Topic 4

Troubleshooting Process

1.Identify the Problem

2.Establish a theory of probable cause

3.Test the Theory to Determine Cause

4.Establish a Plan of Action to Resolve the Problem and Implement the Solution

5.Verify Full System Functionality and, if Applicable, Implement Preventive Measures

6.Document Findings, Actions, and Outcomes

Data Protection

follow the necessary precautions

Date of the last backup

Contents of the backup

Data integrity of the backup

Availability of all backup media for data restore

Troubleshooting Process Steps

Step 1: Identify The Problem

Question the user

Identify any changes made to the computer

Review log files

Inquire as to any environmental or infrastructural change

Review documentation

Step 2: Establish a theory of probable cause

Create a list of the most common reasons why the error would occur

Start with the easiest or most obvious causes at the top

3.Test the Theory to Determine Cause

Determine the exact cause by testing the theories of probable cause one at a time, starting with the quickest and easiest

If the exact cause of the problem has not been determined after all theories have been tested, establish a new theory of probable causes and test it

Step 4 – Establish a Plan of Action to Resolve the Problem and Implement the solution

After the exact cause of the problem is determined, establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and implement the solution

Sometimes quick procedures can determine the exact cause of the problem or even correct the problem

Step 5 – Verify Full System Functionality and, If Applicable, Implement Preventive Measures

Verify full system functionality and implement any preventive measures if needed.

Ensure that you have not created another problem while repairing the computer.

Step 6 – Document Findings, Actions, and Outcomes

Discuss the solution with the customer

Have the customer confirm that the problem has been solved

Document the process

Problem description

Steps to resolve the problem

Components used in the repair

Troubleshooting Motherboards

First and probably the most common of these rarities are UEFI/BIOS firmware issues

Need to flash the motherboard’s BIOS to the latest version

For example, a new CPU or RAM might not be recognized at the correct clock speeds.

Updating the BIOS can fix many of these issue

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) and other electrical issues

These might present themselves intermittently

For example, the computer reboots out of nowhere or you receive random stop errors, also known as Blue Screens of Death (BSODs).

Swap out the motherboard with a known good one to see if the issue happens again when running through the same processes

Component failures

It is possible that a single component of the motherboard (for example, the SATA controller) can fail, but the rest of the motherboard works fine

To fix a problem such as a SATA controller failure, a separate PCIe SATA controller card can be purchased.

Then can connect the hard drives to the new controller and disable the original integrated SATA controller in the BIOS.

Manufacturing defects and failed motherboard components.

Printed circuit boards (PCBs), such as motherboards, are mass-produced at high speeds. Problems might be found immediately when receiving a motherboard.

Motherboard component failure can also manifest itself over time, such as in the form of distended capacitors.
This is when a capacitor becomes swollen and possibly leaks electrolytic material; this bulging can cause the system to unexpectedly restart or shut down, cause a BSOD, or cause other errors

The affected capacitor(s) should be replaced right away.

Troubleshooting the CPU

Always check the power first, just in case—the main power connections and the 8 or 4-pin CPU power connection.

Fan is connected and functional

Check other major components

Heat sink is connected properly

CPU is installed properly

Troubleshooting RAM

Check the RAM compatibility against the motherboard

Here are some possible symptoms of a RAM issue and corresponding troubleshooting techniques

Computer will not boot/intermittently shuts down

BIOS indicates a memory error

. Stop error, aka BSOD or Blue Screen of Death

Troubleshooting Power Supply Issues

Fan failure

Fuse failure

Quick death

Slow death.

Always make sure that the power supply cable connects from the power supply itself to a properly wired AC outlet properly before troubleshooting further.

Troubleshooting Hard Drives

BIOS does not “see” the drive

First, make sure the power cable is firmly connected and oriented properly

Next, make sure SATA data cables are fully seated in the ports, and weren’t accidentally installed upside down; if you find one that was, consider replacing it because it might be damaged due to incorrect installation

Windows does not “see” a second drive

Slow reaction time

If the system runs slow, it can be because the drive has become fragmented or has been infected with a virus or spyware

Missing files at startup

If you get a message such as BOOTMGR Is Missing, the file needs to be written back to the hard drive.

In severe cases, this can mean that the drive is physically damaged and needs to be replaced

If this happens, the drive needs to be removed from the computer and slaved off to another drive on another system.

Then the data must be copied from the damaged drive to a known good drive (which might require a third-party program), and a new drive must be installed to the affected computer

Other missing/corrupted files

Missing or corrupted files could be the result of hard drive failure, operating system failure, malware infection, user error, and so on.

If this happens more than once, be sure to back up the rest of the data on the drive, and then use the preventative methods

Noisy drive/lockups

If your SATA magnetic disk drive starts getting noisy, it’s a sure sign of impending drive failure.

Troubleshooting RAID Arrays

They might stop working or the OS could have trouble finding them

If you see an issue like this, check whether the hard drives are securely connected to the controller and that the controller (if an adapter card) is securely connected to the motherboard

Video Troubleshooting

Connections

If nothing is showing up on the display, first make sure that the monitor is plugged into the video card properly

Check which video port the monitor is configured to use by accessing the on-screen display (OSD) with the appropriate button on the monitor

If necessary, try removing the video card and reseating it carefully

Power cycle the computer, display, and any power protection equipment

Power cycling the equipment can fix all kinds of problems and is an easy solution to implement.

You might also need to leave a display off for a couple of hours to fix a video memory problem

Problems such as video memory (image retention) and stuck pixels might be easily repaired by a power cycle

Check for an onboard video setting in the UEFI/BIOS

If you install a new video card to a computer that previously used onboard video, always check that the onboard video setting is disabled in the UEFI or BIOS.

Resolution and refresh settings

If the resolution was set too high or was set to a resolution not supported by the monitor, you might get a distorted image or no image at all.

Check the driver

Maybe the driver failed, or perhaps the wrong driver was installed during installation, or maybe an update is necessary.

Check the version of DirectX

DirectX is a Windows technology that includes video, animation, and sound components.

It helps a computer get more performance out of multimedia, games, and movies. .

Check the temperature threshold of the video card

High-end video cards are intensely used by gamers and designers, and they can be the hottest component in a computer.

If the temperature surpasses the safeguards in place, it might cause the card to throttle back the GPU speed

Check inside the computer

Check whether the card is seated properly. In areas in which the temperature and humidity change quickly, the card could be unseated due to thermal expansion and contraction

If the computer was moved recently, it could cause the card to come out of the slot slightly.

Verify that the power connections and other cables are not loose.