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Presentation 37 – General Troubleshooting Rules

Presentation 37 – General Troubleshooting Rules. Objectives. At the end of this presentation, you will be able to:. Explain why documentation is vital when troubleshooting a computer. Discuss what is meant by: “Doing the easy stuff first.”

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Presentation 37 – General Troubleshooting Rules

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  1. Presentation 37 – General Troubleshooting Rules

  2. Objectives At the end of this presentation, you will be able to:

  3. Explain why documentation is vital when troubleshooting a computer. • Discuss what is meant by: “Doing the easy stuff first.” • Outline the seven step plan for troubleshooting success. • Explain how the Windows Help and Support Center can be used when troubleshooting.

  4. Recognize how the disk drives, front panel LEDs and keyboard LEDs respond during a normal cold boot cycle. • Identify a variety of symptoms that can give clues to how the computer is operating. • Perform tests and record your observations. • Interpret your observations to isolate a problem.

  5. General Troubleshooting Rules • Don’t panic; I will win. • Write everything down. • Do the easy stuff first. • Reboot and try again. • Simplify your configuration and reboot.

  6. General Troubleshooting Rules (Continued) • Draw a picture. • Separate the parts into components and test components. • Never assume something is good. • Trust no one.

  7. Don’t panic; I will win. • Keep a positive attitude. • Know you are going to win. • Have an indomitable spirit.

  8. Write everything down. • Document • Document • Document!

  9. Do the easy stuff first. • Remember, time is money. • Think before you act. • Take the experienced, lazy approach.

  10. Reboot and try again. • Warm boot vs. cold boot

  11. Simplify your configuration and try again. • Disconnect from the network. • Temporarily remove background applications.

  12. Draw a picture. • Visualize the system. • Separate into components. • Test each component.

  13. Never assume something is good. • Don’t rule anything out without a reason. • Subject everything to your scrutiny.

  14. Trust no one. • The documentation is sometimes wrong. • The user may hold back important information.

  15. Steps to Troubleshooting Success. • Check for operator error. • Is everything plugged-in? • Check the software. • Ask: “What is different? What is new?” • Check and document symptoms. • Run the diagnostics. • Disassemble PC, reseat ICs, clean connectors, reassemble PC.

  16. Check for Operator Error. • Most problems are caused by operator error. • These can be “fixed” without opening the computer. • Be diplomatic when troubleshooting the problem.

  17. Is everything plugged in? • Look for simple problems first. • Is everything getting power? • Is everything turned on? • Are all cables connected properly? • Are all connections tight?

  18. Check the software. • Operator error • Conflicts with memory resident software • Software that doesn’t clean up after itself • Software that requires hardware that is not connected or activated • Buggy applications • Buggy driver programs

  19. What is different? • What is new? • New hardware? • New software? • Changes to setup? • Changes to configuration?

  20. Check and document symptoms. • Error messages • What works, what doesn’t? • Indicator lights • Strange sounds

  21. Run Diagnostics Programs. • Power-on self test (POST) • Windows Troubleshooting Aids

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  23. After you have completed the six previous steps, if you have not found the problem, then you may open the computer.

  24. Once the computer is open: • Clean all connectors. • Push all socketed ICs fully into their sockets. • Reassemble the computer.

  25. Specific Troubleshooting. • Replace suspect major components with known-good components. • Replace suspect FRUs with known-good FRUs. • Disconnect FRUs one at a time until the problem goes away. • Disconnect all FRUs, then reconnect one at a time until the problem reappears.

  26. Swapping Major Components. • Where do you get the known-good components? • Watch for configuration problems. • Don’t make a bad situation worse.

  27. Replace FRUs with known-good FRUs. • This assumes that known-good FRUs are available. • Configuration can be a problem. • Be alert to symptom changes.

  28. Minimize to find the problem. • Remove FRUs one at a time until the problem goes away. • Must be able to separate normal symptoms for trouble symptoms.

  29. Maximize to find the problem. • Start with all FRUs removed. Add them back one at a time until the problem appears. • You must be familiar with normal symptoms of FRUs removed.

  30. End

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