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5 Basic Steps for Troubleshooting Any Computer Problems

 

Most professionals will tell you that five steps do not even come close to explaining the entire troubleshooting process, and they are (mostly) right. But I am not teaching you how to troubleshoot computers on a professional level, rather I am showing you how the troubleshooting process works so as you learn, you can develop your own troubleshooting method.

 

1. Identify The ProblemNow you might think that this is an obvious step but sometimes it is overlooked or not done properly. First off, you break the problem into one of two categories, either Hardware or Software. This is done by eliminating all possible causes of one section then the other or simply figuring out what an error message says. So an error message with a path to a program file is probably a software problem, while numerous beeps emitting from your computer during the POST is probably a hardware problem.

 

2. Make A PlanSo you think you have identified the problem. You probably have, but remember, these problems might not be so straightforward as they seem. You want to create a plan on how you are going to fix it. For a simple computer problem, it can just be a little game plan in you head nothing fancy. Make a list of your possible causes and solutions to fix them. Then think ahead, and figure out what to do if those solutions fail. Or if other problems arise.

 

3. Prepare Your ArsenalYou have a list of probable causes and possible solutions, so now you need to gather the tools and programs you are going to use to fix this problem. If you do not do this often, you will probably have to go around downloading all the tools you need. Many people who do this often usually carry around a USB flash drive with various tools, programs and sometimes even a couple of operating systems. Some of my favorite tools are Hijack This , Defraggler , Ccleaner and Malwarebytes. I usually like to have a linux OS on my flash drive as well, either Backtrack or a rescue OS. Don't forget to include anti-virus software if there isn't one already on the computer. Remember, system utilities are still a vital part of any troubleshooting process.

 

4. Attack!Everything is now setup, you are ready to start the process of rescuing your computer. get to it!Remember: go slowly and make sure you are doing everything correctly.

 

5. Double CheckSo now that you have removed all the problems on your system, you should now make sure everything works correctly. Restart several times while checking to make sure anything and everything is working properly. Sometimes you might encounter a problem that you think you've fixed only to realized you broke something else in the process. Open all the programs you normally use, and keep your eyes open for any weird behavior or signs of another problem.There you go, the basic troubleshooting process that I use for fixing computer problems. I hope this aids you in understanding how computers work.

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