A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PCFifth Edition

Chapter 24

Troubleshooting and Maintenance Fundamentals

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You Will Learn…

About your role as a PC technician in troubleshooting and maintenance, and tools available to help you in those roles

How to approach a troubleshooting problem

How to develop a preventive maintenance plan and what to include in it

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Troubleshooting Perspectives

PC support technician

PC service technician

Bench technician

Help-desk technician

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Essential Troubleshooting Tools

Bootable rescue disks

Ground bracelet and/ground mat

Screwdrivers (flat-head, Phillips-head or cross-head, Torx set, particularly size T15)

Tweezers, preferably insulated

Chip extractor and extractor

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Useful Troubleshooting Tools

Multimeter

Needle-nose pliers

Flashlight

AC outlet ground tester

Small cups or bags

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Useful Troubleshooting Tools (continued) Antistatic bags

Pen and paper

Diagnostic cards and software

Utility software, virus detection, and diagnostic software on disks

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Bootable Rescue Disk

Enables booting of PC even when hard drive fails

Ensures cleanest boot possible

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POST Diagnostic Cards

Monitor boot process and report errors and conflicts at POST, usually as coded numbers on an LED panel on the card

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Examples of POST Diagnostic Cards

Amber Debug Card by Phoenix Technologies

PCI Error Testing/Debug Card by Trigen Industries

POSTcard V3 by Unicore Software, Inc.

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Diagnostic Software

Identifies hardware problems

Most effective diagnostic software does not run from the Windows OS

Windows might mask a hardware problem

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Examples of Diagnostic Software PC-Technician by Windsor Technologies, Inc.

PC-Diagnosys by Windsor Technologies, Inc.

Data Lifeguard Tools by Western Digital

Programs that test memory Memtest 86 by Chris Brady

Windows Memory Diagnostic by Microsoft

DocMemory by CST Inc.

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General-Purpose Utility Software

Diagnoses problems

Repairs and maintains software on a PC

Recovers corrupted or deleted data on hard drive or floppy disks

Provides security

Monitors system performance

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General-Purpose Utility Software (continued)

Downloads software updates from Internet

Might use installed OS or provide its own

Do not run it continuously in the background

Slows down system

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Examples of General-Purpose Utility Software

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Examples of General-Purpose Utility Software (continued)

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Fundamental Rules of Troubleshooting Make backups before making changes

Approach problem systematically

Isolate problem Remove memory-resident programs

Boot from disk to eliminate the OS and startup files on the hard drive

Remove unnecessary hardware devices

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Fundamental Rules of Troubleshooting (continued) Don’t overlook the obvious

Check simple things first

Make no assumptions

Become a researcher

Write things down

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Fundamental Rules of Troubleshooting (continued)

Reboot and start over

Establish priorities

Keep your cool and don’t rush

Don’t assume the worst

Know your starting point

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Gathering Information

Interact with user

Investigate problem on computer

Isolate the problem

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Interacting with the User

Use good manners and diplomacy Don’t take drastic action before asking about

important data that may not be backed up Provide alternatives before making decisions

for users Protect confidentiality of data Don’t disparage user’s choice of hardware or

software

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Investigating the Problem What OS is installed?

What physical components are installed – processor, expansion cards, drives, peripheral devices? PC connected to network?

What is the nature of the problem – before or after boot, error message, etc?

Can you duplicate the problem? Intermittent or consistent problem?

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Isolating the Problem

Consider the possibilities

Eliminate simple things first

Eliminate the unnecessary

Trade good for suspected bad

Trade suspected bad for good

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Intermittent Problems

Hardest to solve

Look for patterns or clues

Ask user to keep a log of when problems occur and exactly what error messages appear

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Goals of Preventive Maintenance

Reduce likelihood that events that cause PC failures will occur

Preventive maintenance plan

Lessen the damage if they do occur

Disaster recovery plan

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When a PC Is Your Permanent Responsibility Organize hard drive boot directory Create rescue disks Document setup changes, problems, and

solutions Record setup data Take practical precautions to protect software

and data (eg, back up original software and back up data on the hard drive)

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Preventive Maintenance Plan Guidelines

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Preventive Maintenance Plan Guidelines (continued)

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Preventive Maintenance Plan Guidelines (continued)

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Preventive Maintenance Plan Guidelines (continued)

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Preventive Maintenance Plan Guidelines (continued)

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Guidelines for Moving Equipment Back up hard drive

Remove removable disks, tape cartridges, or CDs from drives

Turn off power to PC and devices

Disconnect power cords and external devices

Label cable connections

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Guidelines for Moving Equipment (continued)

Coil all cords and secure them

Pack in original shipping cartons

Purchase insurance

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Disposing of Used Equipment

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Disposing of Used Equipment (continued)

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Fire Extinguishers

Mount a fire extinguisher for Class C fires (ignited and heated by electricity) near – but not directly over – the workbench

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Summary

Common-sense guidelines to solving computer problems

Avoid making situation worse by damaging equipment, software, or data, or by placing undue stress on users

Follow safety precautions