What is the first question to ask a user when a computer will not boot after downloading a file from the Internet?

The best initial question to ask a user when a computer will not boot after downloading a file from the Internet is related to the possibility of malicious content affecting the system. Asking whether the user scanned the file for viruses before opening it addresses the potential risk of downloading harmful software that could disrupt the functioning of the computer.

When a user downloads files from the Internet, there is a chance that the file might contain malware which could compromise the system. If the user did not scan the file prior to opening it, this could very well be the cause of the boot failure. Therefore, this question helps identify whether the file handling may have introduced a serious problem.

Other inquiries, while relevant, are not as directly linked to the symptoms being reported. Restarting the computer or modifying system settings could be post-download actions, and checking for new hardware installations might not specifically pertain to issues arising from a downloaded file. Focusing on the security aspect first helps narrow down the troubleshooting process effectively.