Gather Data from the Customer
Содержание книги
- Table 1-4 Major CMOS/BIOS Settings
- Table 1-5 Motherboard Form Factors
- Adapter Cards and Integrated Ports
- Daughter Boards and Riser Boards
- Installing SATA, PATA, and SCSI drives
- Table 1-10 typical PATA settings on systems with two PATA host adapters and two drives
- Table 1-12 Power Fluctuations
- Table 2-2 EIA-568-A Wire Pairs and Pins
- Public, Private, and APIPA IP Addresses
- Static and Dynamic IP Addresses
- Table 2-6 Ports and Protocols
- Installing and Configuring a SOHO Router
- Table 2-9 Common DSL Services Compared
- Line-of-Sight Wireless Internet Service
- Install and Configure Laptop Hardware and
- Other Laptop Display Components
- Docking Station Versus Port Replicator
- Table 4-1 Laser-Printing Process
- Printer Installation and Connections
- Lifting and Moving Equipment Safely
- Communication and Professionalism
- Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows
- UAC and the Administrator Account
- Table 6-5 Command-Line Tools for Networking
- Features and Tools Usage How to Run
- Control Panel Options Unique to Windows 7
- Table 6-12 Network Settings by Windows Version
- Table 6-14 Recommended Preventive Maintenance Tasks in Windows
- Virtualization Resource Requirements
- Security Best Practices for Workstation Security
- Data Destruction and Disposal Methods
- Table 7-4 Securing a SOHO Wired Network
- Getting Applications for Your Device
- Mobile Network Connectivity and Email
- Laptop and Tablets: How They’re Different
- Gather Data from the Customer
- Table 9-2 Motherboard, RAM, CPU, and Power Symptoms, Causes, Solutions
- Troubleshooting Video and Display Issues
- Table 9-6 Troubleshooting Tools for Wired and Wireless Networks
- Table 9-9 Operating Systems Symptoms, Problems, and Solutions
- Troubleshooting Security Issues
- Troubleshooting Laptop Issues
- Table 9-13 Tools for Fixing Printer Problems
- CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconduc-tor), 11-15, 94
- Digital access, prevention methods, 136-140
- FORMAT command-line tool, 112
- ISPs (Internet service pro-viders), 44
- NSLOOKUP command-line tool, 112
- Preventive maintenance, Windows, 127
- System protection setting (Control Panel), 119
Find out the following:
Customer’s name and contact info
Style, brand, and model of malfunctioning device
OS (including the service pack in use), antivirus (AV), and method of networking and Internet access
Running System Information (MSInfo32.exe) will produce a quick snapshot of system hardware and software, as shown in Figure 9-1.
162 CompTIA A+ Quick Reference
 
Figure 9-1 Run System Information (MSInfo32.exe) for a quick snapshot of system hardware andsoftware.
Start the troubleshooting process with open-ended questions, such as “How may I help you?” Narrow the focus of your questions to isolate the fault; for example, “Does this happen every time it boots or only sometimes?” or “Does the light blink when the cable is connected?”
Establish a Theory of Probable Cause (Eliminate the
Obvious)
In the early questioning phase, eliminate the obvious problems first. Usually, you can eliminate broad areas that work fine and do not need further scrutiny. For example, to rule out basic con-nectivity issues, you might ask, “Let’s just double-check the cables to make sure they are securely connected. Do any feel loose?”
Briefly assume that the problem is simple to fix or is a simple user error. Polite, on-the-spot user training might solve the problem. “Laptops often have a switch that enables the wireless network card. Let’s start there.” Or, “It’s funny, but some printers are actually brand conscious about paper. Why don’t we try a brand new pack of paper to see whether yours is ‘paper picky’?” (this helps eliminate the possibility that the printer is simply out of paper).
Check for damaged cables, devices plugged in incorrectly, bent pins, noises, blue screens of death, burning smells, and so on. Watch the computer boot, note any error messages, check Windows event logs, and reproduce the problem (if possible).
Figure 9-2 shows event logs in Windows 7.
Chapter 9: Troubleshooting 163
 
Figure 9-2 Checking the event logs in Windows 7.
Establish a Plan of Action and Implement the Solution
After gathering information from the customer and computer and eliminating obvious causes, it’s time to make a plan of action to prove or disprove your theory, and test it. (Before doing anything to the computer, perform a backup.)
Did your first theory work? If not, reconsider both the original information you gathered and any new information (noises, error messages, more information from the customer, and so on) and refine your theory. Repeat until you have solved the problem.
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