5.0 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting Flashcards
Change management.
* Change control
– A formal process for ___ change
– Avoid downtime, ____, and mistakes
– Corporate ___ and procedures
* Nothing changes without the process
– Plan for a c___
– Estimate the ___ associated with the change
– Have a recovery ___ if the change doesn’t work
– ___ before making the change
– Document all of this and get ___
– Make the change
– A formal process for managing change
– Avoid downtime, confusion, and mistakes
– Corporate policy and procedures
*
– Plan for a change
– Estimate the risk associated with the change
– Have a recovery plan if the change doesn’t work
– Test before making the change
– Document all of this and get approval
– Make the change
Identify the problem
* Information gathering
– Get as many ___ as possible
– D___ the issue, if possible
* Identify symptoms
– May be more than a single ___
* Question users
– Your best ___ of details
* Determine if anything has changed
– Who’s in the wiring closet?
* Approach multiple problems individually
– Break problems into ___ pieces
* Backup everything
– You’re going to make some ___
– You should always have a r___ plan
* What else has changed?
– The user may not be ___
– E___ changes
– I____ changes
* There may be some clues
– Check _S log files
– Applications may have ___ information
– Get as many details as possible
– Duplicate the issue, if possible
*
– May be more than a single symptom
*
– Your best source of details
*
– Who’s in the wiring closet?
*
– Break problems into smaller pieces
*
– You’re going to make some changes
– You should always have a rollback plan
*
– The user may not be aware
– Environmental changes
– Infrastructure changes
*
– Check OS log files
– Applications may have log information
Establish a theory
* Start with the obvious - Occam’s razor applies
* Consider everything - Even the not-so-obvious
* Make a list of all possible causes
– Start with the easy ___
– And the least ___ to test
* Research the symptoms
– Internal knowledge ___
– Google searches
– Start with the easy theories
– And the least difficult to test
*
– Internal knowledge base
– Google searches
Test the theory
* Confirm the theory
– Determine next ___ to resolve problem
* Theory didn’t work?
– Re-establish new theory or ___
– Call an ___
* The theory worked!
– Make a plan…
– Determine next steps to resolve problem
*
– Re-establish new theory or escalate
– Call an expert
*
– Make a plan…
Create a plan of action
* Build the plan
– Correct the issue with a ___ of impact
* Refer to vendor instructions
– Knowledge base, s____ articles
– Documentation and m___
* Identify potential effects
– Every plan can go ___
– Have a plan B
– And a plan C
– Correct the issue with a minimum of impact
*
– Knowledge base, support articles
– Documentation and manuals
*
– Every plan can go bad
– Have a plan B
– And a plan C
Implement the solution
* Fix the issue
– Implement during the ___ control window
* Escalate as necessary
– You may need help from a ___ party
– Implement during the change control window
*
– You may need help from a 3rd party
Verify full system functionality
* It’s not fixed until it’s really fixed
– The test should be part of your ___
– Have your customer ___ the fix
* Implement preventative measures
– Let’s avoid this issue in the future
– The test should be part of your plan
– Have your customer confirm the fix
*
– Let’s avoid this issue in the future
Document findings
* It’s not over until you build the knowledge base
– Don’t lose valuable ___!
* What action did you take?
– What ___ did it have?
* Consider a formal database
– Help desk case ___
– Searchable database
– Don’t lose valuable knowledge!
*
– What outcome did it have?
*
– Help desk case notes
– Searchable database
IT problem checklist
POST (Power On Self Test)
* Test major system components before booting
the operating system
– Main systems (CPU, CMOS, etc.)
– Video
– Memory
* Failures are usually noted with beeps and/or codes
– BIOS versions can ___ , check your documentation
* Don’t bother memorizing the beep codes
– They’re all ___ between manufacturers
– Know what to ___ when you hear them
– Main systems (CPU, CMOS, etc.)
– Video
– Memory
*
– BIOS versions can differ, check your documentation
*
– They’re all different between manufacturers
– Know what to do when you hear them
POST and boot
* Blank screen on boot
– Listen for b__
– __ video, ___ RAM, ___CPU
– BIOS configuration issue
* BIOS time and setting
– Maintained with the motherboard ___
– Replace the battery
* Attempts to boot to incorrect device
– Set boot ___ in BIOS configuration
– Confirm that the startup device has
a ___ operating system
– Check for media in a startup ___
– Listen for beeps
– Bad video, bad RAM, bad CPU
– BIOS configuration issue
*
– Maintained with the motherboard battery
– Replace the battery
*
– Set boot order in BIOS configuration
– Confirm that the startup device has
a valid operating system
– Check for media in a startup device
Crash screens
* Windows Stop Error or Blue Screen of Death
* Contains important information
– Also written to event ___
* Useful when tracking down problems
– Sometimes more useful for m___ support
– Also written to event log
*
– Sometimes more useful for manufacturer support
Bluescreens and spontaneous shutdowns
* Startup and shutdown BSOD
– ___ hardware, __ drivers, __ application
* Use Last Known Good, System Restore, or Rollback Driver
– Try ___ Mode
* Reseat or remove the hardware - If possible
* Run hardware diagnostics
– Provided by the manufacturer
– BIOS may have hardware ___
– Bad hardware, bad drivers, bad application
*
– Try Safe Mode
*
– Provided by the manufacturer
– BIOS may have hardware diagnostics
The spinning ball of death
* The macOS X Spinning Wait Cursor
– Feedback that something is ___
* The spin starts, but it never stops
– You never get back ____of your computer
* Many possible reasons
– Application ___
– ___ hardware
– Slow p____ to disk
* Restart the computer
– There may be ___ in the console logs
– Feedback that something is happening
*
– You never get back control of your computer
*
– Application bug
– Bad hardware
– Slow paging to disk
*
– There may be details in the console logs
Black screen
* Is the monitor connected?
– We wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t a ___ solution
– Check both power and s___ cable
* Input selection on monitor - HDMI, DVI, VGA, etc.
* Image is dim - Check brightness controls
* Swap the monitor
– Try the monitor on ___ computer
* No video after Windows loads
– Use VGA mode (F_)
– We wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t a common solution
– Check both power and signal cable
*
– Try the monitor on another computer
*
– Use VGA mode (F8)
No power
* No power
– No power at the s__
– No power from the power ___
– Get out your __meter
* Fans spin - no power to other devices
– Where is your fan power c___?
– No POST - bad ____?
– Case fans have lower ___ requirements
– Check the power supply ___
– No power at the source
– No power from the power supply
– Get out your multimeter
*
– Where is your fan power connected?
– No POST - bad motherboard?
– Case fans have lower voltage requirements
– Check the power supply output
Sluggish performance
* Task Manager
– Check for high CPU u___ and I/O
* Windows Update
– Latest patches and ___
* Disk space
– Check for available space and d__
* Laptops may be using power-saving mode
– Throttles the ___
* Anti-virus and anti-malware
– Scan for bad ___
– Check for high CPU utilization and I/O
*
– Latest patches and drivers
*
– Check for available space and defrag
*
– Throttles the CPU
*
– Scan for bad guys
Overheating
* Heat generation
– CPUs, video adapters, memory
* Cooling systems
– Fans and a___
– Heat ___
– Clean and clear
* Verify with monitoring software
– Built into the B___
– Try HWMonitor
– http://www.cpuid.com/
– CPUs, video adapters, memory
*
– Fans and airflow
– Heat sinks
– Clean and clear
*
– Built into the BIOS
– Try HWMonitor
– http://www.cpuid.com/
Smoke and burning smell
* Electrical problems
– The smoke makes everything ___
* Always disconnect power
– There should never be a ____ odor
* Locate bad components
– Even after the system has ___ down
– Replace all damaged c____
– The smoke makes everything work
*
– There should never be a burned odor
*
– Even after the system has cooled down
– Replace all damaged components
Intermittent shutdown
* No warning, black screen
– May have some details in your Event ___
* Heat-related issue
– High CPU or graphics, gaming
– Check all fans and heat ____
– BIOS may show fan status and ___
* Failing hardware
– Has anything changed?
– Check Device M____, run diagnostics
* Could be anything
– Eliminate what’s ___
– May have some details in your Event Viewer
*
– High CPU or graphics, gaming
– Check all fans and heat sinks
– BIOS may show fan status and temperatures
*
– Has anything changed?
– Check Device Manager, run diagnostics
*
– Eliminate what’s working
Application crashes
* Application stops working
– May provide an ___ message
– May just ____
* Check the Event Log
– Often includes useful ____
* Check the Reliability Monitor
– A history of ___ problems
– Checks for ____
* Reinstall the application
– Contact application support
– May provide an error message
– May just disappear
*
– Often includes useful reconnaissance
*
– A history of application problems
– Checks for resolutions
*
– Contact application support
Grinding noises
* Computers should hum, not grind
* Rattling - Loose components
* Scraping - Hard drive issues
* Clicking - Fan problems
* Pop - Blown capacitor
Lockups
* System completely stops
– Completely. Usually not much in the ___ log
– Similar to unexpected ___
* Check for any activity
– Hard drive, status lights, try Ctrl-Alt-Del
* Update drivers and software patches
– Has this been done ___?
* Low resources - RAM, storage
* Hardware diagnostics may be helpful
– Completely. Usually not much in the event log
– Similar to unexpected shutdowns
*
– Hard drive, status lights, try Ctrl-Alt-Del
*
– Has this been done recently?
Continuous reboots
* How far does the boot go before rebooting?
– B___ only? OS splash screen?
* Bad driver or configuration
– F_, “Boot from last known working configuration”
* Try F8, Safe Mode
– If system ___, disable automatic restarts
in System Properties
* Bad hardware
– Try removing or r___ devices
– Check c___ and reseat
– BIOS only? OS splash screen?
*
– F8, “Boot from last known working configuration”
*
– If system starts, disable automatic restarts
in System Properties
*
– Try removing or replacing devices
– Check connections and reseat
Inaccurate system date/time
* Bad motherboard battery
– Often a “button” style ___
* A bad battery will require a BIOS configuration or
date/time configuration on every boot
* On older systems, can reset the BIOS configuration
by removing the battery
– Newer computers use a j___
– Often a “button” style battery
*
– Newer computers use a jumper
Storage failure symptoms
* Read/write failure
– “Cannot read from the source ___”
* Slow performance
– Constant L___activity - Retry…retry…retry
* Loud clicking noise
– The ___ of death
– May also include grinding and ___
– “Cannot read from the source disk”
*
– Constant LED activity - Retry…retry…retry
*
– The click of death
– May also include grinding and scraping
Troubleshooting disk failures
* Get a backup - First thing - a bad drive is bad
* Check for loose or damaged cables
* Check for overheating
– Especially if problems occur after ___
* Check power supply
– Especially if new devices were ___
* Run hard drive diagnostics
– From the drive or computer ___
– Preferably on a known-good computer
– Especially if problems occur after startup
*
– Especially if new devices were added
*
– From the drive or computer manufacturer
– Preferably on a known-good computer
Boot failure symptoms
* Drive not recognized, Boot Device Not Found
– Lights (or __ lights)
– Beeps
– ___ messages
* Operating system not found
– The ___ is there
– Windows is not
– Lights (or no lights)
– Beeps
– Error messages
*
– The drive is there
– Windows is not
Troubleshooting boot failures
* Check your cables
– P___ problem
* Check boot sequence in BIOS
– Check for removable disks (especially ___)
– Check for disabled s___ interfaces
* For new installation, check hardware configuration
– Data and ___ cables
– Try different ___ interfaces
* Try the drive in a different computer
– Physical problem
*
– Check for removable disks (especially USB)
– Check for disabled storage interfaces
*
– Data and power cables
– Try different SATA interfaces
Data loss/corruption
* Hard drives are mechanical devices
– They will eventually ___
* Repairs are difficult and expensive
– Dust-free e___
– Not always ___
* An SSD may simply stop working
– Sometimes can read but not ___
* Data becomes unavailable or corrupted
– Can be impossible to ___
* ALWAYS HAVE A BACKUP
– They will eventually fail
*
– Dust-free environment
– Not always successful
*
– Sometimes can read but not write
*
– Can be impossible to recover
