Knowing computer troubleshooting is critical if you are, or plan on being, more than just a casual surfer. 
There are certain practices and common issues that I would like to cover on this topic. We can by no means dig into everything that revolves around the subject, but we can discuss some of the more 'everyday' computer issues that you are most likely to encounter and need to navigate through. There are three areas of computers issues that you need to be aware of and know how to use. Most types of problems you will have will either be hardware, software, or a network issue.
I'll discuss some basic procedures to perform based on which type of issue your particular problem is related. There are also a couple of built-in Windows tools that you should be familiar with and comfortable in using. Let's face it, the more you know the better your will be prepared when something goes wrong - and things will go wrong when it comes to computers. They are great, but fragile and need some TLC every once in awhile. If you can provide that yourself, you'll save time and money in the long run!
Computers and attached hardware can and will break from time to time. The more you know about how to trouble shoot certain problems, the better off you are on minimizing the potential negative impact of the downtime which comes with ill-working equipment. We are just going to cover some of the more typical troubleshooting steps. If there is a seious problem with your computer or a peripherial, check your warranty and call the professionals
You won't be a Microsoft engineer when you're done here, but you will learn a few important, common practices that will pay off for you on more than one occassion and in all probability, save you a lot of potential downtime.