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| Troubleshooting Tactics |
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Start Here February 2000 • Vol.4 Issue 1 |
Troubleshooting Tactics A Methodical Approach Saves Time & Frustration | ||
 Anyone who relies on a computer for help performing important tasks will eventually encounter one of those bad days. Maybe the computer won't work at all. Maybe it works sometimes but keeps freezing up. Or perhaps it performs well for the most part but some annoying little glitch pops up again and again. Fixing any of these problems involves the process of troubleshooting, or tracking down exactly what is wrong so you can repair the problem. Knowing a little troubleshooting methodology from the get-go will help you get your computer back on its electronic feet in the shortest time possible. Depending upon the person and the situation, troubleshooting can even be a kind of interesting puzzle. Of course, sooner or later everyone comes to that point where they just want the thing to work or they're going to throw it out the window. Help stave off the frustration by following our key pointers.  Step 1: Assess The Damage. Before you do anything rash, it is good to get an idea of how big a problem you're facing. The simple fact is that some problems may exceed your comfort level when it comes to actually opening up the case or diving deep into configuration files. If you can quickly determine that the problem is beyond your ability to fix, you can get a head start on finding someone who can fix it. That said, don't give up right away. Some computer problems that seem formidable at first aren't once you know a few tips. Differentiating between the two extremes is not always easy. A dead computer looks like a dead computer whether there's been an internal explosion or someone has simply forgotten to plug it in. One of the first clues of a major meltdown that is beyond the reach of mere mortals is an odd noise coming from the computer when you first turn it on. Strange grindings may mean a cooling fan is about to die or even a hard drive crash in the making. A true hard drive crash occurs when the read/write head (the tiny component that skims microns above the surface of the drive's spinning magnetic platters) physically collides with the disk. Another giveaway for this kind of major trouble is turning on the computer and getting some sort of "bad disk" error, which is often accompanied by beeps and the lack of a familiar hard drive-spinning noise. In addition, the operating system doesn't load, and nothing you do makes the error go away. At this point, there's probably no way around the fact that things are about to get ugly. By the time you notice what is happening, it may already be too late to save any of the hard drive's data. It may be possible to boot into DOS or Windows 95 (Win95) or Windows 98's (Win98) DOS-like mode and perhaps copy some important files to a diskette or other storage medium, but generally it's time to get ready for disaster. This sad situation leads to a vital tip you'll read over and over in this issue, but it bears repeating: Make backups of all your important files. Having extra copies on hand is the best way to make sure your data is protected in the case of a hardware failure. Of course, you can't make a backup every second of every day. Even the new work you've completed in the last hour can be costly to replace. Unfortunately, there is no sure way of saving information in open applications from the inherent dangers of computer errors. All you can do is follow a few guidelines and hope for the best. If the computer isn't completely crashing, and the hard drive doesn't make any unusual noises, you probably aren't facing imminent doom. When such relatively minor trouble starts, save information in open programs, close programs that are still responding, and start tracking down the cause of your problem. If the open program itself is giving you trouble, you may have to say goodbye to whatever changes you've made since your last save. Some programs automatically perform minisaves periodically, but it is good to develop the habit of saving often for just these situations. Frequent saves are the best way to guard against program crashes or computer crashes. Except in the dire cases described above, data on the hard drive should still be there when the computer sorts itself out or when you reboot. Step 2: Try Quick, Basic Solutions. Because computers are among the most complex devices common in offices and homes, they are prone to many types of errors. Luckily, the most common errors also are the easiest to fix. If your machine doesn't seem to be working, and you don't have reason to believe there's been some major malfunction of the kind discussed above, look around for an easy answer. Work through our list to eliminate the basics. Power up. When your screen is blank and nothing appears to work, first check whether you have power. That means power to the computer, monitor, and whatever else seems to be on the fritz. Some monitors' electric cords plug into the back of the computer, but others plug into an AC outlet. External devices, such as modems and printers, also have power cords. Plugs can come loose, so make sure everything is connected. If the computer plugs into a power strip, see whether the power strip has a switch of its own. Check for power-on lights on all the equipment and make sure the power switches are in the "on" position. If nothing works, it could be a problem with the outlet or a blown fuse. Try plugging something that you know works into the outlet to eliminate that as the culprit. Boot drive. One of the most mystifying computer problems is caused by diskettes. Computers boot up according to the instructions written on diskettes or hard drives. Most machines are set to look first for commands on a diskette; failing that, they will turn to the hard drive. That is what usually happens when a computer is rebooted or turned on for the first time each day. The computer sees no diskette, so it boots off the internal hard drive. However, if a diskette was inadvertently left in the diskette drive, the computer will follow a different path. If the diskette in question has no startup instructions, as most don't, the computer will let you know with a little error message. However, some diskettes might boot the computer into DOS rather than the familiar Windows. If you find yourself in that text-only world, check the diskette drive and try booting again without the diskette in place. Some computers will also boot up off the CD drive if given a chance, so eject any CDs as well before rebooting. Bad connection. Another common problem is the loose cable. All of those peripherals have power cords and data cables that run to the computer. Check all the connections for wiggle. Generally, if you are trying to use the wrong kind of cable, it won't fit, so don't try to force anything. It should plug easily and securely or not at all. Phone cords running to and from the modem are especially troublesome. They don't usually fall out, but it can be easy to mix them up. Modems usually have Line In and Line Out or Phone connections. As the names indicate, one should be hooked to the phone cord running out of the wall, and the other can be connected to a normal telephone. If a telephone is connected to the modem, lifting the handset during a connection attempt could cause the modem to work improperly. Modems can get themselves into other messes, as well. For more information on modem troubles, see "Modems: Troubleshooting Communication Breakdowns" in this issue. Network snags. With the rise of the Internet and other shared resources, the network is as important as the computer itself. When the network goes down in many offices, work stops. Most network problems are not likely to be anything individual users can remedy. However, if other people on the network still have access and you don't, it is worth making sure your network cable is plugged in. Many network cards have small green lights that should blink if the network is running. Try rebooting the computer. Mouse mishaps. A dusty mouse is the age-old problem of graphical user interfaces. Mice that don't seem to work well won't heal through repeated pounding on the desk or shaking in the air. The only potentially successful treatment is to clean the dust and lint from the roller ball on the underside of the mouse and the tiny rollers that read the ball's movements. For tips on this procedure, see "Mice & Trackballs: Simple Solutions For Simple Creatures" in this issue. Some newer mice have optical innards and no moving parts. If that's the case, check the mouse connection again. Errant keyboard. Another easy-to-repair yet vexing computer quandary involves the keyboard. When the wackiness starts, make sure a book or other item isn't pressing down on a keyboard key. Keyboard keys occasionally get stuck in the down position, so carefully look at each one. Maybe the CAPS LOCK, NUM LOCK, or other key has been toggled on. If the keyboard cable has somehow come loose, you may have to reconnect it and then reboot the machine to win back control. Many keyboards won't work until the whole machine has been restarted with the cable in place. No sound. If the computer isn't providing the sounds you expect, check whether the speakers are plugged in and turned on. Make sure the speaker cords are connected to the correct sound card jacks because it can be easy to mix up the microphone and speaker plugs. Adjust the volume to see whether that helps. Win9x systems often display a software volume control in the Taskbar. Click the little yellow speaker and see that this software volume is turned up and that there is no check mark in the Mute box. CD/DVD troubles. Simple compact disc (CD) and digital versatile disc (DVD) problems include discs being inserted upside down, discs with scratches or dust marring their surfaces, and programs that have to be installed or double-clicked before they will run. If the CD or DVD doesn't run on its own, open My Computer and double-click the drive's icon. Find the program on the CD or DVD that you want to run and double-click its icon. If the disc still isn't working, try reinserting it or dusting it off with a soft cloth. If your CD or DVD drive won't open for some reason, and the disc you need is still inside, look for a tiny hole on the front of the tray. Poke the end of a bent paperclip in there to force the tray open. No display. If the monitor is blank and you've already made sure the power and data cords are snuggly connected, try adjusting the monitor controls. Like televisions, computer monitors have knobs or buttons for contrast, brightness, and other settings. Either device is subject to electromagnetic interference, which can cause fuzzy displays or wavy lines. Try moving the monitor to another location. Monitors also can be affected by video card problems. For more information, see "Video Cards: The Key To What You See Is In This Unseen Component" in this issue. A "sleepy" computer may cause a blank screen. Many machines have a standby or sleep mode that powers down most functions of the computer on command or automatically after a period of nonuse. Usually, pressing a key or moving the mouse will cause the monitor to come back to life. You also may have to press a button on the front of the panel. Sometimes a software glitch will interfere with the wake-up routine and freeze the computer in sleep mode or somewhere halfway in between. There's not much you can do in that case but shut down the system and reboot. Missing printouts. Because printers are mechanical machines with more moving parts than just about any computer peripheral, they aren't always the most reliable devices. Assuming the power is on and the cords are well connected, common problems include paper jams and a lack of ink or toner. Remember that many color printers have two ink cartridges, one for black and another for color. Check the printer settings dialog box in whichever program you are trying to print from and make sure everything is as it should be. Depending upon the other types of equipment you have connected to your computer, you may be able to think up a few more easy answers. If not, it's time to roll up your sleeves and start looking for more complicated solutions. Step 3: Isolate The Problem. If your glitch doesn't fall into the "easy" category, your troubleshooting experience is about to get a little more involved. Following some standard troubleshooting procedures can help you narrow down a problem beyond eliminating the easy solutions and decide whether it is something you might be able to fix. You should at least be able to describe it more accurately to a technician in case you need to use one. The most important rule in troubleshooting virtually any device is to isolate the problem. All that really means is figuring out what a problem isn't. We start off by looking at the big picture, attempting to discard whole categories of troubles so we don't have to worry about them. As we toss away more and more potential malfunctions, eventually the universe of possibilities gets small enough that we can make a pretty good guess as to the culprit. With computers, the first fork in the road is determining whether the trouble is from errant software or balky hardware. Hardware is the term used to describe all the physical components of computers, from the mouse to the central processing unit (CPU). Software is a broad name for the programs that control and run on the computer. A problem in either area can lead to hair-raising consequences, but the solutions are different.
Isolating hardware problems is easiest when you have another computer you can use to try out suspect parts. If a monitor, modem, or another component doesn't seem to operate on your computer, try it out on a friend's. If it works there, you know something else must be on the fritz. Just remember that most devices require drivers (programs that allow a hardware peripheral to communicate with the computer) to properly operate, so you will have to set up the test machine with the correct software. Similarly, swapping spare components into your machine can help narrow things down. If your new video card displays just a blank screen but your old video card works fine, at least you know the problem isn't with the monitor. There must be something wrong with the new card, the drivers for the new card, or the way the new card interacts with something else on your machine. The key to isolating a hardware problem is paying careful attention to when the trouble occurs. Most likely, you can't blame the hardware if problems pop up only when you run certain programs. If other programs seem to get along with the suspected hardware, you may want to change your focus to the software.
Compatibility is another tricky software area. With so many types of programs running on endless varieties of computer setups, sometimes programs won't get along with each other or your hardware. Again, the first place to look for guidance is the software manual or the developer's Web site. User configuration of software can also lead to problems. Carefully read through the help screens and printed instructions to make sure you have all of the user settings correctly configured for what you want to do. Other Troubleshooting Tips. One of the best tools for isolating problems is to think back to happier computing days. When something strange occurs, try to remember whether you have recently changed any hardware or software settings. Perhaps you loaded a new application, uninstalled something, or changed a Windows setting. Maybe you even replaced or added a new component. In the best of scenarios, you will have changed just a single setting or device, and it is something you can temporarily undo to see if that makes a difference. Try not to go troubleshooting up the wrong tree. Some components in the computer are not likely to affect each other. For example, altering a modem speed setting probably won't cause printer errors. However, it is surprising how some changes can send ripples of discontent throughout a system. Adding one new piece of hardware can cause another seemingly unrelated device to act up. Something you can do to study a problem carefully is to recreate it. Knowing when a particular problem shows up is a big step on the road to recovery. Don't try to recreate something horrible; a major hardware malfunction that causes flames to shoot from the rear of your computer is not something you want to purposefully induce. However, recreating problems from which you know you can recover somehow by measures, such as rebooting the machine, can let you examine the glitch and communicate important details to the computer gurus.
These general tips can point you in the right direction, but each type of software and hardware error is going to have its own solution. The basic thing to remember when facing a point to take into a new troubleshooting challenge is to work methodically. Try to rule things out through simple tests, recreating problems, or swapping components. It's also a good idea to write down the steps you've taken so you can eliminate explanations along the way. Once you isolate a malfunction, you can start figuring out what it will take to fix it.  by Alan Phelps |
