Troubleshooting a computer – Basics
Troubleshooting isn’t rocket science it is logic. The first question you ask is:
- What changed since the last time the computer was running stable?
- Did someone install a program or new hardware?
- If it was hardware are there drivers for it?
- If it had drivers are they compatible with the computer and / or Operating System
- If it was software is it compatible with the hardware?
- Is t compatible with the Operating System?
- Did the software need any special drivers?
- Are the drivers compatible with the hardware and Operating System?
If nothing changed then you will need to did deeper to resolve the problem [issue].
- Does the computer power up?
- No then check the power cord, plugged in? (actually had a guy waste two hours to find out that the power cord was not seated in the power supply socket).
- No power first check the AC socket, then suspect the power supply.
- If it will power up how far did the POST (Power On Self Test) get?
- If it doesn’t finish what was the error indicated on the screen if any?
- Did the computer speaker (not the stereo speakers) beep?
- If the computer beeped how many beeps? How many short? How many long? (If you get a beep code and the computer doesn’t start check the manufactures web site for the meaning of the beep code).
The computer starts but has a message on the screen. If it is a POST error ( the screen is black and the writing is white) check the manufactures web site for a meaning to the error code. If the screen is Blue and has ‘Stop Error 0×00000000 and a bunch of other numbers then this is a BSOD (Blue Screen Of Death) that Windows Operating System display when there is a failure. The failure could be either hardware or software. Go to the MS Tech Net web site and do a search for the first part of the error code starting with 0×00, don’t for get that you need all the code, normally the first zero then the lower case x and the following eight numbers.
This is only the tip of the proverbial ice berg for troubleshooting computer problems but if you use a little logic you can trace down a problem, most (not all) only take ten to fifteen minutes if they aren’t apparent such as a failed hard drive or video.