Lesson 2: Determining a Solution

After you have asked the proper questions and made note of the answers, you will need to formulate a plan of action for resolving the call. This lesson covers general troubleshooting procedures, how to document solutions, and places you can go for help.

After this lesson, you will be able to

• Explain general troubleshooting procedures.

• Describe places you can go for help in locating answers.

• Explain how to attempt solutions without making the problem worse.

Estimated lesson time: 40 minutes

Understanding General Troubleshooting Procedures

If you work for an ISP or telephone call center, your plan of action might involve only reading a set of directions from a script and escalating the call up a tier, but it is still a course of action. If you have already determined a solution and solved the problem, you need only to document your solution.

If you own your own business, though, or are otherwise on your own when fielding a service call, solving the problem might involve more groundwork. When physically assisting a user either in his or her home or at his or her desk, it isn’t quite so easy to turn the call over to someone else. If you own your own business, conferring with someone else can cost you time and money, as well as clients; if you have walked across the corporate campus to field a call, calling in someone else produces the same results. In either instance, when given more responsibility for servicing calls, you will need to have a plan of action for uncovering, documenting, and resolving the call without another technician. In this section, you will learn the steps involved in resolving a service call on your own, as opposed to calling in another technician or escalating the call. In general, a specific procedure should be followed, and a common technique is listed here.

To locate answers and to determine a solution after speaking with the end user, perform these general steps in order (each of which will be detailed in later sections):

1. Locate a solution by searching the computer’s help and support files. If you find a solution, attempt to solve the problem and document the solution. If the solution does not work, document that as well, and undo any changes made to the computer.

2. Locate a solution by searching the company’s help and support files. If you find a solution, attempt to solve the problem and document the solution. If the solution does not work, document that as well, and undo any changes made to the computer.

3. Search manufacturers’ websites. If you find a solution, attempt to solve the problem and document the solution. If the solution does not work, document that as well, and undo any changes made to the computer.

4. Search technical sites. If you find a solution, attempt to solve the problem and document the solution. If the solution does not work, document that as well, and undo any changes made to the computer.

5. Search newsgroups. If you find a solution, attempt to solve the problem and document the solution. If the solution does not work, document that as well, and undo any changes made to the computer.

6. If you do not find a solution, document the information and attempted solutions, and undo any changes made to the computer during the troubleshooting process.

7. Escalate the call.

8. When the problem is solved, document the solution.

The troubleshooting process covered in this section is further detailed in the flowchart shown in Figure 2-1.

Figure 2-1: Troubleshooting a problem is best done systematically.

Locating the Answers

There are several places to look for help in troubleshooting a computer problem, and if you have good research skills you will most likely be able to locate a solution without escalating the call. Because escalations require more manpower, more downtime, and more expense for both you and the end user, you should do all you can to resolve calls without having to call in someone else to help. As for finding a solution, chances are quite good that this isn’t the first time an end user has encountered this problem, and the answer will probably be easy to find either in company documents or on the Internet.

Note

The ability to research and find answers isn’t an innate ability; a good researcher simply has to know where to look for answers.

Online Help and Support

Online help and support should be the first place you look for information about common operating system problems. Windows Help and Support Center offers information ranging from performing basic tasks such as logging on and off to complex ones such as working remotely. It also offers tools to help you access advanced system information, check network diagnostics, and run software and hardware troubleshooting wizards. Figure 2-2 shows the default Help And Support Center for Microsoft Windows XP Professional. It’s easy to use; simply browse the categories or type in a few keywords.

Figure 2-2: The Windows XP Professional default Help And Support Center page offers an abundance of information.

Company Documentation

As time passes, more and more businesses customize the files in the Help and Support Center so that the files offer resources to end users that are specific to their department, job role, company, or domain. This localized help information is useful not only to the end user but also to desktop support technicians (DSTs) who don’t work for the company and are instead hired as vendors or contract employees. Computer manufacturers already personalize help files for home users and include help files directly related to the user’s specific computer configuration. The Microsoft Office System has online resources available directly from the application too, and these are updated often so that the information is always current.

Exam Tip

Always find out the manufacturer and model of a computer first. Some manufacturers change default Windows settings, include modified help files, and install custom diagnostics software. Often you can take advantage of these inclusions. At a minimum, you should be aware of their presence when proposing solutions.

Targeted help such as this allows users to locate answers to their own problems easily, and it allows you to access information quickly as well. Figure 2-3 shows an example of a customized Help And Support Center interface, created by Sony Corporation for the home user. Notice that there are additional Help topics, including VAIO User Guide, VAIO Multimedia, and VAIO Support Agent Help. These topics are specific to the machine, and they can be quite helpful in troubleshooting computer problems.

Figure 2-3: Help And Support Center pages can be customized.

Depending on your work environment, this type of customized documentation might be available. At the very least, almost every company will offer some access to a database that contains answers to commonly asked questions. If you cannot find the answer to your troubleshooting query using the default Windows Help and Support files, try these.

Manufacturers’ Websites

Many times a problem occurs because a piece of hardware has failed, a device driver is corrupt, new software is incompatible with Windows XP or other installed software, or a computer’s basic input/output system (BIOS) needs updating. You can research these problems and others through a manufacturer’s website. This is an especially appropriate tool when troubleshooting a home user’s computer or a computer that has recently been upgraded from one operating system to another. If you have yet to find the problem, and a troubleshooting wizard has listed hardware, software, or BIOS problems as the culprit, visit the manufacturer’s website for help and updates.

Tip

Home users are more likely to install new drivers, applications, and third-party utilities than office users mainly because companies place more limitations on office users. Office users are often not allowed to install devices and applications because of network policies. When troubleshooting a home user’s computer, make sure you know what has been installed recently; a new hardware device might be causing the problem. When troubleshooting for an office user, make sure that the user is (or you are) allowed to implement the proposed solutions.

The Microsoft Knowledge Base

The Microsoft Knowledge Base (available at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx) offers answers to known issues and can be of significant help when you are trying to solve seemingly irresolvable issues. Figure 2-4 shows the Microsoft Help And Support page where the Knowledge Base and other resources can be accessed. Notice that you can also access announcements, link to visitors’ top links, acquire downloads and updates, get product support, and locate other support centers (for Microsoft Outlook, Windows 2000, and so on).

Figure 2-4: The Microsoft Knowledge Base offers solutions to known issues.

The Knowledge Base contains support articles that are identified by an ID number, and you can search for information using that number or using keywords. These articles address known issues with the operating system, third-party software, and hardware, and they provide workarounds and solutions. The Knowledge Base also offers how-to articles, such as KB 291252, “How To: Publish Pictures to the Internet in Windows XP,” and KB 813938, “How to Set Up a Small Network with Windows Home Edition,” the first part of a series of articles on the subject.

Search the Knowledge Base after you have tried the foregoing options and when you need to know the following:

• Why a specific piece of hardware such as a camera, scanner, printer, or other device does not work as expected and the problem can be reproduced easily

• Why a specific third-party application will not install, will not start, will not work as expected, or produces error messages

• How to resolve operating system errors, including boot errors, problems during installation, access violation errors, and standby problems, and how to resolve other known issues

• How to create boot disks, view system requirements, configure file associations, or perform other common tasks

• How to resolve errors that occur when using operating system components such as accessing System Properties, using Whiteboard, or using System Restore

• What a Stop Error message means and how to resolve it

• How to resolve errors that occur after installing updates

  Note

  Search the Knowledge Base for the specific error message if a text message exists. This is an especially helpful resource when the error is caused by third-party software or hardware. Information about third-party tools is not available in the Windows XP help files.

TechNet

TechNet (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/default.mspx/) offers comprehensive help on applications, operating systems, and components such as Active Directory, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Windows XP Professional, and Office applications, including how to plan, deploy, maintain, and support them. You can also access information on security, get downloads, read how-to articles, read columns, and access troubleshooting and support pages. Because your job will revolve around troubleshooting and resolving end user requests, you will likely spend most of your time accessing the troubleshooting pages. A sample TechNet page is shown in Figure 2-5.

Figure 2-5: A sample Microsoft TechNet troubleshooting page.

Much of the information available from TechNet, including the Knowledge Base, is also available through the Microsoft Help And Support page, but TechNet is more geared toward IT professionals. You will find that the articles from TechNet are often more technical and sometimes more slanted toward large organizations and networks. Both TechNet and the Microsoft Help And Support page are useful sites, and you will develop a feel for which is the most useful in different situations.

Search the TechNet support pages after you have tried the Microsoft Help And Support page and when you need to do any of the following:

• Locate product documentation

• View the latest security bulletins

• Get information about service packs, Windows updates, and drivers

• Visit the “Bug Center”

• Get help with dynamic-link library (DLL) errors

• Subscribe to TechNet

• Locate highly technical information about technologies

  Note

  TechNet offers two types of annual subscriptions for a single user or a single server, TechNet Standard and TechNet Plus. Prices for subscriptions range from around $350 to $1,000 (U.S.). A one-year subscription delivers up-to-date technical information every month, including the complete Knowledge Base and the latest resource kits, service packs, drivers and patches, deployment guides, white papers, evaluation guides, and much more, all on a set of CDs or DVDs that can be accessed anywhere, anytime, even when you cannot get online. Installing service packs from a disc is much faster than downloading them, offering another reason for considering the subscription. Finally, TechNet Plus offers beta and evaluation software, allowing you to gain experience with software before it is released to the public.

Newsgroups

Newsgroups are a valuable resource for locating answers to problems that you are unable to resolve using any other method. Members of newsgroups are your peers in IT, computer enthusiasts, beginners, and advanced business or home users, and they have various abilities. Some are looking for answers, and some frequent the newsgroups to provide answers to issues they’ve resolved and to share their expertise. You can join a newsgroup that addresses the application or operating system you need help with, immediately post your question, and almost as quickly receive an answer. Sometimes answers even come from Microsoft experts, such as Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs). Microsoft chooses Microsoft MVPs based on their practical expertise in Microsoft technologies, and these MVPs are deemed experts in their fields.

You can access newsgroups in a number of ways, including the following:

• To access newsgroups via a newsreader (the best method because you can access all of the newsgroups and it’s easiest to stay current this way), configure your newsreader to access the msnews.microsoft.com news server.

• To access a full list of available newsgroups via the Web (good if you don’t have newsreader software), visit http://communities2.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.aspx/newsgroups/en-us/default.aspx .

• To access newsgroups via the Microsoft Help And Support page, the Windows XP Expert Zone, or the TechNet website, visit those sites and click the Newsgroups link. Some people favor this method because the newsgroups are more clearly identified and are a bit more accessible. However, the newsgroups presented on these sites are just a subset of what is available.

You will find newsgroups for a variety of applications, operating systems, components, and levels of end user. Table 2-1 lists some of the available newsgroup categories, although each category can have multiple newsgroups (such as different newsgroups on Windows XP for subjects such as hardware, customizing, and networking).

Table 2-1: Selecting the Right Newsgroup

For Help With	Join These Knowledge Base Newsgroups
Operating systems	microsoft.public.windowsxp microsoft.public.windowsme microsoft.public.windows.server
Internet Explorer	microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer
Office applications	microsoft.public.access microsoft.public.excel microsoft.public.frontpage microsoft.public.office microsoft.public.outlook microsoft.public.powerpoint microsoft.public.publisher microsoft.public.word
Connectivity and networking	microsoft.public.windowsxp.network_web microsoft.public.windows.networking microsoft.public.certification.networking
Security	microsoft.public.security microsoft.public.security.virus microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin
Handheld devices	microsoft.public.windows.tabletpc microsoft.public.pocketpc microsoft.public.windowsce

Working Through Possible Solutions

Working through a solution once you have found one requires a little more savvy than simply performing a few mouse clicks and keystrokes and walking away or hanging up the phone. You will have to perform some prerepair and postrepair tasks such as ordering the solutions (if there are more than one), backing up the user’s data, and attempting the solutions and documenting the results. If a solution doesn’t work, you will have to undo it, try another, and possibly escalate the problem as required by the company.

Attempting Solutions

Most of the time after researching the problem, you will find a single solution to it, and working through that solution will resolve the problem. Solutions you will uncover in a tier 1 position generally involve running a command at the Run line, reconfiguring an e-mail account, installing a patch, re-creating a network connection, reseating a card on the motherboard, or even simply rebooting the computer or removing a floppy disk from the A drive. However, no matter how simple the solution seems, you should always prepare for the worst. Before attempting any solution (besides removing a floppy disk or rebooting), perform as many of the following tasks as you can within your time frame, job scope, and corporate limitations:

• Locate and make a note of previous settings so that you can revert to those if your solution fails or causes additional problems.

• Order the solutions by listing solutions obtained from reputable sources first. (List Help and Support Center, Knowledge Base, TechNet, the manufacturer’s website, and so on first, and save solutions found through newsgroups or third-party sites for last.)

• Back up the end user’s data to a network resource, CD-R(W), or external hard disk.

• Create a system restore point.

• Perform any additional tasks required by your company.

• Completely document all attempted solutions and their results.

The higher you move up the tier ladder, the more of these you will need to perform or be able to perform. If you provide phone support and work from a script, you might not be able to do any of these, but if you own your own business and visit the user on site, or if you go to a user’s desk to solve the problem, you will likely have more leeway (and responsibility) and can do more.

Caution

Protect the end user’s data at all costs. If that means postponing an attempt at a risky or undocumented solution until another technician can back up the data or until you can bring in a CD-R(W) drive to back up a home user’s data, you must wait.

While working to repair the problem, if you attempt a solution and it doesn’t work, you must undo any changed settings, configurations, uninstalled programs, or other specific alterations to a computer before you attempt another solution. This is especially critical if you need to escalate the call; the next technician needs to see the computer in its previous state. In addition, fully test the solution that you think resolves the problem. For instance, verify that e-mail can be sent and received after you have changed e-mail account settings, or make sure the user can access a website after you have changed Internet Explorer’s privacy settings. Attempt solutions that are within your realm of responsibility, too; don’t do a repair installation if that’s not on your list of repair options.

Documenting the Problem and Attempted Solutions

Documenting the problem, attempted solutions, and solutions that work are a major part of a DST’s job. Although companies, call centers, ISPs, repair shops, and small business owners each have their own way of documenting, documentation tasks usually involve creating (or accessing) a file for a specific client, subscriber, end user, or company computer and updating that file each time there is a service call regarding it. The documentation might be handwritten on a documentation worksheet and then transferred to a computer file later (as in home or desktop tech support), or it might be immediately entered into a computer (as in a call center or in ISP tech support).

Depending on the job you hold and your position in the tier structure, you might be required only to fill in a few fields of a documentation worksheet. However, if you own your own company and keep your own records, you will want to keep much more. Listed next are a few items you should almost always document, no matter what type of job or position you hold:

• The date and time the service call was initiated

• The name, address, phone number, logon information, and any other pertinent data that identifies the end user

• The computer ID, the operating system version, connection type, and installed applications as appropriate

• The problem in definite terms, with as much detail as time allows

• The attempted solutions and the results

• The solution or escalation information

• How long it took to resolve the issue

• Whether the issue has yet to be resolved

Keeping customer and service call documentation (with even minimal information) is crucial to being a good DST, running a successful business, acquiring experience, or advancing in your field. Keeping a separate log of problems and solutions that you have dealt with can also become quite a reference tool; you can refer to your own personal documentation when the problem arises again with another client. In the next section, you will learn to create a personal knowledge base.

Creating a Personal Knowledge Base

There are several options for collecting and maintaining the data you will compile while performing your job as a desktop technician. Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access make good databases and organizational tools, and third-party software such as ACT! or Crystal Reports might also be appropriate, depending on how much data you want to keep. Keeping your own personal knowledge base of problems you have encountered and their solutions will make it easier for you to access the answers to those problems the next time they arise.

When creating a personal knowledge base of problems and their solutions, document the following:

• The problem in detail, using keywords so that a search for the problem or one similar to it will produce results

• The cause of the problem, using keywords so that a search for the problem or one similar to it will produce results

• The resource that offered a solution to the problem, including a Uniform Resource Locator (URL)

• The solution

• Problems that resulted from the solution (if any)

• How many times the problem has been encountered and solved

Practice: Determining a Solution

In the following practices, you will practice finding information to help solve specific real-world problems. Following each practice, you will find review questions. If you are unable to answer a question, review the lesson materials and try the question again. You can find answers to the questions in the “Questions and Answers” section at the end of this chapter.

Scenario 1: Finding Solutions in the Knowledge Base

You are a technical support agent for Litware, Inc. A client is having trouble sending e- mail with Microsoft Outlook 2000. You cannot find help on the issue by using the Help in Outlook, so you decide to see whether there are any solutions in the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

Note

Many of these steps are dependent on the Microsoft website. It is possible that the site will have changed since the writing of this scenario. However, the point of the exercise is to navigate to a particular Knowledge Base article, which is possible even if these steps do not match exactly.

Background

A client sends you the following e-mail using an Internet e-mail account:

I am unable to send messages from Microsoft Outlook 2000. My e-mails come back with the following message:

Your message did not reach some or all of the intended recipients.

Subject: Test

Sent: 6/27/2003 11:25 AM

The following recipient(s) could not be reached:

John Doe on 6/27/2003 11:25 AM

A syntax error was detected in the content of the message

The MTS-ID of the original message is: c=US;a= ;l=Server-020127192459Z-145206

MSEXCH:MSExchangeMTA:Site:Server

Exercise

1. On the Start menu, choose Internet Explorer.

2. In the Internet Explorer window, in the Address box, type http://www.microsoft.com and press Enter.

3. On the Microsoft home page, in the Resources section, select Support and then select Knowledge Base.

4. On the Search The Knowledge Base page, in the Select A Microsoft Product drop- down list, select Outlook 2000.

5. In the Search For box, type Your message did not reach some or all of the intended recipients.

6. In the Using drop-down list, select The Exact Phrase Entered. Click Go.

7. Click the Back button.

8. In the Search For box, type A syntax error was detected in the content of the message. Click Go.

9. On the Support And Troubleshooting page, under Search Results, select OL2000: You Receive A Non-Delivery Report When Outlook 2000 Improperly Formats MDBEF Encoding.

Questions

1. How many articles were found using these search criteria?

2. According to this article, what could be the solution to your client’s e-mail problem?

Scenario 2: Finding Solutions at Microsoft TechNet

Litware, Inc., would like to save on transportation costs by using Remote Assistance rather than always driving to remote client sites. Your boss asks you to see whether his favorite Microsoft column, Professor Windows, has an article about Remote Assistance.

Note

Many of these steps are dependent on the Microsoft websites. It is possible that the sites will have changed since the writing of this exercise. However, the point of the exercise is to navigate to a particular TechNet article, which is possible even if these steps do not match the required steps exactly.

Practice

1. Log on to Windows XP.

2. On the Start menu, choose Internet Explorer.

3. In the Internet Explorer window, in the Address box, type http: //www.microsoft.com/technet.

4. On the Microsoft TechNet page, under the Search For text box, click Advanced Search.

5. On the Search Microsoft.com page, under Microsoft.com Advanced Search, in the All Of These Words box, type Remote Assistance Professor Windows.

6. In the Choose A Microsoft.com Site drop-down list, select TechNet. Click Go.

7. On the Search Results From TechNet page, select Windows XP Remote Assistance: Professor Windows, October 2002.

Questions

1. According to the article, what are three ways to use Remote Assistance?

2. In Remote Desktop, how many users can be active at a given time? In Remote Assistance?

Lesson Review

The following questions are intended to reinforce key information presented in this lesson. If you are unable to answer a question, review the lesson materials and try the question again. You can find answers to the questions in the “Questions and Answers” section at the end of this chapter.

1. Decide where to look first for answers to the scenarios listed here. Match each question on the left to the appropriate choice on the right.

   1. After a recent upgrade to Windows XP Professional, a user’s scanner no longer functions as it should. You remember that it was listed as incompatible during the upgrade and believe it might be a driver issue. Where will you likely find the new driver?	a) Newsgroup
   2. A user cannot access a network application. The application was designed specifically for the company and is not a Microsoft product or any other common third-party application. Where will you likely find information about this application?	b) TechNet
   3. You have searched the Knowledge Base and TechNet for the solution to a problem but haven’t had any luck. Where should you look now?	c) Knowledge Base
   4. You need to search through the latest security bulletins to find out whether the problem you are having is related to a known security problem. Which online resource offers access to these bulletins?	d) Manufacturer website
   5. You need to find out why a home user’s camera doesn’t work with the Windows Picture and Fax Viewer. Specifically, the Rotate tool causes the computer to freeze up each time it is used. Where should you look first?	e. Company documentation
   6. You want to access the Hardware Troubleshooter to resolve a problem with a user’s sound card. Where can this troubleshooter be found?	f. Help and Support Center

2. Create three simple questions you could ask an end user who is having a problem accessing data on the network server, which would in turn provide answers to common connectivity problems. Explain what each solution might uncover. For instance, a yes answer to the question, “Has the computer been moved or bumped recently?” could indicate that a network card is loose inside the computer.

Lesson Summary

• To find a solution, search these resources in the following order: online Help and Support files, company documentation, manufacturers’ websites, technical sites, and newsgroups. Apply possible answers in the same order.

• Before attempting any solution, back up the user’s data, create a system restore point, and document previous settings and configurations if it is within your job role.

• Always document the service call fully, including the user’s name, the computer ID, the problem, the attempted solution, the result, and how long it took to resolve the call.