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Troubleshooting your Computer System-I
Do you ever wonder how some people are successful at troubleshooting various computer problems, while others seem to be unable to find a direction to even look? Successfully resolving a computer problem is not a special gift; it does not require a unique talent, it does not take years of experience. While experience helps, everybody can resolve PC issues as long as one keeps a few simple, but important things in mind. 1. Try to understand the problem Before you do anything; analyze the situation, try to understand what is happening, make a list of the symptoms of the problem, isolate the area where the problem is most likely located, and make a list of things to check. For example, if you have a problem with your computer not booting, no lights at all, think about what this means before you do anything, and analyze the situation. A logical conclusion would be that there is no power. Now think about what is necessary to get that power to your PC: An outlet, maybe a power strip, a power cable, a power supply, a power switch, etc. Now that you have analyzed the situation and have isolated the area where the problem might lie, you can now start troubleshooting. 2. Take one step at a time Any successful troubleshooting of a computer problem starts with a very basic premise. Approach the problem logically and methodically. Take one step at a time and progress logically from one step to the next. To demonstrate this with our example, you start at the beginning with the outlet in the wall. Make sure you have electricity at the outlet that the computer plugs into. You could do this by plugging in another device that you know is working, e.g. a lamp. Then check the cords, and any thing that is between that outlet and the computer (UPS, Surge Protector, etc.). The important thing is that you proceed one step at a time, and if you change anything, change just ONE thing and try the computer again. Narrow it down logically and be sure to keep track of your steps, preferably by making notes on some scratch paper so that you can retrace your steps and keep track of what you've tried so far. 3. Isolate and Replace The idea here is to eliminate possibilities while you seek a way to solve your problem. Often, the most effective way to eliminate a possibility is to substitute a known working device in place of the suspect device. As an example, if your monitor stays black, is it the monitor or the graphics card? Hooking up a monitor that works from another computer and seeing what happens will let you eliminate your monitor as the source of the problem or identify it as the source of the problem. 4. Think outside the box Don't get locked into a narrow-minded approach or solution that you are sure is "IT". All too often, it isn't and when you have locked yourself into that solution, you make it much more difficult to correctly identify the problem. To stick with the example of the monitor not working, don't assume it must be the monitor and just focus on the monitor. The monitor could be working just fine, but it does not receive a signal from the video card because the video card was not seated correctly and slipped out of its slot. Or to use our earlier example with the computer not booting, don't limit your troubleshooting to the computer. Maybe the problem was that the outlet it is plugged into, is controlled by a switch that accidentally got flipped to the Off position. Be sure to look at the whole picture. 5. Don't be intimidated! Think about what a computer really does. Never forget that all a computer really does is manipulate 1s and 0s. It uses a number of mechanical devices and software to let it do this and to communicate that information with you. When you have a problem with the computer, the problem has to do with its ability to manipulate that information. What are the key processes that need to be considered? Electricity - A computer requires a clean, uninterrupted source of electricity to operate. Not having that will cause problems sooner or later. Processor - This is where the code is actually manipulated and it must work properly for the computer to work properly. Fortunately, the processor chip is one of the most reliable parts of the computer when run at its recommended settings. Memory - SDRAM, RDRAM, or whatever memory you have must work well or there will be errors. This is where the computer stores the data it is manipulating. Storage - You have to keep the information somewhere. That is usually the hard drive. If the harried is having problems, then you can expect to have problems. Along with all those things are the motherboard and the various peripherals that link it all together and allow us to see and hear the data or share the data with other computers. Remember that each of these devices have specific functions, but the four mentioned above effect everything we do with the computer. If the problem is a system-wide one, then we should take a hard look at these four devices. 6. May it's the Software Problems So far, I have focused on hardware problems, but we should note that software can also cause problems. Poorly written code, corrupted files, buggy drivers, and other software issues can cause problems that can be difficult to solve. The same principles apply though. Understand the problem, record the symptoms, isolate the problem area, and eliminate each possible cause via a methodical step-by-step approach until the problem is solved. For example: If your fax software is causing problems, start by uninstalling and reinstalling the software to eliminate the chance of corrupt files. If that doesn't work, uninstall and try different software. If the problem persists, you have eliminated the application as the cause for the problem and can proceed to the next step. It may be a problem with the OS, and the particular part of it that the fax software hooks into. This may require a new install to correct, or you may be able to use a repair tool (like Windows' System File Checker [SFC]) to identify and fix the problem. If the problem still persists, it may be time to look at the modem and see if it's a hardware problem. 7. Backseat Driver A very common problem area that crosses the border between software and hardware are drivers. Keep in mind that most hardware components in your computer need drivers to function properly. Unfortunately, no driver is perfect. If your problem involves weird behaviour of a certain hardware component such as printer, video card, sound card, etc., then the first step should be a visit to the manufacturer's web site When you troubleshoot a problem, keep in mind that you might not be the only one that ran into that issue. Most manufacturers keep some sort of FAQ or knowledge base on their web site with a list of solutions to common problems and/or offer patches that might fix your problem. It is always a good idea to consult the manufacturer's support pages to cover all your bases.
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