Hardware + Network Troubleshooting Flashcards
An avid gamer suddenly smells a burning odor coming from his computer. What could the problem indicate?
burned out hardware
Burning smells usually indicate hardware that has burned out or a bad capacitor. To protect other components of your computer from potential damage, it is best to completely power off your machine until you can investigate the cause.
A previously reliable computer is not turning on, but is plugged in. What could be the issue?
No power.
This could be caused by issues with the power supply inside the computer case, or issues with power coming from the outlet. Even if the cord is plugged in, either of these locations could be lacking in power, thus there would be no transfer of power.
Steps of Troubleshooting - Best Practice Methodology
- Identify the problem by gathering information from the system, environment, and user.
- Establish a theory of probable cause based on research.
- Test the theory. If the theory is not confirmed, go back to step 2.
- Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem or to implement the solution.
- Verify that the entire system is functioning properly and implement preventative measures if applicable.
- Document all findings, actions, and outcomes.
After pulling up a large file, a desktop computer emits a loud clicking noise. What does this indicate?
mechanical drive failure
Typical hard drives consist of several moving parts required to read and write data. Loud clicking noises usually indicate one of these components inside the drive has failed. Constantly having to read extremely large file sizes could potentially accelerate hard drive failure.
A technician has recently borrowed a USB drive from a co-worker to copy over some files. The technician inserts the USB and boots their computer up, but to their surprise, they are prompted with a Windows installation setup menu. What could be the problem?
incorrect boot sequence
The computer sets up the OS boot sequence in the BIOS. It lists the order in which it should look for an operating system. If the USB drive is listed in a higher priority, it will check here first for the system files. In this scenario, the technician’s USB likely had a Windows installation image on the drive, and the BIOS recognized this as it went through its boot order.
What are the most common reasons for images not showing up on the monitor?
Cabling issues, e.g. something is unplugged, not “seated completely”, or not fully connected. These display cables are typically either VGA, DVI, DisplayPort or HDMI.
What are the reasons for dim screens?
Brightness settings being modified on the display itself or on the video card. OR power-saving mode is triggered when the battery life drops below a certain percent.
Usually has nothing to do with faulty hardware.
Getting an IP address of 169.254… is related to what networking issue?
using an APIPA address
An APIPA address is automatically assigned when your computer cannot reach the DHCP server even if it is configured for DHCP. This will allow temporary local connectivity, but will not allow access to any router or to the Internet.
The Internet doesn’t care about the DHCP server or if it is offline, it just needs to know you have a valid IP address for surfing. A 169.254 is an automatic invalid IP address for Internet communication, so it would drop the traffic likely before it even left the building (and even if it didn’t, your service provider would drop it once it tried to get on their network). So the direct answer is because you have an APIPA address. Now, if the question asked “why do they have 169.254 IP addresses?”, then the answer could be “because the DHCP server is offline”.
After a device not connecting to the internet, a user confirms that the WAP (wireless access point) is not showing up on the list of available connections. What could be the most likely issue?
offline access point
Typically, in a home environment, if your SSID is not showing up in the list of connections, it could mean that it’s offline or unplugged. If this were to happen in a business environment, it may be that the SSID was disabled by the administrator.
A flashing screen on the monitor is probably caused by -
a bad cable connection
A failing controller board will most likely cause -
incorrect color display
Intermittent projector shutdown is most likely caused by -
Overheating, due to the amount of heat the projector bulb creates
When troubleshooting an issue, do you start with complex or simple inquiries first?
When troubleshooting any kind of issue, you always want to start with the physical layer issues first, such as cabling unplugged, disconnected, or cut. This saves you a lot of time from troubleshooting more complex scenarios when the issue could have been someone tripped over the power cord and it came out of the socket. Refer to the OSI model for troubleshooting methodology.
What causes batteries to swell or bulge?
Overheating of the device. Could also be overcharging, and just failing due to old age. This is a problem with all Lithium-Ion batteries, and the battery housing actually swells as a safety measure to contain the hazardous materials inside.
A toner vacuum is -
A specialized piece of equipment used for removing toner dust from inside your printer. It is anti-static so it won’t damage any sensitive component inside the printer.
Compressed air
used to clean out dust or particles inside printers and computers. Comes in an aluminum bottle. Use in open area or out of doors.
Print Spooler
print service that is part of the operating system that manages the majority of print-related tasks in the background. This is usually the main communications mechanism for sending print jobs from a computer to a printer.
You can start, stop, and restart this when the printer is being worked on.
Incorrect BIOS date and time settings usually point to what issue?
issues with CMOS battery, which is used to keep settings intact within the BIOS, even when the BIOS loses power after you shut it down.
Which things indicate issues with a laser printer’s finishing functions?
staple jams and misaligned hole punches
The finishing functions on a laser printer include the options that can be added to a print after printing, such as collating pages, adding staples to selected groups of pages, or punching holes in selected pages.
Which things indicate issues with a laser printer’s finishing functions?
staple jams and misaligned hole punches
The finishing functions on a laser printer include the options that can be added to a print after printing, such as collating pages, adding staples to selected groups of pages, or punching holes in selected pages.
What would cause a computer to fail the POST test?
faulty RAM
The POST test checks for hardware issues with your computer before the operating system is loaded. Any damaged or faulty hardware could cause the POST test not to pass.
What’s the most likely cause of failing to send or receive messages to an external user?
the computer isn’t connected to the internet.
Email servers can be located either inside the local network, or, with the advent of cloud services like Office 365 and Google Workspace (formerly GSuite), increasingly more and more on the outside of your network. Regardless of where the email server is located, an internet connection is necessary for the client to successfully send messages to an external recipient, and for an external recipient to successfully receive messages from the sender.
symptoms of bad battery in mobile device
overheating, visible swelling, only works when plugged in, dies quickly
Your client hands you a laptop with a swollen bottom. What is the first thing you should do?
Make sure the laptop is powered off.
A laptop with a visibly distended bottom cover is most likely suffering from a swollen battery. Before any steps are taken to remove the battery, you must first make sure the device is powered off for safety.
When visually inspecting a connected device like an external hard drive, you should look at what aspects of it?
the basics, like a properly connected power cord, and a properly connected connection cable, and LED status indicator lights.
A cell phone is water resistant but is dropped in a storm drain. When charging, it shows an error message about water in the device. What should you do first?
let it air dry
While a cell phone may be water resistant, it can still show an error message when liquid is detected in the charging port of the device. Celia should allow the device to air dry first and then reevaluate to see if the issue has been resolved. She should not place the device in a bowl of rice, which can leave debris in the port, nor should she use heat to dry the device.
Double or echo prints out of a printer are typically caused by -
broken cleaning blade or bad erasure lamps on a LASER PRINTER ONLY
