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How to post a New Topic

Please note: Text below in blue can be clicked to take you to the associated links

Further help here: How do I format my posts and messages?



The best place to begin?

All new Registered Members to TechSpot are originally directed to the Introduce yourself forum

Viewing the Introduce yourself forum, you will first see the sticky at the top of the forum stating:

• DO NOT post your questions in this forum, INTRODUCTIONS only

This forum is an excellent place only to post your Introduction (just posting info about yourself, non support related)

At this stage you are advised (for your benefit) to update your Profile with your System Specs

Please also refer to:

• Guide to Making a Good Post/Thread
• TechSpot Community & Posting Guidelines
• TechSpot Terms of Service (TOS)

So there's a bit to know and to adhere to before you can even create a New Topic.
Many new Members tend to jump right in without reading all these "Posting Guidelines" and generally these New Topics are posted correctly by them. In some cases though a Moderator must come along and edit the topic, bringing it back up to standard.


OK I can adhere to all the Guidelines now what?

As TechSpot has been running for many years, the information (answers) to many Members questions can usually be found by Searching for keywords to do with your issue. Or by going through the many Guides and Tutorials topics, which have many extremely helpful and supportive guides.

The "Forums" button, located at the top of every page, has many Sub-Forums which have at least one sticky that Members (and Guests) can read.
Each one being relevant to that specific forum. All these stickies are there to help and inform Members within that specific Forum.


Can I create my New Topic Now?

If you are already familiar with Forums on the Web, then Yes, even without reading all the Guidelines and Stickies. In some cases though it is still good practice to refresh your mind on how to create a New Topic properly and clearly. As updates to stickies and topics happen often.

It should be emphasized that when creating a New Topic, you are in fact asking for help from someone who has no previous knowledge of your personal computer system. Therefore please give as much detail as required on your technical issue you are having difficulty with. Including any, or all computer hardware specifications. In any case, if support members require more information they will reply to your New Topic asking for this.


I'm ready to create my New Topic

Please click on "Forums" ^^ above in blue
Then select the appropriate (sub) Forum that best suits your issue you are having
Then click on the large button:
Create a concise and accurate Title to your New Topic, in the Title area, and then type in your issue.
Note: A clear Title will help support when first seeing the your new Topic, in the Currently Active Topics section
Adhere to all Posting Guidelines and create your New Topic.
When finished, you can either click on "Preview Post" to help make any corrections; or "Submit New Topic" to submit your New Topic straight away.
Note: A submitted New Topic can be altered by using the "Edit" button, on the lower right of all your posts, the Title, although, can not be changed


What are all these buttons and symbols on top of my New Topic window?

Some of these buttons you may already be familiar with, such as:
B=Bold
I=Italic
U=Underline
=Color

Note: Main body of text must normally be black. Color and Bold is strongly discouraged, and only permitted when absolutely necessary.

There are other buttons that can help though:

for creating links
for attaching files (up to 200kb in size)
for placing pictures in your post
for use in quoting text


OK I created my New Topic, now what happens?

When a support person replies to your New Topic, you will receive an instant email notification
Open the "Reply to topic" email, and click on the link inside that message
This will automatically take you to TechSpot and open the reply for you to read
In most cases a Reply from you saying "Thank-You" would be highly appreciated


Thanks for reading my New Topic
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Many thanks Kimsland,

That information is great. I have already read the rules of conduct for posting a thread, and I will certainly read all the other relevant articles.

Regards, Poppa Bear

Very nice Kimsland, that contribution was unbelievably helpful. I am willing to bet you there are hundreds of people who needed this information.

I appreciate all the info. I'm sure I will be visiting on a regular basis.

Great kimsland! Now if we could just get the people tor read it 'before' they drop a question without any information!

Of all the good points you listed, I think this is one to be emphasized:
* Be descriptive with your subject.

I got after someone a few days ago because the subject was 'I need help!' I said that everyone here needs help and tried to explain-in a few words as possible-that we are all not experts in all subjects and look at the topic to determines whether to stop or not. Well, I do anyway.

You might want to include 'in this thread', not referring to other thread, #2 for emphasize: that they must tell us what the problem is, what they were doing when they got error message and discourage from just dropping logs for us to check!

I like using the HTML tags because we can group in quotes and emphasize in bold or underline. I do not have this ability some other places and it's very had to make a point! But even with your explanation, I think you have to be somewhat familiar with the process. And of course, "the" most important is 'closing' the tag! How many of us have gone on to print everything below us in BOLD or RED, for instance, because we didn't close the tags!

Thanks for getting this together. Hope "they will come"!

thanks kimsland we really appreciated. more powers

Ready to thread- thanks for the heads up, good info, straight to the point.

excellent starting info for newbies like me, many thanks

Ok Sir Got it

Not sure if i'm doing this right, but I need to post.

Have a eMachine W3107 and have a start up problem. Once the tower in plugged in, the fans automaticly start to run. Upon pushing the power up button, the lights flash but wont stay on. Not sure if this is a button problen or is the mother board fried?

elisantana941 I think you are talking about Power On Self Test (POST)
Although this thread, is to help in posting (or creating) a New Thread
And therefore there has been some confusion with terminology.

If you have a Power On Self Test issue, please click this link ==> Tutorial: No POST (Power On Self Test)

If you still have issues you will need to create your own ==> New Thread

I hope this helps you

Thanks forthe help...

kimsland thanks for the information.

thanks for the help!

The thread has just gone Hot ->
With over 1500 individual member views

And I am one of them.

Thank you Kimsland for the link.

I am a new member and this sure does help! -- girgit

Thanks for taking the time to put this thread together. I have posted in the past but I think it will seem as though I'm not a newbie anymore after reading all this info again. I read it before but it all didn't make since but now I done a few posts, now it makes lots of since. Like playing football once in awhile you have to go back to the drawing board, and basics.

Again Thanks Frank

Thanks Frank,

Oh and your reply to that 2006 thread you made, has been removed
Best to create a New Thread, you can read howto just above

Also note, that if you require to submit any logs, do not paste them in your post
Rather, use the Attachment button -> and Attach your logs to any New Thread you make