Troubleshooting is
an art, it is not an exact science.
Some experts will say that to trouble shoot
a problem you have to have the education, training, and experience in the
profession. Ummmm, no I don't think so. You can recognize a problem with your car,
you air conditioning, the wife's washing machine, etc. You can tell if the
impeller in the washing machine isn't turning, if it isn't turning it isn't
agitating the clothes to clean them. So there is a problem between the motor and
the impeller. You call an expert in washing machine repair and they fix it.
Troubleshooting, you go through your day and do it all the time, troubleshooting is just problem resolving. The difference is that the problem resolving
is with mechanical items not humans.
Troubleshooting (TS) is like a tree, at the top is the problem, each branch
has a yes or a no. Yes will take you in one direction, a no will take you
in another.
So you need a few tools in that TS tool box.
Where to begin?
Before going off to find the bad part, think for a
minute, did you change anything on the computer? Software? Hardware?
If not then proceed. If you changed something try to put it back the way it was
then if the problem persists proceed.
Well first is common sense, then there is the logical sequence, then there is
the actual dang! I figured it out! So follow the sequence of TS down the tree.
If you have power and the computer powers up (the power led is glowing) but
there is a lack of activity (i.e.: nothing on the screen) or you get a blinking
cursor and nothing else then we move on to the No Start section.
No Start - Blank or Blue Screen
Or maybe you get the dreaded Blue Screen of Death (BSD) this is a diagnostic
screen that Microsoft uses to tell you the general area of the problem that
cause your computer to not start or crash.
BSD - Non System Disk Error
Or you see this "non system disk error" this could be a hard drive failure, a
corrupt hard drive, or a virus infecting the hard drive.
These are the main problems you will run into, there are others that are
caused by installing hardware or software. So with some common sense, a little
logic, and a step by step sequence of events you can fix that computer!
This site contains a lot of information. As
with any publication not all information is available due to space, time, or
subject constraints.
If you have a question that you did not find the answer
on this web site you a can
ask your question here and we will endeavor to get you the most up to date
answer possible!
