Troubleshooting of the Software or Hardware Devices - Coursework Example

Troubleshooting Word Count (2175) Troubleshooting Troubleshooting is defined as the process of determining and solving a problem that is related to either the software or hardware devices1. Most troubleshooting techniques use the process of elimination whereby the technician will follow certain steps in order to determine and resolve the problem. The complexities of troubleshooting techniques depend on the level of damage that the device is having. However, there are certain steps that are common to all troubleshooting techniques. This paper will discuss various troubleshooting techniques in software and hardware devices. Basic troubleshooting technique The first step towards identifying an error in a computer system is checking if there are any error messages being displayed. If there are any error messages, the computer user is recommended to perform a search to identify the source of the error. Before starting any troubleshooting exercise, it is important to identify if there is any new hardware or software that have been recently added. In most cases, the new devices or software that has been added are most likely to be the cause of computer malfunctions. If the computer shows signs of being slower than usual or falling to perform tasks normally, it advisable to reboot the computer. Rebooting will free the computer from errors or being frozen 2. Computer errors could be due to devices that have been attached to it. A troubleshooting exercise will begin with disconnecting all the attached devices so that causes of error can be tracked down. The computer user or repairer should identify if the computer has been moved or dropped accidentally recently. Falling or moving the machine is likely to cause items to disconnect and may be a direct cause of the computer not functioning well. In such a case, the user should identify if any parts need to be reconnected well. Electric surges cause a high risk of damage to computers. If the PC is not plugged into a UPS or an adapter, the repairer should enquire if there were any power surges so as to detect the possible errors 3. Improper shutting down of the computers is likely to cause a software or hardware failure. The computer user should, therefore, know if the machine was cold shut so that appropriate solutions can be. Scanning for a virus is also an effective general method of troubleshooting a computer. Viruses can cause both the hardware and software devices to respond inappropriately and hence viruses should be scanned and fixed. Dangerous viruses could even eat up the operating system which will stop the whole computer from functioning 4. Scanning for viruses is, therefore, recommended as a quick and general step of identifying problems. Software troubleshooting Software problems are common to all computer users, and the first step towards identifying and resolving the issue is saving the work and restarting the machine. Most simple software problems will be automatically solved by running the computer through the process of shutting down and restarting. Most software is in the computer by the user depending on the functions of their computers. The installed programs may go berserk and stop functioning in the normal way. If the software does not resume normal running after restarting the computer, it should be uninstalled and reinstalled again. Most software will have the option of choosing if to use previous system files, and this will ensure that previous data in the software is not lost 5. However, it is not advisable to accept his option since it might cause minor lockups and glitches to the installed software. It is only recommended if the previous data is imperative. Mismatching of bugs could cause software errors. In such a case, previous versions of software’s may not align with new versions. This probe can be solved by using software patches, and fixes or service lacks which allow correction of program codes. Such services are available in websites of software manufacturers and are readily available for download. Some software may interrupt the normal running of the whole computer. This is mostly due to lack of certain specifications that the software requires in the computers. Such software should be removed from the computer for it to resume normal running. Software may be the cause of certain hardware problems. All hardware devices require certain drivers for them to operate effectively. If the drivers are missing, corrupt or are not updated, they may cause the hardware components to malfunction. Drivers are software that needs to be if the computer shows signs of not working correctly. Most drivers are available online or can be in a CD-ROM in the manufacturer’s package. Some drivers require frequent updating and hence should be for them to resume normal operation. Errors in the computer maybe caused by scattered data and software components on the surface of the hard drive. Scattering data and software components often lead to malfunctioning of the software or reductions in its performance. The best result to such a problem is defragging the hard disk. Defragging the hard disk collects the scattered bits and lines them up correctly on the concentric hard drive circles. The computer is most likely to increase its performance after defragmenting and removing problematic software. To defrag the hard drive, the user or repairer should follow this procedure; START -> PROGRAMS -> ACCESSORIES - SYSTEM TOOLS -> DISK DEFRAGMENTER 6. The process takes much time and hence it is advisable to run it during the time that the machine is not in use. If the software problems are not identifiable, it is recommended that the user reinstalls the operating system. Reinstalling the OS will solve the entire software problem since all the software and data is from the computer. After installing the new operating system, the user will be required to install all the software and drivers again in order to regain full functioning of the computer 7. The hard disk stores all the information in a computer and also all the viruses are in it. Some viruses are more powerful than anti-viruses, and the only option to remove them is formatting the hard disk. All important information should be transferred to an external storage source since formatting the hard drive erases all the data permanently. Hardware troubleshooting A computer is likely to act peculiarly at certain times due to problems with the hardware devices. The easiest way to resolve such troubles is by shutting it down and letting it remain off for a few minutes 8. In most cases, after putting it on the errors will have vanished. If the computer is unresponsive, the user should check the power cable and the wall socket and ensure that they are all functioning properly. Every computer will require a fun to operate, and hence if it is not working properly, the computer will tend to work inaptly. The user should, therefore, check if the machine is blowing air through the fan. If it fails to rotate the fun, it indicates that no power is reaching the machine or either the fun is faulty. Checking the keyboard light will also indicate is the machine is booting correctly. If the lights do not show, the machine is likely to have a faulty motherboard, or either no power is entering the machine. If the fan blows, the keyboard lights are on and yet no display is shown on the monitor, the monitor cable should be plugged out and re-plugged. Most computers will fail to show any display if the monitor has a problem or if the CPU has a problem. To differentiate between the two possibilities, the computer should be restarted, and signals on both the monitor and the CPU checked. If the CPU displays power lights and no signal is on the monitor, the user should know that their monitor has a problem. Alternatively, if the CPU does not show any power lights, the first repairs should be done to the CPU before interfering with the monitor. When the printer is not working correctly, the first solution is to check if its power cable is well connected. One should check both its connection on the PC and the wall sockets. If the all the cables are well connected, the next option is to test if the printer can print a windows test page. If it fails to print it out, the user should check if there is a paper jam and if all is correct, it is recommended that the printer should be checked by a printer repair expert. If the computer fails to read a CD, the first step is checking whether the CD is placed correctly (label facing up). If it is correctly placed, the user should try another CD or either try the same CD in another CDROM drive9. If no solution is found, it if advisable to clean the CDROM lens so as to clear dirt that could be a problem. The final solution is replacing the CDROM drive or taking it to a specialist for repairs. Problems with the keyboard are mainly caused by liquid spilling on it or accumulated solid dirt. If the keyboard happened to come into contact with water, it advisable that it is turned upside down for a period of 8 hours and should not be plugged into the computer. The keyboard should then be cleaned using alcohol. If the keyboard displays error messages on the monitor, the computer should be turned off. If the problem remains, the user should contact the manufacturer or service provider. If the mouse does not respond correctly, the user should plug it out of the machine and re-plug it. This should be followed by restarting the computer. The mouse will tend to malfunction if the computers as insufficient memory. It such a case, the user should delete some information to create room for mouse operation. The mouse could also malfunction as a result of wrong surfaces or either dirt on the mouse. For roller ball mouse, the ball should be cleaned well. If the screen appears black, the common causes could either be undersized icons or wrong display setting. Differentiating between software and hardware problem Most hardware and software problems indicate similar symptoms, and it may prove challenging to track down the source of error. When the computer runs very slow, it is a clear indicating that the problem is by heavy software or too many software overpowering the computer’s RAM 10. Hardware problems are unlikely to cause slow responses by the computer. When the computer shows a blue screen, it indicates that the drivers are not well installed. If all drivers are well installed and updates, such a problem could be caused by hardware devices11. Failure to boot can be both software and a hardware problem and hence troubleshooting should be done on both hardware devices and software. If files become constantly corrupted, the major problem is the hard drive. It may also cause delays during booting. Therefore, corrupt files and delayed booting should indicate a hardware problem. If the machine fails to boot completely, it may either be a software or a hardware problem. This is because the CPU could be faulty, or the OS could be faulty. Crashing of the computer depicts a software problem and software troubleshooting is recommended. Poor display or lack of display could be a software or hardware problem since it either originates from a failed monitor or lack of correct graphics. However, it worth noting that troubleshooting is a trial and error method and it is only certain if all possibilities are tested. The only sure way of distinguishing between software and hardware problem is restoring the computer back to default. This will require reinstalling the operating system and all the drivers. This process will eliminate all the software problems, and any malfunction will be due to hardware devices12. In conclusion, troubleshooting skills are essential to all computer users. They are important since they can help the user fix simple problems without incurring any costs. Bibliography Bigelow, Stephen J. Troubleshooting and Repairing Computers .New York: TAB Books, 1996. Byrd, Michael, Jim Pearson, and Robert A. Saigh. Handbook of Computer Troubleshooting. Chicago: Glenlake, 2001. Gookin, Dan. Troubleshooting & maintaining your PC. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Pub. 2009 Graves, Michael. A+ guide to PC hardware maintenance and repair. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson/Delmar Learning. 2005 Easton, Andrew. Computer Troubleshooting. London: Dorling Kindersley, 2000 Kersey, Roger. Personal Computer Operation and Troubleshooting. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1999. Maguire, Byron W. Handbook of Computer Maintenance and Troubleshooting. Reston, Va: Reston Pub. Co, 2003. Meyers, Mill. Introduction to PC hardware and troubleshooting. New York, NY: McGraw- Hill/Osborne.2003 Taylor, Ed. Troubleshooting Handbook. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1999 Read More