
It happens to all of us: we run into a bug in a program, a feature you want that isn't there, or something other software issue. Reader protiki offers some tips on finding a solution using Google.

When this happens, we often head straight to Google and search using a description of the problem. Sometimes, this works, but I've found that the times I spend scouring Google for hours are usually because I can't find a forum thread or blog post that quite fits the problem I'm having. Reader protiki offers another tactic:

When trying to solve a problem, search google for solutions rather than simply for a description of the problem, eg. by including "SOLVED" in the search terms.


Most threads in forums will add a [SOLVED] tag to the end of the thread title when they've been resolved, so this search will bring up more of those threads.

Unless you're searching for a specific error code or message, your description of the problem could vary greatly from someone else's, which can make it hard to find a forum thread that pertains to you. Including a term like SOLVED in your search may give you some new results that you didn't get before. Furthermore, you may find that searching for general fixes (e.g. fix pulseaudio problems instead of pulseaudio no sound ubuntu ) may offer a load of solutions you hadn't come upon yet. It's not always the perfect way to go, but it is another way to go when your first Google search isn't fruitful.

Got any of your own Google tips for troubleshooting these types of issues? Share them with us in the comments.