1.6 Hardware Troubleshooting

Question 1

What are the steps to take if an error occurs?

Answer 1

• identify the problem
• create a theory to the cause of the problem
• test the theory
• create a troubleshooting plan
• verify the problem
• create a documenting file explaining if and how the problem was fixed for future reference

Question 2

What are some things you need to document?

Answer 2

• the fault itself
• the exact date and time of problem occurring
• symptoms of the problem (eg. Beeping)
• problem history, has this ever happened on this system?

Question 3

What is the POST

Answer 3

Power On Self Test:

• checks that memory, hardware and cooling systems are working properly
• beep codes are used as signals to detect an error
• multiple beeps mean an error is discovered but just one means no error

Question 4

What is event viewer?

Answer 4

A type of utility software that lists detailed information about an error when one occurs. It can be used to work out how to fix the issue and identify minor and major faults.

Question 5

What is a ping test?

Answer 5

A ping test is a connectivity test between two computers. A message is sent from one computer to another and waits for a message back called an echo reply.