer you need. These forums focus on more technical issues, including business recovery planning, digital imaging for business, networking, databases, management software, and Windows XP.
In the Windows XP forum, I found information on wireless encryption keys, installing Windows XP on multiple partitions, and how to solve .dll errors at start up. If you're looking for information about a highly technical problem, this may be the place to find the answers.
Using advanced search options and posting your query
Most forums offer advanced search options. You can sometimes use these options without registering. However, if you want to post or even search at some sites, you'll have to register. Registering is generally as simple as clicking New User, Create User, or Create Logon. Fill out the required information, and you'll be allowed to search and post. Once you're a registered user and you've logged on, simply click Reply at the end of any post to reply.
Tip: Required information is usually noted with an asterisk. It's usually wise to enter minimal information. You can always go back and add more.
To use advanced search options
1. | Find the forum site you want to search. |
2. | Create a new user or log on using your existing account. |
3. | Click the Search option. |
4. | If given the option, click Advanced or Advanced Search Options. |
The figure below shows the advanced options for a Microsoft Featured Community, Cloudeight Information Avenue. If offered advanced options, configure them by selecting the appropriate options as shown here.
Using the advanced options helps narrow search parameters.
You can now browse through the options to find the information you need.
 | Joli Ballew is a technology trainer and writer in the Dallas area. She holds several certifications including MCSE, A+, and MCDST. Joli has almost 20 books available, including Degunking Windows (Paraglyph Press), Hardcore Windows XP (McGraw-Hill), and Windows XP: Do Amazing Things (Microsoft Press). Joli is also a regular Microsoft Expert Zone columnist. Joli can be contacted at Joli_Ballew@hotmail.com.
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