Remote control

As a PCW reader, you’ll probably find that eventually every family member, friend and associate will at some time ask for your help, whether it’s how to do a particularly tricky task in a program, or more basic needs.

Alternatively, if you’re just getting started on expanding your PC knowledge you could be the one who needs assistance from a more experienced friend or colleague.

Either way, while plenty of advice can be imparted over the phone or via text messages, if you’re not physically at the same location it can be tricky for both parties to communicate precisely what is happening on screen and what needs to be done.

This is where remote assistance can help – and it’s a feature built in to Windows XP and Vista (although third-party programs are also available to do this ­ – see Alternatives to Remote Assistance on the last page of this feature).

Using this technology, it’s possible to view the display of a remote PC, making it much easier to diagnose problems without relying on the other party to explain what is happening.

Taking things to the next level, remote assistance can also be used to take control of a remote computer, with the result that many problems can be fixed and tasks performed from a distance.

In this feature, we’ll explain the basics of how Windows Remote Assistance works, giving those who haven’t used it for a while a handy refresher course, and a practical introduction for those who haven’t used it before.

How to help or be helped
There are a number of ways to start a remote help session, but it’s always the person needing help who starts the process. Probably the easiest way to get started is to make use of an instant messaging program, so we will concentrate on this method before looking at the alternatives.

In Windows XP, launch Windows Messenger and then select ‘Ask for Remote Assistance’ from the Tools menu. From the list of online contacts that is displayed, select the one you want to use and click OK.

Alternatively, in the main list of contacts, right-click one of them and select ‘Ask for Remote Assistance’ from the context menu that appears.