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Troubleshootingfor the
Non-technician
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Module Objectives
Identify common symptoms and problemsassociated with computer malfunctions.
Isolate the source of problem through
basic troubleshooting techniques. Identify care and service techniques and
common problems with primary printertypes.
Develop a preventive maintenanceschedule for the computers in yourclassroom.
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Essential Questions
How have technical problems in the
classroom limited your ability to teach
with technology?
Is it appropriate to troubleshoot technical
problems during class time?
Have you established a maintenance
schedule for the computers in yourclassroom?
Are your students involved?
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Basic Troubleshooting
Methodology
Zero in on an area.
Build a foundation.
Work up to the problem. Repair/Replace.
Zero InBuild
Foundation
Work up to
Problem
Repair/
Replace
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The Dirty Dozen
1. Power
2. Connectivity
3. Boot Firmware
4. Memory Chips
5. Storage
6. I/O
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The Dirty Dozen (contd)
7. Operating System
8. Device Drivers/TSRs
9. Memory Management10. Application Specific
11. Configure/Setup
12. Viruses
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Power
The aspects that get electrical service
to the devices that need them.
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What is under Power?
Electric company
Fuse box
Wiring
Plugs/Cords
Power supply
Connections to
devices
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The Clues
Dead PC
Intermittent errors
Intermittent lockups
Device not working/not found
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Connectivity
The aspects that
physically connectsinternal components and
peripheral devices and
allows for communication
within a computer system.
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What is under
Connectivity?
External cables
Internal cables
Properly seated cards
Properly seated memory
chips and boards
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Connectivity
Electronic signals
are sent from
devices installed ona computer through
internal and
external cables .
External cablesconnect peripheral
devices via a PORT.
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Connectivity
Both the keyboard and mouse are connected
directly to a computer systems motherboard.
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Connectivity Ports
A PORT is similar to a telephone jack. It allowsfor two communication between a peripheraldevice and computer system.
Different types of PORTS are used to connectvarious peripheral devices:
Parallel ports transfers data over eight datalines simultaneously at speeds of 12,000
Kbps. Primarily used to connect printers, scanners,
and external drives, such as a Zip drive.
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Connectivity Ports(contd)
Serial Ports send data
one bit at a time with
maximum data transfer
rate of 56 Kbps.
Primarily used to
connect dial-up
modems or a serialmouse.
See the Resources more about serial ports and modems.
http://web2.unt.edu/weblibrary/links/link.php?id=73http://web2.unt.edu/weblibrary/links/link.php?id=738/12/2019 trblsht
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Connectivity Ports(contd)
Monitors connect to
a graphics card via avideo or VGA port.
Check out the side-by-side graphic of a variety of different ports.
http://web2.unt.edu/weblibrary/links/link.php?id=74http://web2.unt.edu/weblibrary/links/link.php?id=74http://web2.unt.edu/weblibrary/links/link.php?id=74http://web2.unt.edu/weblibrary/links/link.php?id=74http://web2.unt.edu/weblibrary/links/link.php?id=74http://web2.unt.edu/weblibrary/links/link.php?id=748/12/2019 trblsht
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Connectivity Ports(contd)
Networked computers
require an expansion
card called a networkinterface card or NIC.
Check the Resources for more on networking components.
http://web2.unt.edu/weblibrary/links/link.php?id=75http://web2.unt.edu/weblibrary/links/link.php?id=758/12/2019 trblsht
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Connectivity
Internal Cables
There are a variety of
connections inside the boxthat are just as important!
Great, look at the internal components of a computer system.
http://web2.unt.edu/weblibrary/links/link.php?id=76http://web2.unt.edu/weblibrary/links/link.php?id=768/12/2019 trblsht
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Connectivity
Internal Cables
The power supply inside
the computer system boxprovides connections andpower to all of the internaldevices and components,
i.e., motherboard, harddrive, and floppy drive.
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Connectivity
Internal Cables
Different types of powersupply connectors are
used to connect
different devices.
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The Clues
Device not working
Device not found
Intermittent errors
on device
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Dust: Enemy #1
Cleaning your mouse or track ball on a
regular basis is important to maintain
proper functioning.
The ball inside the
mouse can be
cleaned with soapand water.
Find out more about cleaning your mouse and other components.
http://web2.unt.edu/weblibrary/links/link.php?id=77http://web2.unt.edu/weblibrary/links/link.php?id=778/12/2019 trblsht
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Dust: Enemy #1
Found out more about how the mouse works
and the different types available.
http://web2.unt.edu/weblibrary/links/link.php?id=78http://web2.unt.edu/weblibrary/links/link.php?id=788/12/2019 trblsht
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More Mouse Tips
Click on Start button.
Point to Settings.
Click on Control Panel.
Double click on Mouse.
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Mouse Properties
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Boot Firmware
The POST, BIOS routines, and CMOSsettings and the chips that store them.
Wh i d
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9808/03/ibm.chip.advances/chips.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9808/03/ibm.chip.advances/&h=168&w=220&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcomputer%2Bchips%2B%26num%3D20%26hl%3Den8/12/2019 trblsht
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What is under
Boot Firmware?
Boot ROM
CMOS and CMOS settings
CMOS battery
Flash ROM
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Boot Firmware
POSTPower on Self Test.
Routine is run by computer system
every time it boots up to test its
ability to access internal
components and devices.
Feedback is given to user through
a series of beeps.
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The Clues
Dead PC
Consistent errors on POST
Beep errors
CMOS error
Core devices: error on boot
RAM
Hard drive
Floppy drive
Video
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Memory Chips
The DRAM and SRAM chips as well as the
jumper and CMOS settings that support
memory.
Wh t i d
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What is under
Memory Chips?
Proper type of RAM
Proper setup of RAM
RAM CMOS settings
Motherboard jumpers
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The Clues
Dead PC
Parity errors
Page Faults with consistent
memory addresses
HIMEM.SYS errors
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Memory Management
Organizing and optimizing
the use of memory.
http://nicewww.cern.ch/~hmuller/~HMULLER/OIMAGES/PHOTOS/SCIswitch.jpg8/12/2019 trblsht
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What is under
Memory
Management? Himem.sys
EMM386.exe
MSDOS.sys option (Win95 only) SYSTEM.INI / WIN.INI
Virtual memory
Windows resource usage UMB management
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The Clues
Errors with Not enough
memory?
Missing XMS, EMS memory
Device lockups
GPFs at KRNL386.EXE
GPFs at USER.EXE or
GDI.EXE
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Device Drivers
Device drivers and theirconfiguration.
Device drivers are
software that enable anoperating system tocontrol a peripheraldevice.
What is under
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What is under
Device Drivers?
All device drivers must be referenced inconfig.sys, system.ini or the registry.
Proper versions.
Driver must correspond to correctperipheral device and correct operatingsystem.
New drivers are usually available on
support or download page frommanufacturers website.
Proper configuration.
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The Clues
Device locks up on access
Intermittent lockups
Consistent lockup atCONFIG.SYS or
AUTOEXEC.BAT
Safe Mode
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Input / Output
The aspects which allow devices
to speak to each other.
What is under
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=www.arcadeshop.com/konghs/hs2a-jumper-jr.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.arcadeshop.com/konghs/konghighscorekitinstallation.htm&h=480&w=640&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcard%2Bjumper%26num%3D20%26hl%3Den8/12/2019 trblsht
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What is under
Input/Output?
IRQ settings
I/O address settings
DMA settings
Serial port settings
Parallel port settings
Any card jumpers/switches
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Printer Output
Is your printer turned on?
Is the correct version of thedevice driver installed?
Common problem if youmove printer betweendifferent computers.
Check manufacturers
website for FrequentlyAsked Questions or FAQs
for help in troubleshootingspecific models.
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Printer Output
Problems inherent to
inkjet or bubble jet
printers.
Dried up ink cartridges. One color used up in tri-
color cartridge.
When shades of onecolor will not print
Large capacity
cartridges available
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Printer Output
More problems with inkjet printers
Head alignment.
Printer should come with software thatcan fix some alignment problems. Try
this first!
Next stop - the printer technician.
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Printer Output
Laser Printers
Many mechanisms for printing witha laser printer are housed within
the print cartridge.
Try changing the cartridge first!
Laser printers are rated by howmany pages each cartridge willprint.
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The Clues
System lockups
Device not responding
Bizarre behavior from devices
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Maintenance
System tools for Windows based PCs.
ScanDisk
Disk Defragmenter
Disk Cleanup
These tools should be used as part of a
regular maintenance program to keepyour system running at optimum levels.
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Maintenance
All of these utilities can be
opened from the Start menu.
Click on START.
Point to Programs.
Point to Accessories.
Point to System Tools.
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Maintenance 18:20.0
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Maintenance
ScanDisk
A utility program that will check
the hard disk drive for errors. Tries to fix bad sector
problems on hard drive.
May fix corrupted files.
May fix file linking errors.
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Maintenance
Disk Defragmenter
As you create and store files or install
programs to a drive, the data is written tothe next available cluster on the storagedevice.
Clusters are rarely contiguous resulting
in file fragments being stored in variousclusters.
An article with examples of a fragmented disk is in Resources.
http://web2.unt.edu/weblibrary/links/link.php?id=79http://web2.unt.edu/weblibrary/links/link.php?id=798/12/2019 trblsht
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Maintenance
Disk Defragmenter
Uninstalling programs and deleting
files increases fragmentation ofstorage device.
Drive performance declines as it hasto work harder to locate clusters
containing parts of a file.
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Maintenance
Disk Cleanup
Recycle bin is an option of Windows based
computer systems. Deleted files are automatically moved to
Recycle bin, unless changes are made to
default.
Recycle bin should be emptied
periodically.
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Maintenance
Disk Cleanup
Temporary files are
created by: Operating system
during installation ofsoftware applications
Software applicationsthemselves
Browsing the Internet
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Maintenance
Disk Cleanup
Internet browser software, like Netscape
Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer,download pages and graphics to your hard
drive as you surf the Web.
These files are stored ina cache or temporary directory
for faster access to the information.
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Maintenance
Several Types of Backups
Full backup copies every application
and data file on a storage device. Safest backup method.
Takes a long time to complete.
Specific utility programs helpsautomate process and run overnight.
Used mostly in business.
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Maintenance
Several Types of Backups
An incremental backup copies only
the files that have changed. Most often used by individuals.
Takes less time to create.
A regular backup schedule is part ofa good computer maintenance plan.
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Maintenance
Documentation
Make sure you get a manual with
every new hardware or softwarepurchase.
Keep manuals and software disks
together in a safe place.
Keep a backup copy of allsoftware someplace else.
B ild F d i
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Build a Foundation
Good maintenance programs will
reduce need for troubleshooting.
Keep documentation to aid in
troubleshooting efforts. Eliminate obvious sources of
problems first:
Power Connectivity
B ild F d ti
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Build a Foundation
Zero in on problem by eliminating
possible causes one at a time.
Once the problem is zeroed in,
replace or reinstall.
It takes more than one try to enact
most repairs.
By far, the easiest part.