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Troubleshooting Interview

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Contents

Troubleshooting Interview Questions for Freshers


1. Mention some common networking issues.
2. Define the Network Troubleshooting Procedure.
3. What is the difference between a Router, a Switch, and a Hub?
4. What is netstat utility?
5. What exactly is a Domain? What is the difference between a Workgroup and a
Domain?
6. What do you know about Ping?
7. What do you know about the protocol analyzer?
8. What do you understand about Safe Mode?
9. Name three steps you'd take to troubleshoot a problem with an FTP server.
10. A computer that is linked to switch port 23. The switch has figured out the PC's
mac address. The port is now closed. Will the mac address be retained by the
switch?
11. To troubleshoot CPU performance issues, an administrator tries to run esxtop by
enabling SSH and using putty, but no output is produced. What is the best way
to solve this problem?
12. When debugging a VM's CPU performance difficulties, which counters will be
used to indicate CPU contention?
13. Assume a virtual machine is turned off abruptly. To troubleshoot the issue,
which VM log files should be considered?
14. How would you prevent and troubleshoot internet browser crashes and freezes?
15. What is BIOS?
16. What should you do if you can't download a critical file because it's too large?

Troubleshooting Interview Questions for


Experienced
Page
17. 1How would you fix the ‘No Signal Input’ error on your screen?
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18. An organisation's administrator is unable to telnet to a router that is located 10
hops away from the admin PC. What tool can be used to locate the point where
Troubleshooting Interview Questions
the connection is lost? Explain more about the command.

Troubleshooting Interview Questions for


Experienced (.....Continued)

19. An ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) router connects a PC to the


internet. The DNS server IP address is specified on the ADSL router. Is it
necessary to configure the DNS server IP address on the computer to access the
internet?
20. How would you resolve DNS issues?
21. A customer requests your assistance in determining why a piece of so ware or
utility fails to load or loads with an error. So, how would you help?
22. Can one recover data from a dead PC?
23. Under what circumstances can you not convert a basic disc to a dynamic disc?
24. Discuss the best Network Troubleshooting Practices.
25. What are upper layer faults and how do you rectify them?
26. How to troubleshoot IP related problems?
27. How to troubleshoot local connectivity issues?
28. What does the term "disc error" mean, and how would you respond if you
received this message?
29. Explain differential backup vs incremental backup.
30. Why is it important to test your computer’s RAM? How can you do it?
31. A consumer claims that their Windows restarts at random intervals. What are
your thoughts on this, and how would you solve the problem?

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Let's get Started
Introduction
It is a popular notion that if you do not encounter any hurdles or problems in your
efforts to keep your business running well, something is wrong. That is how issues in
the workplace are unavoidable.
Today's businesses are increasingly reliant on IT techniques. Unfortunately, many
firms do not devote enough attention to IT issues that may have an impact on their
business processes and security. Taking a few simple steps can assist solve a range of
problems while also reducing risks, downtime, and troubleshooting.

What is Troubleshooting?

The process of discovering, planning, and resolving a problem, error, or fault in the
so ware, computer system or any other device is known as troubleshooting. When a
computer or so ware becomes faulty, unresponsive, or behaves abnormally, it can be
repaired and restored. Troubleshooting is used to keep a system or so ware in the
desired state, particularly when it encounters or exhibits a problem. It is a methodical
strategy that is carried out in one or more phases, depending on the problem's
complexity. Identifying the problem is usually the first stage, followed by devising a
solution to address the issue and finally putting that solution into action. However,
there may be multiple causes for the problem, necessitating a more involved
treatment.

Troubleshooting Interview Questions for Freshers


1. Mention some common networking issues.
Some common networking issues are:

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

Problem with the cable: The cable that connects two devices can become
defective, shorter, or physically damaged.
Connectivity Issue: The port or interface to which the device is attached or
configured may be physically down or malfunctioning, preventing
communication between the source and destination hosts.
Incorrect configurations: Network faults and service disruptions can occur as a
result of incorrect configuration, IP looping, routing problems, and other
configuration difficulties.
So ware Issue: The transmission of IP data packets between the source and
destination is disrupted due to so ware compatibility difficulties and version
mismatches.
Traffic overload: When a network (or a portion of a network) or a network node
is overburdened with data, this is known as network congestion. Every network
has a limit on the amount of data it can manage. This capacity establishes a limit
on how much bandwidth and traffic your network can handle before
performance suffers.
Network IP problems: The source will be unable to reach the target IP over the
network due to poor configuration of IP addresses, subnet masks, and routing IP
to the next hop.

2. Define the Network Troubleshooting Procedure.


The combined measurements and processes used to discover, diagnose, and address
problems in a computer network are referred to as network troubleshooting. It's a
logical procedure used by network engineers to address network issues and increase
network performance.
Before you begin troubleshooting any problem, you should have a clear grasp of
what the issue is, how it arose, who it affects, and how long it has been present. You'll
have a far higher chance of addressing the problem quickly if you acquire the proper
facts and clarify the problem, rather than wasting time on useless fixes. To assist
diagnose and fixing the issue, you can always start troubleshooting with these simple
network troubleshooting procedures.

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

Hardware Inspection: To begin, inspect the hardware that is installed on a


computer, server, laptop, or other similar devices to ensure that it is connected,
switched on, and operational. Sometimes the issue is as simple as a loose cord, a
router that has shut down, or an unplugged cord; in these circumstances,
network troubleshooting is unnecessary. Other basic methods for debugging
network hardware can be followed.
Perhaps turning the gadget on and off or leaving it off for sixty seconds will cure
the problem. Cycling at a high intensity is also a good way to do so.
Ipconfig: Ipconfig can be used to display TCP/IP network configuration values,
discard a device's current IP and DHCP settings, and refresh a device's DHCP
settings. Type ipconfig into the terminal from the command prompt. You may
get your default gateway and IP address, but if it starts with 169, it won't get a
genuine IP address. In some circumstances, using "ipconfig/renew" to request a
new one would solve the problem. If you acquire your IP address through an
ethernet cable, the problem is with the router rather than the network.
Ping and Tracert: The "ping" command lets you send a signal to another device,
which, if it is operational, will respond with a response to the sender. The "ping"
command employs a "echo request," which is a component of the ICMP (Internet
Control Message Protocol). When you ping a device, you're sending out an echo
request, and you'll get an echo back if the device is active or online. Tracert
command displays all of a packet's steps on its way to its destination.
If the IP address is correct without ethernet, the issue is most likely between
your router and the internet. This is the moment to use ping to check if larger
servers can connect to your router. If this is unable to connect to your router,
there may be an issue. Tracert, which bounces between your router and server’s
DNS, can also be used to track the problem. We can pinpoint the exact site of the
issue, and if the error occurs early, the issue may be with your local network.
DNS Check: Use nslookup command to see if the server you're using has any
issues. The nslookup command retrieves DNS records for a domain name or an
IP address. Remember that DNS servers contain IP addresses and domain
names, therefore the nslookup command allows you to query DNS records for
information. If you see terms like "timed out," "service failure," "refused," or
"network is unreachable" on your screen, the issue is with the DNS rather than
your network. To find the precise IP address(es) associated with a domain name,
use the nslookup command. There is a DNS problem if this utility is unable to
resolve this information. Along with simple lookup, the nslookup tool can query
specific DNS servers to discover if there is a problem with the host's default DNS

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

3. What is the difference between a Router, a Switch, and a Hub?

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

Hub (layer 1 Device):


Hubs, also known as repeaters, are network devices that operate on layer 1
(the physical layer) to connect network devices for communication.
A hub is a basic and inexpensive networking device that connects a group of
computers to a single network. When a hub receives a data packet (an
Ethernet frame) at one of its ports, it broadcasts (repeats) the packet to all
of its ports, which includes all other network devices. When two network
devices on the same network try to send packets at the same time, a
collision occurs.
Hub is a network monitoring tool. They're also employed to give
connectivity in businesses. It can be used to create a device that can be
accessed from anywhere on the network.
Switch (layer 2 Device):
Switches are network devices that communicate at the OSI model's layer 2
(data link layer)
Switches are also known as intelligent hubs. A device in a network that
filters and forwards packets between LAN segments is a switch. Switches
work at the data connection layer (layer 2) of the OSI Reference Model, as
well as the network layer occasionally (layer 3).
It enables multiple connections of many devices in the same network, as
well as port and VLAN security settings administration.
Switch is o en used to connect numerous nodes in local area networks. A
switch, like a bridge, uses the same forwarding or filtering logic on each
port. When a network host or switch sends a message to another network
host or switch, the switch receives the frames and decodes them to read
the message's physical (MAC) address component. A switch divides a LAN
into numerous collision zones, each with its own broadband connection,
allowing the LAN's bandwidth to be significantly increased.
Router (Layer 3 Device):
Routers are network devices that operate at the OSI Layer 3 level of
communication. Because layer-3 protocols have access to logical
addresses( IP addresses), routers can send data across networks . Routers
are sometimes known as Layer-3 switches.
Router is a data packet forwarding network device. A router connects at
least two networks, typically two LANs or WANs, or a LAN and its ISPs
network and determines how to send each data packet based on its current
network status Its main goal is to use adaptive and non adaptive routing to
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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

4. What is netstat utility?


This command is commonly used for incoming and outgoing connections, routing
tables, port listening, and use statistics. The netstat command creates graphs that
illustrate network and protocol statistics. In table format, you can see the status of
TCP and UDP endpoints, as well as routing table and interface information. For
example, while checking the status of a host's listening port or seeing whether
remote hosts are connected to a local host on a given port, the netstat command is
used. The netstat utility can also be used to detect whether services on a host are
associated with specific active ports.

5. What exactly is a Domain? What is the difference between a


Workgroup and a Domain?
A domain is a type of computer network in which all user accounts, computers,
printers, and other security principles are registered with a central database that is
located on one or more domain controller clusters. A workgroup, on the other hand,
is a peer-to-peer LAN that allows computers to share files and printers. Computers
and other networking devices can all be part of a domain or workgroup. Each
arrangement, however, has a different method of managing network resources.
The primary distinction between a domain and a workgroup is that in a domain,
network managers utilise servers to govern all computers on the domain, but in a
workgroup, no computer has control over another. Furthermore, devices in a domain
can be connected to many local networks, whereas in a workgroup, all devices are
part of the same LAN or subnet.

6. What do you know about Ping?


A Ping is a tool for determining whether or not an IP address is connected to another
TCP/IP computer. It's a piece of computer network administration so ware that
checks a host's reach on an Internet Protocol network. It's compatible with almost
any operating system that has networking capabilities, as well as the majority of
embedded network administration applications.

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

The PING utility validates reachability to the remote end's destination host using IP
ICMP echo request and echoes reply messages. The reception of related echo Reply
messages, as well as round-trip times, are displayed. The most used TCP/IP command
for troubleshooting connectivity, reachability, and name resolution is ping. It
contains two messages: the first is whether the data packet is capable of sending and
receiving messages from the destination IP address, and the second is the process'
RTT time (RTT means round trip time and is calculated in milliseconds).

7. What do you know about the protocol analyzer?


A Protocol analyzer is a sophisticated tool for locating network problems. It is the
so ware that intercepts and records the flow of data packets between the source and
the destination. For example, if the system is slow, it can check for latency difficulties
and other networking issues, which will aid in the diagnosis of the main cause.

8. What do you understand about Safe Mode?

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

OS settings or other system issues might cause some program faults. Safe Mode is a
troubleshooting environment available in both Windows and Mac operating systems.
Safe Mode disables non-essential applications and processes, allowing you to isolate
problems more easily. Whenever your system is in Safe Mode, run the troublesome
so ware and try to reproduce the issue you were experiencing while it was in regular
mode. If you don't experience the same issue in safe mode, it's likely that the
problem is exacerbated by your operating system or another so ware rather than the
application you're debugging.

9. Name three steps you'd take to troubleshoot a problem with


an FTP server.
The three steps you'd take to troubleshoot a problem with an FTP server are:
Ping can be used to test basic connectivity. The "ping" command uses a "echo
request," which is an ICMP component (Internet Control Message Protocol).
When you ping a device, you're making an echo request, and if the device is
active or online, you'll get an echo back.
Use Nmap to see if the ports are open (20 and 21). The Nmap hosted security
tool can assist you in determining the effectiveness of your firewall and security
settings. Ports are numbered addresses for network communication on current
operating systems. By default, different types of services use distinct ports.
Because port configuration might pose a security risk, knowing which ports are
open and which are blocked is crucial.
Check to see if the server's traffic is being restricted by a firewall.

10. A computer that is linked to switch port 23. The switch has
figured out the PC's mac address. The port is now closed.
Will the mac address be retained by the switch?
The mac-address will not be retained by the switch. A database is maintained in the
switch where the mac address is stored. When the port is turned off, the mac address
is removed from the switch's mac-address database.

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

11. To troubleshoot CPU performance issues, an administrator


tries to run esxtop by enabling SSH and using putty, but no
output is produced. What is the best way to solve this
problem?
Press f and place an asterisk next to each field that should be displayed in ESXTOP to
display output.
Esxtop displays status information for the physical server running an ESX Server. It
displays CPU and memory use for each physical processor, as well as disc and
network bandwidth for each network and disc device connected to the ESX Server
system.

12. When debugging a VM's CPU performance difficulties, which


counters will be used to indicate CPU contention?
The ESXTOP tool is used to evaluate the memory, CPU, and network utilisation of an
ESXi host. It's an excellent tool for VMware admins to employ when dealing with
performance concerns. To set up ESXTOP, you'll need the vSphere Client, as well as
putty and SSH sessions. CPU performance is measured using the counters percent
RDY, percent MLMTD, and percent CSTP.

13. Assume a virtual machine is turned off abruptly. To


troubleshoot the issue, which VM log files should be
considered?
If this occurs, an administrator should investigate the problem by looking at the
vmware.log and hostd.log log files. Vmare.log log files keeps track of virtual machine
and ESX host activity and the agent that manages and configures the ESXi host and
its virtual machines is described in the hostd.log log files.

14. How would you prevent and troubleshoot internet browser


crashes and freezes?
Several troubleshooting tips are recommended by Google, Mozilla, and Microso to
assist you to figure out why your Internet browser fails.

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

Mozilla, Google, and Microso distribute updates for their browsers Firefox,
Chrome, and Internet Explorer regularly. These upgrades correct issues while
also improving browser stability and security. Therefore, older versions should
be updated from time to time.
Add-ons make your online experience better, but incompatible add-ons may
crash your browser. It's tough to know which of your add-ons is creating issues if
you have a lot of them. All add-ons are momentarily disabled when you run your
browser in safe mode. If your browser doesn't crash in safe mode, one of your
add-ons is likely to blame. To discover the conflicting add-on, disable all one at a
time.
Malware might crash your browser at any time or when you access specific
websites. Malware can reroute your Internet searches or perhaps even take full
control of your browser. To scan for malware on your computer, Microso
suggests using the Microso Security Scanner and antivirus.
Reset the browser to its default state if all other troubleshooting methods have
failed.

15. What is BIOS?

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

One of the most prevalent applications of Flash memory is for your computer's basic
input/output system, sometimes known as the BIOS. When a computer is turned on,
the BIOS allows it to do specific tasks right away. The BIOS' primary function is to
control the early phases of a computer's starting process, guaranteeing that the
operating system is loaded appropriately into memory. BIOS is vital to the
functioning of most computers today, and understanding it can help you
troubleshoot problems with your machine.

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

The Power On Self Test is the first thing the BIOS does once you turn on your
computer. The BIOS examines the computer's hardware at the POST to ensure
that it can complete the startup procedure. When a POST is successfully
finished, the system normally emits a beep. However, if the attempt fails, the
system usually produces a sequence of beeps. The quantity, duration, and
pattern of such sounds can help you figure out why the test failed.
A er the POST, the BIOS tries to load the operating system using a program
called a bootstrap loader, which is made to look for any available operating
systems and load them into memory if one is discovered. At this stage, the BIOS
drivers are also loaded. These are programs that allow the computer to control
hardware devices simply.
In addition to computer security, the BIOS can play a role. The boot process can
be password-protected in most BIOS so ware versions, which means you must
provide a password before any BIOS action can take place. Because the BIOS
performs nearly all of its duties during startup, the entire computer is effectively
password-protected. Resetting a forgotten BIOS password, on the other hand,
can be time-consuming and need access to some of the computer's highly
sensitive components.
The BIOS so ware is usually stored on a Read-Only Memory (ROM) or a flash
memory chip connected to the motherboard of your computer. Because the
BIOS so ware is the first to take control of the system when you switch it on, the
position of the BIOS program on the chip is critical. Your computer's CPU would
just not know where to find the BIOS if it wasn't constantly in the same position
on the same chip, and the boot process would fail.

16. What should you do if you can't download a critical file


because it's too large?
The issue of a file being too large for a USB drive can be solved quite easily by
changing the file system of the detachable drive from FAT32 to a more current
system, such as exFAT or NTFS.

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

Before you begin, examine the USB drive you're about to change for any vital files
you own, and if it does, copy them to a separate location (such as the PC or a
different removable drive). This is important since changing a drive's file system will
wipe all of its contents. If you're unsure, go with exFAT: it has better support from
non-Windows device manufacturers, so if you wish to use the USB drive with either a
Mac or Linux computer, possibilities are they'll be able to open the contents without
any additional adjusting. If you plan to use the drives with older Windows PCs, such as
Windows XP, choose NFTS instead of exFAT because exFAT is a newer format that the
older computer may not recognise.

Troubleshooting Interview Questions for


Experienced
17. How would you fix the ‘No Signal Input’ error on your
screen?
The most common fixes for the the ‘No Signal Input’ error on your screen are:

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

Power and Cabling Issues: This may seem self-evident, but the solution could
be as simple as double-checking all electrical connections and ensuring the
input device is turned on. Make sure your video monitor cable or HDMI cable is
securely attached to the PC or other input device as well as the display. If you're
using a desktop tower computer, ensure it's turned on. Some PCs feature
cooling fans that spin and create noise even when the computer is not turned
on. Check that the power light is on and that the monitor and computer are
both connected to a power supply. If you ever discover that your monitor isn't
turning on properly, this is a superb method to employ. Examine the state of
your power cord. This display problem can be caused by a faulty power cord or
power strip. When working with a frayed or damaged power cord, use caution.
Source of Input is Incorrect: Make sure the correct input source is selected if
your monitor has multiple input channels. If you're using a video output or HDMI
cable to connect to a PC, make sure the monitor input is set to the correct
source, such as HDMI or Video. You can normally accomplish this by pushing the
menu button until you find the input button on the monitor's main menu or
control panel, then selecting the input button to cycle through the settings until
you obtain the correct video signal.
Setting the Monitor Resolution: If the monitor display resolutions are out of
sync with the input signal, some external display monitors will display no image
and an error message. The monitor may display a "no input signal" message if
your PC video card or graphics card is set to a display resolution higher than the
monitor's native display resolution. To find out what your monitor's maximum
and native resolutions are, look at its specifications. If you're not sure and have a
Windows PC, consider starting it in safe mode, which has a lower display
resolution.
Problems with Graphics Cards: If you're using a graphics card that can be
swapped out, check sure it's firmly seated in its slot. Before removing an internal
graphics card, make sure all cables are disconnected and the device is turned off.
A display device may produce an error message due to a faulty video card or an
incompatible video card driver. When a computer is turned on, never remove
the cover.
Experiment using a different cable or a computer: A damaged video cable is
also likely to be the source of the monitor's lack of signal. If the problem
persists, try connecting your monitor and PC with a fresh cable. If not, the
problem is due to a problem with your video cable. If the problem persists, try
connecting your monitor to a different computer. If your monitor still displays
th i l it' ibl th t th it i th f th
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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

18. An organisation's administrator is unable to telnet to a


router that is located 10 hops away from the admin PC.
What tool can be used to locate the point where the
connection is lost? Explain more about the command.
The admin can use the traceroute command-line tool to inspect the location where
packets are being dropped on the router.
Traceroute is a command-line tool used in real-time network troubleshooting to
determine the path data packets traverse across the internet to their destination
addresses. When you visit a website, the traffic must pass through multiple
intermediaries before it reaches the website. The traffic passes through your local
router, the routers of your Internet service provider, and onto larger networks,
among other things.
Traceroute shows us the path that visitors take to get to the website. It also shows
the length of time that each halt takes. If you're experiencing trouble accessing a
website that appears to be operational, there could be a problem somewhere along
the path between your computer and the website's servers. Traceroute would reveal
the source of the issue.
In more technical terms, traceroute uses the ICMP protocol to deliver a series of
packets (the same protocol used for the ping command.) The time-to-live (also
known as TTL, or hop limit) of the first packet is 1, the second packet is 2, and so on.
The TTL is reduced by one each time a packet is forwarded to a new router. The
packet is deleted when it reaches 0 and the router delivers an error message.
Traceroute ensures that each router in the path discards a packet and responds by
forwarding packets in this manner.

19. An ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) router


connects a PC to the internet. The DNS server IP address is
specified on the ADSL router. Is it necessary to configure the
DNS server IP address on the computer to access the
internet?

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

It is necessary to configure the DNS server IP address on the machine. Take the case
of a person who wants to visit a website. When a user starts a browser and types the
website's URL name, a DNS resolution is required, in which the URL name is
submitted to a DNS server. The PC must start the DNS request, which necessitates the
configuration of the DNS server IP address on the PC. The DNS request will fail if the
PC does not recognise the DNS server IP address, and internet access will be lost.

20. How would you resolve DNS issues?


Following are some ways to resolve DNS issues:

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

Check your cords and connections: If you're using wired connections, double-
check that everything is correctly plugged in. If you're using a wireless network,
ensure sure it's turned on and connected. Check to see if your router is turned
on and working.
Rule out ISP problems: Make sure you're not having problems with your
Internet service provider by attempting to link with another device. If you can
directly connect to your ISP without going through the router, do so.
Reboot your router: Turn it back on a er a minute and wait till the indicator
lights cease blinking before attempting to connect.
Scan for malware: In some situations, a virus could be preventing you from
accessing the internet. In this instance, you may have more pressing concerns to
address before addressing IP connectivity.
Examine your TCP/IP settings: These options control how your computer
interacts with others. You could have recently updated these settings and
attempted to manually enter them. Find "Manage network connections" in your
computer's networking or control panel. Locate and tap on both IPv6 and IPv4
"Properties" under "Local Area Connections," "Properties." Make sure "Obtain
an IP address automatically" and "Obtain DNS servers address automatically"
are both checked.
Clean out your DNS cache: Your computer's DNS cache is where it saves
networking information from previous visits and efforts to connect to online
sites. The cache can get corrupted as a result of incorrect data. Type ipconfig
/flushdns into the command prompt to flush, or clear, this cache. The DNS cache
will now have to update the DNS information the next time you visit a website.
Obtain a new domain name: Is your website address functional but taking you
to an unfamiliar site? It's most possible that you neglected to renew the domain
name.
If necessary, update and reinstall the network adapter driver: When was the last
time you updated your drivers? This may be causing problems, especially if
you've upgraded your PC's hardware since purchasing it. You can fix DNS
problems by manually searching for network device driver updates and updating
them.
Switch to Google's public DNS servers: Google's servers are usually more
dependable and may be utilised without going via your ISP. You can change your
DNS servers to Google's by altering the following properties in your Internet
Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

21. A customer requests your assistance in determining why a


piece of so ware or utility fails to load or loads with an
error. So, how would you help?
Below are some of the things that you would need to check to troubleshoot the
so ware program:
Check to see if the program's or utility's developer has any fixes or updates
available. In some circumstances, the so ware program will need to be updated
to work properly on the computer.
When one executes the so ware or utility, one must ensure all other programs
are closed. If the so ware runs successfully a er all other programs have been
closed, there may be conflicts with other programs.
A er the program is installed, ensure the computer is rebooted at least once.
Some programs require a restart of the computer a er installation to function
properly.
Check that the date on the computer is correct. So ware may rely on the date in
various circumstances, and if the date is wrongly specified, it can cause
problems.
If the aforementioned suggestions fail to solve your problems, reinstall the
program or utility.
Your operating system may be the source of your so ware problem in some
circumstances. For this, basic operating system troubleshooting steps must be
followed.

22. Can one recover data from a dead PC?


Method 1: The system isn't always completely dead. Sometimes, it simply won't start
because of faulty or damaged system files, malware attacks, so ware problems, or
missing DLLs. In such instances, the BIOS utility built into the system can be used to
retrieve data. Follow the instructions below:

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

Connect the dead system to a USB drive (made with the Windows Media
Creation Tool).
Turn on your computer, press the F12 boot key to access the boot menu, and
select the USB installation media.
You will then be taken to the Automatic Repair setup.
It will say that the Automatic Repair failed to repair your computer, so select
Advanced options.
Click Troubleshoot->Advanced options-> Command Prompt.
The window for the Command Prompt appears. Hit Enter a er typing
notepad.exe.
Select File > Open from the File menu in Notepad.
Select This PC from the drop-down menu, then go to the files and folders you
want to recover.
To access them, change the file type to the 'ALL FILES' from txt.
Select the external disc from the Send to the menu by right-clicking on the
chosen file.
If the data is stored on the c: drive, however, this procedure may fail. With the new
Windows installation, the c: disc will be formatted permanently.
Method 2:
If your system won't start and you're worried about the loss of data, you can use the
dead PC's hard disc as an external drive and follow the steps below:
Remove the hard disc from the affected computer and attach it to a functional
computer. To utilise it as a hard drive, use a hard drive connector such as a SATA
to USB converter or an external Hard Drive Enclosure. Connect the hard drive to
the PC using an appropriate connector if the PC supports PATA/IDE 3.0.
Open Disk Management by right-clicking (or long-pressing) the Start button and
selecting disk management.
Assign a drive letter to the hard disc if the system recognises it but shows it as
RAW.
Method 3:

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When your system fails to boot and you attempt to repair it, you run the risk of losing
vital data. To avoid data loss, use reliable data recovery so ware to recover your
important system files, photographs, videos, and documents. These programs
provide a bootable recovery disc feature that enables you to recover data from
crashed, corrupted, formatted or non-bootable computers.

23. Under what circumstances can you not convert a basic disc
to a dynamic disc?
Dynamic discs are logical discs that can use several hard drives in the computer to
provide disc redundancy, mirroring, and improved performance and reliability.
Dynamic discs are a type of volume management that permits volumes on one or
more physical discs to have noncontiguous extents.
It is not possible to transform every standard hard disc into a dynamic disc.
Removable media, such as ZIP and Jaz discs, for example, cannot be transformed
into dynamic discs. The explanation for this is straightforward. A dynamic disc is a
storage device that can span many drives. The volume would be broken if it spanned
a detachable disc and the disc was eliminated from the system.
If the basic disc is on a laptop computer, it cannot be turned into a dynamic disc. This
can be due to a variety of factors. You ought not to be running Windows Server 2003
on a laptop in the first place. Second, the majority of laptops have only one hard
drive. Dynamic discs would provide no benefit to a system with a single hard drive.
Third, when a laptop has multiple hard drives, one of them is frequently located in a
docking station. A dynamic disc volume that encompassed the device's internal hard
drive, as well as the docking station's hard drive would indeed be damaged if you
removed your laptop from the docking station.
Clustered servers are the third case in which a basic disc cannot be transformed into
a dynamic disc. The final criteria about basic drives that cannot be transformed are
that any hard disc with a sector size bigger than 512 bytes can't be converted (albeit
this is unlikely). Cluster sizes larger than 512 bytes are possible, but not sectors.

24. Discuss the best Network Troubleshooting Practices.

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

It is also crucial to have some best practices in place to make troubleshooting as


speedy and painless as possible. Following these best network troubleshooting
practices as you strive to resolve network issues will help speed up the process and
minimise superfluous or repeating efforts.

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Gather facts about network and network problems: To provide the greatest
help to your end consumers, you must first determine what the issue is. Collect
enough information from the people who are having network problems as well
as the network itself to be able to duplicate or diagnose the problem. Take
cautious not to confuse symptoms with the core cause, as what appears to be a
problem may be a symptom of a greater problem.
Logs can be customised: Make sure your event and security logs are set up to
provide you with the information you need to troubleshoot and analyse the root
cause. Each log should provide a clear explanation of the items or events being
tracked, as well as the date and time, as well as information about the report's
source (MAC or IP address).
Examine security and access: Check that no access or security concerns have
arisen by ensuring that all access permissions are as they should be and that no
one has tampered with a sensitive section of the network they weren't meant to.
Check that any firewalls, antivirus, and malware so ware are up to date and that
no security concerns are interfering with your users' ability to operate.
Adhere to an escalation protocol: There's nothing more irritating than going to
the IT help desk and getting routed to someone else, who then directs you to
someone else, who then refers you to someone else, and so on. Establish a clear
escalation system that identifies who is responsible for certain concerns, as well
as the last person in the chain who can be contacted for assistance. All of your
end customers should know who to contact if they have a problem, so they
don't waste time talking to five different people who can't help them.
Using monitoring tools: Manual troubleshooting is possible, however, it can
take a long time if you go through each step. It might be stressful to try to locate
the problem, let alone remedy it when you have a slew of individuals banging on
your office door or sending you frantic emails. It's best to employ monitoring
tools in commercial and corporate circumstances to ensure you're obtaining all
of the relevant network information and aren't missing anything crucial, not to
mention avoiding exposing the firm to excessive danger.

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

SolarWinds® Network Performance Monitor (NPM) is my preferred monitoring


so ware . It's a well-designed application with capabilities that help you debug
network issues quickly and thoroughly. NetPath network path analysis, which shows
your network topology and performance pathways, and PerfStack, which enables
you to compare multiple performance measures against each other as well as
historical data, are two more NPM capabilities. You can use these tools to see which
performance issues are linked and troubleshoot the root cause more quickly.

25. What are upper layer faults and how do you rectify them?
If you still can't find a solution a er examining physical connectivity, local
connectivity, IP connectivity, and routing issues, the fault could be in the transport
and application layer protocol.

A defect can occur for a variety of reasons:

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The data connection has been lost.


Incoming and outgoing traffic is blocked by a packet filter or firewall.
On the server, a specific service is unavailable.
Between the client and the server host, there could be an authentication and
access issue.
Issues with so ware incompatibility or mismatches between the source and
destination hosts.

26. How to troubleshoot IP related problems?


If we cannot reach the destination IP address and cannot identify a route to the next-
hop at any point in the network using the TCP/IP protocol suite, we will utilise the
PING and TRACEROUTE tools to diagnose the cause and location of the problem.
The following are some general steps to troubleshoot IP-related network issues:
To begin, identify the pair of devices between the source and destination hosts
that are experiencing connectivity issues.
The failure could be due to a physical connectivity issue once you've located the
devices using the tools. As a result, examine all of the physical connections along
the path.
If you work in a LAN network, there may be a problem with the LAN connectivity
as well. As a result, double-check your LAN connections. The local port may be
broken or unavailable, preventing the source from communicating with the
destination IP.
A router connectivity issue when travelling through numerous channels to reach
the destination could be one of the causes of the error. As a result, verify that the
router is appropriately defined at each intermediate hop.
Examine the configuration options.

27. How to troubleshoot local connectivity issues?


If you discover that there is a problem with LAN connectivity on a huge level, you
should take the following actions to identify the root cause and resolve it:

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Ping the destination IP if the destination and source have the same subnet
mask.
Otherwise, ping the router's gateway IP address if the destination is on a
different subnet mask.
If both pings fail, first verify the configuration settings to see if the subnet mask
and route to be taken to reach the target are properly defined in the routing
table.
Check if your source host can ping another hop in the LAN network other than
the destination host or route to that once you've completed the configuration
section and verified everything to be in order.
There could be a variety of reasons why you are unable to ping another device. It
could also be a setup problem, a physical connectivity problem, or a problem
with repetitious IP address entry.

28. What does the term "disc error" mean, and how would you
respond if you received this message?
When the computer BIOS cannot detect a bootable operating system on any of the
storage devices included in the notebook computer's boot path, the Non-System
Disk Error or Disk Error message appears.
Here are a few approaches that may be useful, and any of them may be the answer to
your problem.
Method 1: Examine all non-bootable storage media.
First and foremost, make a list of all non-bootable storage devices connected to the
computer and remove or detach them. When you connect many devices to a
computer, the system may have trouble determining which device has the OS loaded,
which can result in an error like this. As a result, disconnect all non-bootable external
devices.
Method 2: Check the IDE ( Integrated Drive Electronics ) or SATA ( Serial Advanced
Technology Attachment )cable on the HDD.

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If your hard disk's IDE or SATA cable is damaged or improperly attached, the system
may be unable to read the disc, resulting in the "non-system disc error." If the cable is
damaged or malfunctioning, simply reconnect it properly or purchase a new one.
If the HDD cable is in good shape and securely attached, but the error remains, it's
possible that the HDD on which Windows was installed is not set as the primary disc
in BIOS.
Method 3: If necessary, change the boot order.
Access the BIOS/UEFI environment on your PC and make sure the hard disc drive
you're trying to boot from is in the correct boot order settings, which should be at the
very top of the boot order list. To alter the boot order, follow these steps:
While the computer is restarting, press the key required to enter the BIOS or
UEFI setup screen (usually Esc, F2, F8, F10).
Select the Boot tab in BIOS with the arrow keys on the keyboard and give the
system drive the boot priority, which should be set at the top.
The mouse pointer can be used to specify the boot sequence in UEFI.
The BIOS/UEFI setup utility should be saved and exited. The computer will
reboot with the new settings in place.
Method 4: Reinstall the hard drive.
Another option for resolving this issue is to remove and reinstall the hard disc.
Steps:
Remove the power cable/charger from the PC and turn it off.
Then the battery should be removed (for laptops).
Disconnect the hard drive from the computer.
A er blowing out the dust, clean the hard disc using a dry rag.
Reconnect it to your computer.
Return the battery to its original position.
Connect the charger or power cable.
Restart the computer.
Method 5: Access hard drive and recover data from the hard disk without OS.

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Except for external influences, you must accept the fact that something went wrong
with the hard disc drive's boot files, which may have gotten damaged or corrupted,
and that fixing the HDD's boot sector, master boot record (), and boot configuration
data (BCD) must take effect.
Make a bootable Disk.
Proceed by booting from the bootable USB.
Recover data from a non-booting hard drive.

29. Explain differential backup vs incremental backup.


The fundamental distinction between incremental and differential backups is that
incremental backups save space and time by simply saving modified data.
Incremental backups, on the other hand, are not as effective as differential backups.
Let's discuss Full Backups before diving into the distinctions between Incremental
and Differential backups. A full backup is the launching point in both incremental and
differential backup schemes in their most basic form. Of course, a complete backup
backs up all the information on a partition or disc by copying all data-containing disc
sectors to the backup image file.
An incremental backup is a copy of any data that has changed since the last backup.
As a result, if you make a full backup of your system on Sunday, an incremental
backup on Monday will only transfer and save data that has changed or been added
since Sunday. On Tuesday, an incremental backup will only deal with data that has
changed since Monday's incremental backup, and so on. The differential backup,
unlike an incremental backup, only backs up data that has changed since the last full
backup.
The difference between incremental backup and differential backup is given in the
table below:

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Particulars Incremental backup Differential backup

Description Backs up all data


that has changed
All data that has
since the previous
changed since the
backup, such as
last full backup is
since the last
backed up.
complete or
incremental backup.

Storage This backup


space requires less
It demands less
storage than a full
amount of storage
backup, but more
space.
than incremental
backups.

Data Data recovery might


Data recovery takes
recovery take a long time and
less time.
be difficult.

Backup This backup is faster


than a full backup,
Taking a backup is
but not as fast as an
quicker.
incremental
backup.

Bandwith It uses less


range bandwidth than a
It has a lower full backup, but
bandwidth range. more than
incremental
recovery.

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Daily, a differential backup approach backs up files that have changed since the
previous full backup. Because less data is stored up, they are much faster than
complete backups. In contrast to differential backups, incremental backups copy
files that have changed a er the last backup of whatever type, which can be a
complete or incremental backup. The fewer data that needs to be backed up when
incremental backups are conducted, the shorter the time between backups.
One of the advantages of differential backup over incremental backup is that you just
need the most recent full backup and differential backup to recover data, which
speeds up the process. However, until the next full backup, the amount of space
needed by backed up data will increase with each differential backup.
Among the three strategies: full, differential, and incremental, incremental is the one
that saves the most space. Even though the incremental backups offer more
versatility and granularity (duration between backups), they have a tradition of
taking longer to restore because they should be built from the most recent full
backup and all successive incremental backups.

30. Why is it important to test your computer’s RAM? How can


you do it?
The working memory of your computer is its random access memory (RAM). The
operating system and programs on your computer are constantly writing and
retrieving data from RAM. When you open a web page such as this one, for example,
your web browser saves it in RAM as you read it. When you start a PC game, it loads
data from a slower storage system (such as a hard disc or solid-state drive) into
considerably faster RAM.
If your computer's RAM is defective, you may experience issues. When your computer
goes to read the RAM, it will consider various data than it saved to RAM. So ware
crashes, system freezing, blue screens of death (BSODs), file corruption, and other
issues can result as a result of this. These programs work by writing data to every
sector of your computer's RAM and then recovering it back in a sequential manner. If
the utility returns a different result, it means your RAM is bad.

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The finest RAM testing so ware necessitates booting into a separate bootable
system. This gets Windows (or some other operating system) out of the way and gives
the tool complete access to your RAM at a low level. You can run tools from within
Windows, such as HCI Design's MemTest, but they aren't as trustworthy.
Launch the Windows Memory Diagnostics program. A RAM testing tool is
included with Windows. It comes preinstalled on Windows 10, Windows 11,
Windows 7, and all other recent Windows versions.

You can install and use MemTest86 if you need a more capable testing tool. It
runs a larger range of tests and may uncover issues that the Windows test would
miss. If you want to try something else, MemTest86+ is a free and open-source
program. Both of these programs are self-contained and bootable. You can copy
a USB image from MemTest86 to a USB disc. To make a bootable USB drive,
simply run the EXE file provided with the download as well as provide a spare
USB drive. Restart your computer once you've made bootable media and
instruct it to boot from the USB device where you copied the memory test tool.

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

31. A consumer claims that their Windows restarts at random


intervals. What are your thoughts on this, and how would
you solve the problem?
If your Windows machine restarts without warning, consider the troubleshooting
methods below for assistance in addressing the issue.
So ware issues: Microso intended Windows to automatically reboot when issues,
such as a blue screen of death, occur since the release of Windows XP. Although this
feature is useful for random failures, it makes troubleshooting and repair more
complex. The procedures to disable and enable this function in Windows XP, Vista, 7,
8, and 10 are listed below.
Right-click My Computer on the desktop. Open File Explorer in Windows 8 or 10
and right-click This PC in the le navigation pane.
In the pop-up menu, choose the Properties option.
Select the Advanced tab or the Advanced system settings link in the System
Properties box.
Click on The settings option under Startup and Recovery on the Advanced tab.
Disable the Automatically restart check box in the Startup and Recovery window.
Click the OK button.
Hardware issues: If you've previously attempted to introduce a new hardware
device, make sure it's not the source of your problems. By looking for problems in
Device Manager, you can make sure you're not having any hardware conflicts. If
you've just installed new hardware drivers, you might want to go back to an older
version. If the unexpected reboots persist despite updating drivers and removing any
newly attached hardware, the computer memory is bad. Finally, improperly installed
hardware devices in the computer can result in random reboots. Ensure that all
cables and expansion cards are correctly connected to the computer.
Computer viruses: These viruses usually cause the computer to reset every 5, 10, 15,
or 30 minutes a er it has booted. If you suspect your computer is infected, make sure
you have an antivirus program installed and that your virus scanner definitions are
updated.

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Troubleshooting Interview Questions

Overheating: Most computers today are intended to shut down or reboot


automatically if the processor, video card, or other components become too hot.
Examine the rear of the computer to see if the fan on the power supply is operating. A
temperature gun can be used to determine how hot the computer's hardware
devices or integrated circuits are.
Issues with the Operating System: If your computer continues to reboot a er
completing the steps above, you're most likely dealing with a problem with the
Microso Windows operating system. When the computer starts to boot up, restart it
and enter BIOS setup. Allow the machine to sit idle for several minutes a er you've
loaded the BIOS setup.
If the system doesn't reboot a er resting in BIOS and you've exhausted all of the
above options, try enabling a restore point in Windows from before the problem
began. If enabling a previous restore point fails, or if no restore points are available,
you will most probably have to reinstall Microso Windows.

Conclusion:

We are optimistic that this article on troubleshooting interview questions has


improved your knowledge of troubleshooting and related concepts. If you have a
good grip on all of the questions offered here, you will be able to comfortably crack
any relevant interview.
Useful Resources:
Networking Interview Questions and Answers
OS Interview Questions
Computer Network MCQ With Answers

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