A PC’s hard disk quickly gets filled with stuff and this can complicate finding out specific technical information should the need arise.

Typically this is usually when help is required; often the only way someone on the other end of a technical-support telephone line can get to the bottom of a particular problem is by finding out the sort of low-level system and application information that most computer users simply don’t know how to find.

A free program called System Information for Windows can really help in situations like this. It will automatically interrogate all aspects of a PC’s hardware and software setup and produce a report. Here’s how to download and use it.

Here's how to generate hardware reports for technical support