The Cutting Edge: COMPUTING / TECHNOLOGY / INNOVATION : Helpful Tips for Computer Buyers

Tips for dealing with holiday PC problems via telephone:

* Jot down the events leading to the problem before calling the manufacturer’s technical-support line.

* Keep the order invoice and other facts about the system on hand.

* Stay at the system so the technician can talk you through the problem.

* Call after peak business hours.

If you can’t get through:

* Contact the corporate or sales office and ask to be transferred to the technical-support line.

* Fax your detailed question to the technical-support center.

* Message the manufacturer through one of several on-line services, like Prodigy or CompuServe. (Many companies also have on-line bulletin boards with answers to frequently asked technical questions.)

* Contact the store where you purchased the system. (Some chains like CompUSA have their own technical-support lines.)

* Call a PC user group and ask to speak to one of the experts. The Assn. of Personal Computer Users provides a list of local groups ((914) 876-6678).

* Refer to some of the many available computer books such as “The Little PC Book,” and the “Dummies” and “Idiots” series.