TroubleShooting Basics Save

TROUBLESHOOTING BASICS
1. Restart
• The first step when encountering any
computer problem is to stop what
you're doing and restart the process.
If a particular program is causing a
problem first try restarting the
application. Restarting the computer
is the next step.
2. Reinstall
• If a software application is
particularly troublesome,
uninstalling and reinstalling the
application and any related
application is a good choice for easy
resolution.
3. Reformat
• Reformatting may seem a severe
step, but if you haven't invested a lot
of time in a computer, reformatting
is a quick and dirty way to solve a lot
of problems.
4. Elimination
• A good way to resolve almost any
problem is to close or remove
anything that is not absolutely
necessary to the process. Remove
one option at a time to find what
may be causing the problem.
5. Testing
• Testing software or hardware on
another computer or taking known
working hardware from another
computer to try out on the
problematic computer can help
narrow down what may be broken.
TECHNIQUES & STRATEGIES
“5 common-sense techniques and strategies to

solve common computer hardware problems.”
(1) Trial-and-error
• Personal computers are highly modular by
design. The most powerful trouble-shooting
technique is to isolate the problem to a specific
component by trial-and-error. Swap compatible
components and see if the system still works. Try
different peripherals on different machines and
see if the same problem occurs. Make one
change at a time.
(2) "It's the cable"
• More than 70% of all computer problems are
related to cabling and connections. Ensure all
cables are connected firmly. IDE and floppy
ribbon cables and power cables can often go
loose. Ensure microprocessor, memory
modules, and adapters such as video card and
sound card are inserted correctly and didn't
"pop-up" during transportation.
(3) Don't be frustrated!
• Don't be afraid of computer problems. It is often the best
opportunity to learn. Trouble-shooting is part of the fun of
owning a computer. Imagine the satisfaction you could get by
solving a problem yourself.
Of course the fun could ran out quickly once you are
frustrated and have spent too much time on the same
problem. If you feel frustrated, it's time to leave it for a while
and go back with some new ideas or call someone who can
help. Rule of thumb: You shouldn't spend more than three
hours on the same problem at one time.
(4) Take notes!
• Take notes of what you have done and all the
error messages. You may need to use them
later. For instance, when you see an unusual
blue screen with an error message, copy the
entire message onto a piece of paper. In many
situations, that message may point to the
right direction in getting the problem solved
quickly.
(5) Take a look?
• It's OK to open a computer case and take a
look inside. There is only 5V and 12V DC
voltage supplied to the components outside
the power supply. Those who have never seen
the inside of a computer are often amazed by
how simple it looks. Of course, still always
power down and unplug the power cord first.
Fundamental Rules of
Troubleshooting
• Sometimes rebooting can resolve certain
computer problems
• Check simple things first
• Make backups before making changes
• Approach the problem systematically
• Make no assumptions
• Write things down
When troubleshooting problems with your
computer there are some guidelines that, when
followed, may save you time and effort in
finding and correcting the problem you are
having. It is best to troubleshoot problems
whose cause are unknown by starting with the
most basic components of your computer and
working toward the more complex
components.
The term hardware refers to the physical components of
the computer. When troubleshooting an error such as
failure to power on, keyboard or mouse failure, failure to
connect to the network, or printer failure, check all
physical connections to the computer and its peripherals.
If all of the connections are secure, boot the computer to
the windows desktop and right-click on the My Computer
icon. A drop-down menu should appear. Select the
Properties option at the bottom of the menu. You should
see the System Properties control panel appear. Select
the Hardware tab from the tabs across the top of the
window. Click on the button marked Device Manager.
This lists all of the hardware connected to your computer
and shows the status of the connected devices.
If any of the devices that appear in the list have a
red X, yellow ! or ? beside them, they are either
disabled or do not have the appropriate driver
installed for the device. Disabled devices (marked
with a red X) may be enabled by right-clicking on
the device and selecting the Properties option,
then selecting Use this device (enable) from the
drop-down menu at the bottom of the dialogue
box. Devices that do not have the appropriate
driver (marked with a yellow ! or ?) may require
the download and installation of the driver.

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TROUBLESHOOTING BASICS

“5 common-sense techniques and strategies to

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