Basic Troubleshooting!

Troubleshooting specific problems

 Introduction

• Do you know what to do if your screen goes blank? What if you can't
seem to close an application, or can't hear any sound from your speakers?
Whenever you have a problem with your computer, don't panic! There
are some basic troubleshooting techniques you can use to fix issues like
this. In this lesson, we'll show you some simple things to try when
troubleshooting, as well as how to solve common problems you may
encounter.
 Basic troubleshooting techniques

• There are many different things that could cause a problem with your
computer. No matter what's causing the issue, troubleshooting will always
be a process of trial and error. In some cases, you may need to use
several approaches before you can find a solution; other problems may be
easy to fix. We recommend starting by using the following tips.
•Write down your steps. Once you start troubleshooting, you may want to write
down each step you take. This way, you'll be able to remember exactly what you've
done so you can avoid repeating the same mistakes. If you end up asking other people
for help, it will be much easier if they know exactly what you've already tried.
•Take notes about error messages. If your computer gives you an error message, be
sure to write down as much information as possible. You may be able to use this
information later to find out if other people are seeing the same error.
•Always check the cables. If you're having trouble with a specific piece of
computer hardware, such as your monitor or keyboard, an easy first step is to check all
related cables to make sure they're properly connected.
•Restart the computer. When all else fails, one of the best things to try is
simply restarting the computer. This can solve a lot of basic issues you may
experience with your computer.
Troubleshootings.
 Troubleshooting specific problems
Problem 01
• Problem: An application is running slowly
• Solution 1: Close and reopen the
application.
• Solution 2: Update the application. To do
this, click the Help menu and look for an
option to Check for Updates. If you don't
find this option, another idea is to run an
online search for application updates.
 Problem: An application is frozen

• Sometimes an application may become stuck, or frozen. When

this happens, you won't be able to close the window or click any
buttons within the application.
• Solution 1: Force quit the application. If a program has become
completely unresponsive, you can press (and
hold) Ctrl+Alt+Delete (the Control, Alt, and Delete keys) on
your keyboard to open the Task Manager. You can then select
the unresponsive application and click End task to close it.
Solution 2: Restart the computer. If you are unable to force quit
an application, restarting your computer will close all open
apps.
 Problem: The computer is frozen

• Sometimes your computer may become completely unresponsive, or frozen. When this
happens, you won't be able to click anywhere on the screen, open or close applications,
or access shut-down options.
• Solution 1: Restart Windows Explorer. To do this, press and hold Ctrl+Alt+Delete on
your keyboard to open the Task Manager. Next, locate and select Windows
Explorer from the Processes tab and click Restart. If you're using Windows 8, you
may need to click More Details at the bottom of the window to see the Processes tab.
• Solution 2: Press and hold the Power button for 5-10 seconds. This will force the
computer to shut down.
• Solution 3: If the computer still won't shut down, you can unplug the power
cable from the electrical outlet. If you're using a laptop, you may be able to remove the
battery to force the computer to turn off. Note: This solution should be your last
resort after trying the other suggestions above.
Problem: The mouse/keyboard has stopped working

• Solution 1: If you're using a wired mouse or keyboard, make sure it's

correctly plugged in to the computer.
• Solution 2: If you're using a wireless mouse or keyboard, make sure it is
turned on and that its batteries are charged.
 Problem: The screen is blank

• solution 1: The computer may just be in Sleep mode. Simply click the

mouse or press any key on the keyboard to wake it.
• Solution 2: Make sure the monitor is plugged in and turned on.
• Solution 3: Make sure the computer is plugged in and turned on.
• Solution 4: If you're using a desktop computer, make sure the monitor
cable is properly connected to the computer tower and the monitor.
Problem: I can't hear the sound on my computer

• Solution 1: Check the volume level. Click the audio button in the
bottom-right corner of the screen to make sure the sound is turned on
and the volume is up.
Solution 2: Check the audio player controls. Many audio and video
players will have their own separate audio controls. Make sure the sound
is turned on and the volume is up in the player.
Solution 3: Check the cables. Make sure external speakers are plugged
in, turned on, and connected to the correct audio port or a USB port. If
your computer has color-coded ports, the audio output port will usually
be green.
• Solution 4: Connect headphones to the computer to determine if you
can hear sound from the headphones.
Problem: Power button will not start computer

• Solution 1: If your computer does not start, begin by checking the power cord
to confirm that it is plugged securely into the back of the computer case and
the power outlet.
• Solution 2: If it is plugged into an outlet, make sure it is a working outlet. To
check your outlet, you can plug in another electrical device, such as a lamp.
• Solution 3: If the computer is plugged in to a surge protector, verify that it is
turned on. You may have to reset the surge protector by turning it off and then
back on. You can also plug a lamp or other device into the surge protector to
verify that it's working correctly.
• Solution 4: If you are using a laptop, the battery may not be charged. Plug
the AC adapter into the wall, then try to turn on the laptop. If it still doesn't
start up, you may need to wait a few minutes and try again.
 3. PC keeps disconnecting from Wifi

• If your Wi-Fi is working fine but your PC keeps

disconnecting from it, then your PC’s network
card may not be receiving full power. Windows has
a built-in power saver option that gives less power
to the network card. You need to disable this
feature:
• Go to Advanced settings in the Power Options.
• Here expand Wireless Adaptor Settings and then
expand Power Saving Mode.
• Set this to Maximum Performance.
 Problem 1: Out of place RAM

• A problem I recently dealt with. If the RAM inside your PC gets loose or out of

place, then your PC will beep 2-3 times and won’t boot at all. The solution is simple,
open up the PC (laptop users should let an expert handle this) and reinsert the RAM.
Here’s how:
• Take out the RAM completely and clean any dirt inside the slot using a cotton bud.
• Now insert back the RAM and put enough pressure on both ends to ensure it is fully
inside.
• Afterward, close the clips and make sure they’re properly locked. Even a slightly
loose RAM will be unable to work
  PC crashes before loading the OS
(Operating System)
• If your PC only shows manufacturer logo and then crashes right before
it was supposed to load the operating system, then it’s a problem with
RAM or hard disk. As the OS is unable to load, then either the RAM is
corrupted and can’t hold the boot loader or the hard drive is
damaged and can’t load data inside it.
• If you have multiple RAM slots, then taking out each one of them one
by one and starting the PC will help find the culprit. In the end, you will
have to replace the corrupted RAM or the hard disk, whichever has the
issue.
 Rounding up

• Many of the above hardware problems can be easily fixed by tweaking

the settings or using a software. However, some of them will definitely
require you to pay a visit to the computer repair shop.
• It’s good to at least know what is wrong with your PC so you can take
the measures accordingly.
 Windows Command Prompt Commands

• 1. Assoc
• Most files in Windows are associated with
a specific program that is assigned to open
the file by default. At times, remembering
these associations can become confusing.
You can remind yourself by entering the
command assoc to display a full list of file
name extensions and program associations.
 2. Cipher

• Deleting files on a mechanical hard drive doesn't really delete

them at all. Instead, it marks the files as no longer accessible
and the space they took up as free. The files remain
recoverable until the system overwrites them with new data,
which can take some time.
• The cipher command, however, wipes a directory by writing
random data to it. To wipe your C drive, for example, you'd
use the cipher /w:d command, which will wipe free space on
the drive. The command does not overwrite undeleted data,
so you will not wipe out files you need by running this
command.
 3. Shutdown

• Windows 8 introduced the shutdown command that,

you guessed it, shuts down your computer.
• This is, of course, redundant with the already easily
accessed shutdown button, but what's not redundant is
the shutdown /r /o command, which restarts your PC
and launches the Advanced Start Options menu,
which is where you can access Safe Mode and
Windows recovery utilities. This is useful if you want
to restart your computer for troubleshooting purposes.
 4. Taskkill

• Tasks that appear in the tasklist command will

have an executable and process ID (a four- or
five-digit number) associated with them. You
can force stop a program using taskkill -
im followed by the executable's name,
or taskkill -pid followed by the process ID.
Again, this is a bit redundant with Task
Manager, but you can use it to kill otherwise
unresponsive or hidden programs.
 5. Driverquery

• Drivers remain among the most important

software installed on a PC. 
Improperly configured or missing drivers 2.
 can cause all sorts of trouble, so its good to
have access to a list of what's on your PC.
That's exactly what the driverquery command
does. You can extend it to driverquery -v to
obtain more information, including the
directory in which the driver is installed.
   6. Netstat

• Entering the command netstat -an will provide

you with a list of currently open ports and related
IP addresses. This command will also tell you
what state the port is in; listening, established, or
closed.
• This is a great command for when you're trying to
troubleshoot devices connected to your PC or
when you fear a Trojan infected your system and
you're trying to locate a malicious connection
 7. Ping

• Sometimes, you need to know whether or not packets are

making it to a specific networked device. That's where
ping comes in handy.
• Typing ping followed by an IP address or web domain
will send a series of test packets to the specified address. If
they arrive and are returned, you know the device is
capable of communicating with your PC; if it fails, you
know that there's something blocking communication
between the device and your computer. This can help you
decide if the root of the issue is an improper configuration
or a failure of network hardware.
 8. PathPing

• This is a more advanced version of ping that's

useful if there are multiple routers between
your PC and the device you're testing. Like
ping, you use this command by
typing pathping followed by the IP address,
but unlike ping, pathping also relays some
information about the route the test packets
take.
 9. Tracert

• The tracert command is similar to
pathping. Once again,
type tracert followed by the IP address or
domain you'd like to trace. You'll receive
information about each step in the route
between your PC and the target. Unlike
pathping, however, tracert also tracks how
much time (in milliseconds) each hop
between servers or devices takes.
 10. Powercfg

• Powercfg is a very powerful command

for managing and tracking how your
computer uses energy. You can use the
command powercfg hibernate
on and powercfg hibernate off to
manage hibernation, and you can also
use the command powercfg /a to view
the power-saving states currently
available on your PC.