Chapter 24
Troubleshooting and Maintenance Fundamentals
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
Troubleshooting Perspectives
PC support technician PC service technician Bench technician Help-desk technician
Essential Troubleshooting Tools
Bootable rescue disk for any OS you might work on (may need several)
Ground bracelet and/or ground mat Screwdrivers (flat-head, Phillips-head or cross-
head, Torx set, particularly size T15) Tweezers, preferable insulated Chip extractor and a spring-loaded extractor
Useful Troubleshooting Tools
Multimeter Needle-nose pliers Flashlight AC outlet ground
tester Small cups or bags Antistatic bags
Pen and paper Diagnostic cards and
software Utility software Virus detection
software on disks
Bootable Rescue Disk
Can boot the PC even when the hard drive fails Ensures cleanest boot possible
Diagnostic Cards and Software
POST diagnostic cards Diagnostic software General-purpose utility software
POST Diagnostic Cards
Discover and report computer errors and conflicts at POST
Examples:• Amber Debug Card (Phoenix Technologies)
• PCI Error Testing/Debug Card (Trigen Industries)
• POSTcard V3 (Unicore Software, Inc.)
• Post Code Master (MSD, Inc.)
• POSTmortem Diagnostics Card (System Optimization, Inc.)
Diagnostic Software
Identifies hardware problems Examples:
• PC-Technician (Windsor Technologies, Inc.)
• PC-Diagnosys (Windsor Technologies, Inc.)
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 Downloads software updates from Internet
General-Purpose Utility Software
Fundamental Rules for Troubleshooting
Make backups before making changes Approach the problem systematically Isolate the problem; eliminate unnecessary
hardware and software Don’t overlook the obvious Check simple things first Make no assumptions
continued…
Fundamental Rules for Troubleshooting
Become a researcher Write things down Reboot and start over Establish priorities Keep your cool and don’t rush Don’t assume the worst Know your starting point
Gathering Information
Interacting with the user Investigating the problem on the computer Isolating the problem Intermittent problems
Interacting with the User
Ask questions with diplomacy Find out exactly what happened when the
computer stopped working Consider yourself a guest when working at the
user’s desk
Guidelines for Workingwith a User
Don’t take drastic action before asking the user about data that may not be backed up
Provide alternatives before making decisions for the user
Protect confidentiality of data on the PC Don’t disparage user’s choice of hardware or software If you make a mistake or must pass the problem on to
someone with more expertise, be honest
Investigating the Problemon the Computer
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 – occur before or after boot? Any error messages? Does the system hang?
Can you duplicate the problem?
Isolating the Problem
Consider the possibilities Eliminate simple things first Eliminate the unnecessary Trade good for suspected bad Trade suspected bad for good
Intermittent Problems
More challenging Look for patterns or clues Keep a log of when problems occur and
exactly what error messages appear
Preventive Maintenance
Goals• Reduce likelihood that events that cause PC failures will
occur• Lessen the damage if they do occur
Make and implement a preventive maintenance plan to help prevent failures and reduce repair costs and downtime
Develop a disaster recovery plan to manage failures when they occur
When a PC Is Your Permanent Responsibility
Organize hard drive boot directory Create rescue disks Document all setup changes, problems, and solutions Record setup data Take practical precautions to protect software and
data• Back up original software
• Back up data on the hard drive
A Preventive Maintenance Plan
continued…
A Preventive Maintenance Plan
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 Coil all cords and secure them Pack in original shipping cartons Purchase insurance
Disposing of Used Equipment
Disposing of Used Equipment
Fire Extinguishers
Mount a fire extinguisher for Class C fires (ignited and heated by electricity) near your workbench, but not directly over it
Know how to use the fire extinguisher
Chapter 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
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