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COMPUTER SYSTEM
TROUBLESHOOTING
CONCEIPT OF COMPUTER
TROUBLESHOOTING
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Meaning of Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting: is the process of identifying,
analyzing, and resolving problems or issues that occur
in a system, device, software, or equipment.
The goal is to fix the identified problems, restore the
system’s functionality and ensure it operated as
intended.
This process involves investigating various
components, configurations, settings, and interactions
withing the system.
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Aspects of computer troubleshooting
The main aspect or parts of computer troubleshooting are:
Problem identification: The first step in troubleshooting is to clearly identify the
problem or symptoms reported by users or detected in the system.
It is essential to gather as much information as possible to understand the nature of the
problem.
Root Cause analysis: Once the problem is identified, the next step is to determine the
root cause of the issue. This involves examining various factors, such as hardware,
software, network connections, and user interactions to pinpoint what is causing the
problem.
Isolating and testing: Troubleshooting often involves isolating components or
elements within the system to determine whether the problem is related to a specific
part of a broader system issue.
Testing different configurations or using alternative components can help in this process.
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Aspects of computer troubleshooting
The main aspect or parts of computer troubleshooting are:
i. Solution implementation: After identifying the root cause, the
approximate solution is implemented to fix the issue. This may involve
adjusting settings, updating software, and replacing faulty hardware.
ii. Verification: Once the solution is implemented, it is important to verify
whether the problem is resolved.
iii. Retesting the system and verifying that the issue has been resolved
conforms to the success of troubleshooting.
iv. Documentation: Documenting the troubleshooting process and its
outcomes is crucial for future reference and to share the knowledge with
others who may encounter similar problems.
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Troubleshooting strategy
When troubleshooting a computer system, it is
recommended to follow a general and systematic approach
before exploring specific issues.
Following this strategy will enable you to save
troubleshooting time, use less effort and avoid frustration.
This approach involves asking a series of questions whose
answers lead you to the most probable source of trouble.
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Categories of
Troubleshooting
Troubleshootingcan be categorized into several
broad categories based on the type of systems or
problems being addressed.
The common categories of troubleshooting
include:
i. Hardware troubleshooting
ii. Software troubleshooting
iii. Performance troubleshooting
iv. Electrical troubleshooting
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Types or categories of
troubleshooting
Hardware troubleshooting: This involves diagnosing and fixing issues
related to computer hardware components, such as CPU, memory, motherboard, graphics
card, hard drive, and peripherals like printers and scanners.
Software troubleshooting: This focuses on problems related to software
applications, operating systems, and their interactions.
This can include issues like software crashes, compatibility problems and configuration errors.
Performance troubleshooting: This involves optimizing system
performance by diagnosing and addressing issues that lead to slow response times,
resource utilization problems and performance limitations.
Electrical troubleshooting: This involves identifying and fixing electrical
problems in various systems, such as power supply issues, circuit overloads, and electrical
component failures.
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Hardware troubleshooting
The guidelines to follow when performing hardware
troubleshooting are as follows:
i. Write down each step you will take in troubleshooting
ii. Write notes on each error message that comes from your
computer
iii. Always check the cables for problems related to computer
hardware, such as monitor, mouse, and keyboard.
iv. Restart the computer when you have finished to troubleshoot
the problems. Restarting the computer helps to refresh the
hardware.
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Hardware troubleshooting
► Computer hardware troubleshooting focuses on devices,
such as monitors, mice, and keyboards.
► Common hardware problems include: booting or power
failure, application slowness, frozen or stuck
applications, slow-running applications, and frozen
computers.
► Approaches to troubleshoot some of
the computer problems are as
follows: Refer next slide.
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Boot Failure
Computer booting: Is the process of starting a computer as
initiated by a hardware action, such as pressing power or using a
software command.
If the power button does not initialize the
booting of the computer, try the following
alternatives:
i. Inspect the power cord to ensure it is securely connected to both the
back of the computer case and the power outlet.
ii. Make sure the outlet connecting to it is functional, and verify this by
plugging it into another electrical device.
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…Boot Failure
iii. When a computer is connected to a surge protector, check if
the protector is switched on. You might need to restart the
surge protector by turning it off and then on again. To confirm
its proper functionality, you can also plug in a lamp or another
device into the surge protector.
iv. If a problem occurs with a laptop, the battery might be
depleted. Connect the AC adapter to a wall socket, and then
attempt to power on the laptop. If it still does not start, you
might have to wait a few minutes and retry.
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Application Slowness
When an application is running slowly,
the following troubleshooting measures
can be taken.
i. Close and restart the application, or
ii. Close all running applications
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Frozen or Stuck Application
For a frozen computer application, the following measures can be taken
depending on the type of OS.
For Windows OS
i. Press and hold the CTRL, ALT and DELETE keys, simultaneously to open the
Task Manager.
ii. Locate the unresponsive application or process in the list of running applications.
iii. Select the unresponsive application by clicking on it
iv. Click the “End Task” button to force the selected application to close.
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Frozen or Stuck Application
For a frozen computer application, the following measures can
be taken depending on the type of OS.
For Mac OS:
i. Press and hold the Command, Option, and ESC keys
simultaneously. The “Force Quit Applications”
window will appear, showing a list of currently running
applications.
ii. Select the unresponsive application in the list; and.
iii. Click the “Force Quit” button to close it.
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Slowly running Application
In the case where all applications in the computer run slowly,
the following options should be observed as the measures.
i. Perform a virus scan. There is a possibility that malicious
software is running in the background, causing slowdown.
ii. Attempt to free up space by removing any unnecessary
files or programs.
iii. Utilize disk defragmenter for HDD or cleanup option for
SSD
iv. Repeat the processes performed on frozen or stuck
applications.
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Frozen Computer
A computer may experience total unresponsiveness or freezing. The following
options may be useful alternative measures for that problems.
i. Reboot the computer: For a windows PC, press and hold the keys CTRL+ALT+Delete
on the keyboard to access the Task Manager.
ii. Choose Windows Explorer from the processes tab and click on Restart or;
iii. Perform a forced shutdown by pressing and holding the Power button marked
with a power symbol. Press and hold the power button for 5 to 10 seconds to force the
computer to power off or; and
iv. If the computer remains unresponsive to shut down, disconnect the power cable
from the electrical outlet. For laptop users, remove the battery to force the computer(for
the computers whose battery are not installed directly in the laptop body) to power off.
Note: Option (iv) should be the last solution after attempting the other solutions
mentioned earlier.
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Keyboard and Mouse problems
It
is common for the keyboard and mouse to
misbehave.
The following are possible measures to apply to
resolve their problems.
i. For a wired mouse or keyboard, ensure that it is properly
connected to the computer, or
ii. For a wireless mouse or keyboard, verify that they are
powered on and have charged batteries.
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Sound Problems
When you have a computer that has sound problems, check
the following suggested measures:
i. Verify the volume level by clicking the audio button located either in the
top-right or bottom-right corner of the screen. Ensure that the sound is
enabled and the volume is set to an appropriate level.
ii. Examine the audio player controls and confirm if the sound is activated,
and the volume is raised within the player,
iii. Inspect the cables to ensure that external speakers are connected,
powered on, and correctly plugged into the appropriate audio port or a
USB port. The audio output port is identified by the green color, or
iv. Test audio output through headphones or external speakers by connecting
them to the computer to determine if sound is heard through them.
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Black Screen
The black screen problem shows no image. The
following are possible measures to be taken to solve
the problem.
i. The computer might be in sleep mode. Activate it by clicking the
mouse or pressing any key on the keyboard,
ii. Ensure the monitor is connected to a power source and turned on,
iii. Verify that the computer is connected to a power source and
turned on, or
iv. If you are using a desktop computer, check that the monitor cable
is securely connected to both the computer tower and the monitor.
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Monitor problems
Monitors have several problems that can be caused by electrical current
or electromagnetic interference from the speaker, fan, or mobile phone.
The next steps may be followed to
work on such problems:
i. If the problem is caused by a power supply or surge protector, plug
the monitor into the wall socket separately. Else use an
Uninterruptable Power supply (UPS) if the cause is electrical current
problems, or
ii. Move all devices that emit electromagnetic waves far away from the
desktop.
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Exercise/ Home Work - 01
1) Describe the steps to resolve a noisy fan a computer
system.
2) A computer monitor displays distorted or no image at all.
What steps would you follow to identify and resolve the
problem?
3) If a printer is not responding to print requests, explain the
steps you would take to resolve the problem.
4) How would you resolve the issue if an external hard drive
is not showing up on a computer?
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Software Troubleshooting
Computer software troubleshooting: is a systematic process that
involves identifying, isolating, and resolving issues with computer software.
Common software problems include:
i. Software bugs: The software may have programming errors or defects that cause it
to behave unexpectedly or crash.
ii. Compatibility issues: The software may not be compatible with the operating
system, hardware, or other software components.
iii. Configuration problems: Incorrect settings or configurations can lead to software
issues.
iv. Data corruption: Corrupted or invalid data can cause software malfunctions.
v. Resource constraints: Insufficient system resources, such as memory or disk space,
can impact software performance.
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Software Troubleshooting
Toresolve software problems, follow the general
steps described in software troubleshooting.
However, it is also advised to do the
following:-
i. Update software: Ensure that all software components, such as the
Operating System, drivers, and applications are up to date. Updating software
regularly can resolve compatibility problems and security vulnerabilities.
ii. Disable of uninstall recently installed software: If the issue began after
installing a new software, consider disabling or uninstalling it. Incompatibilities
with existing software can lead to problems.
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Software Troubleshooting
iii. Scan for malware: Conduct a thorough malware scan using dependable
antivirus or ant-malware software. Malware can cause various software issues,
including system slowdowns and crashes.
iv. Inspect hardware: Sometimes software problems can result form faulty
hardware components, such as RAM or storage drives. Perform hardware
diagnostics if necessary.
v. Use safe mode: Booting into safe mode (in case the OS supports it) can help
determine if the problem is related to third-party applications or drivers.
vi. Re-install software: If troubleshooting steps don’t resolve the issues, consider
restoring the system to a previous working state using system restore points or
reinstalling the problematic software.
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Performance troubleshooting
Computer performance troubleshooting: This is the process of
identifying and resolving problems that are causing a computer to run slowly or
inefficiently.
It involves diagnosing problems that may be causing a computer to run slowly or experience
other performance related issues.
The steps involved in computer
performance troubleshooting include:
i. Identifying symptoms
ii. Checking hardware
iii. Checking monitoring resources usage
iv. Cleaning and maintenance
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Performance troubleshooting
The steps involved in computer
performance troubleshooting include:
v. Software updates
vi. Malware and virus scans
vii. Startup programs
viii. Software optimization
ix. Hardware upgrades; and
x. Data backups
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Electrical troubleshooting
Computer electrical troubleshooting: Is the process
of identifying and resolving problems or faults in electrical
systems, circuits, devices, or equipment.
It involves diagnosing issues that may be causing electrical
malfunctions, such as power outages, electrical shocks,
equipment failures, or circuit overloads.
The goal is to identify the root causes of these problems and fix
them to ensure the safe and reliable operation of electrical
systems.
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Exercise/Home Work - 02
1) Whatare the reasons for conducting performance
troubleshooting?
2) Whyis it necessary to conduct electrical
troubleshooting in computer systems?
3) Whatare the common hardware problems that can
occur in a computer system?
4) Whatare the common software problems that can
occur in a computer system?