| In this chapter -
Troubleshooting Methods Overview -
Determining Whether a Problem Is Caused by Hardware or Software -
Where to Go for More Information -
Useful Hardware and Software Tools -
Troubleshooting Computer Hardware -
Network and Internet Troubleshooting -
Additional Windows Troubleshooting Tips and Tools. Two factors make for successful troubleshooting : extensive computer knowledge and an understanding of human psychology. You must understand how hardware and software work to troubleshoot them. That's what the preceding chapters of this book were all about. You also must treat customers with respect. By combining these two factors, you can quickly detect and solve computer problems. Because computer failures happen to the customer (who usually is less technically aware than you of the possible causes for the problem), you must work with the customer to create as complete a list of symptoms as possible so you can find the right solution quickly and accurately. To do this, you need to -
Carefully observe the customer's environment to look for potential causes of computer problems, such as interference sources, power problems, and user error. -
Ask the customer what (if anything) has changed recently about the computer or its environment. Anything from new hardware or software being installed, new telephone or network being installed, or even a new coffee maker or air-conditioning unit could be at the root of the problem. As Jerry Pournelle of Byte magazine puts it, "What changed since the last time it (the PC) worked?" -
Determine what tasks the customer was performing on the PC. You can determine this not only by asking the customer questions, but by reviewing system log files, browser history, and so on (if any; Windows NT/2000/XP generate lots of log files, whereas Windows 9x/Me usually do not create log files). -
Ask the customer detailed questions about the symptoms, including unusual system behavior, such as noises or beeps, office events taking place around the same time, onscreen error messages, and so on. tip  | If your customer is using Windows NT 4.0/2000/XP, these versions of Windows generate several log files during routine use that can be useful for determining what went wrong. Many of these can be viewed through the Event Viewer. To view the contents of the Event Viewer in Windows NT 4.0, click Start, Programs, Administrative Tools, Event Viewer. In Windows 2000/XP, right-click My Computer, click Manage, and click Event Viewer. The Event Viewer captures three types of information: application errors, security audits , and system errors. See Chapter 18, "Using and Optimizing Windows," for a typical example. However, Windows 9x/Me do not create log files except during initial installation or if you use the Logged (bootlog) option at startup. |
Because some types of computer problems aren't easy to replicate away from the customer site, your customer might see system problems you never will, even if you attempt to reproduce the problem. |
