DIAGNOSING AND

TROUBLESHOOTING
COMPUTER SYSTEMS
Plan and Prepare for
Diagnosis of Computer
System Errors
 TYPES OF ERRORS

COMPUTER OPERATING
SYSTEM SYSTEM
ERROR
Is an unexpected or
ERROR
Operating system errors
undesired event or condition are specific types of
that occurs in a computer errors that occur within
system, software application, the operating system
or hardware component. (OS) of a computer.
 01
Computer System
Errors
 No video output Computer System Errors
01 When the computer is
switched on, nothing shows
up on your monitor and the
LED indicator of the monitor
flashes in yellow or in steady
orange color.

Failure to boot-up
02 When the computer is turned
on, the processor's or
motherboard's brand appears
on the screen, but the system
will not continue with the
start up. Oftentimes, this
error triggers the computer to
restart over and over.
 Non-stop loading of Computer System Errors
03 operating system
It takes a too long for the
computer to boot up during
system loading.

Lots of pop-up
04 windows on standby
mode
Even when you have
disconnected the system from
the Internet, this error, which
is called the aftershock virus,
still occurs.
 Lots of hardware Computer System Errors
05 installation windows
appear
This happens if you are
trying to install the hardware
but when the system is
restarted, the installation
window appears again.

System automatically
06 restarts which may
lead to the deletion of
a file or files
 Sound on/off error Computer System Errors
07 When loading the operating
system, you will hear a
loading sound that will
immediately stop, after
which, even when you play
an audio file, no sound will
be produced.
Application causes
08 system to restart
When you open a program
that necessitates use of the
whole screen, the system will
restart upon exiting the
application.
 02
Operating System
Errors
Enter a subtitle here if you need it
 OPERATING SYSTEM
System Error
01 Faulty hardware components ERRORS
and corrupted operating
system modules, among
others.

Runtime Error
02
Malfunctioning or corrupted
system files or software that
lead to applications shutting
down and losing stability
responsiveness.
Immediate Solution: Restart
the computer.
 OPERATING SYSTEM
Stop Error
03 Malfunctioning memory ERRORS
modules and bad sectors on
the hard disk.

Device Manager Error

04
Malfunctioning hardware
components and corrupted
driver files.
immediate Solution: Reinstall
or update the drivers, or
replace hardware
components.
 OPERATING SYSTEM
POST Code Error
05 Malfunctioning hardware ERRORS
components identified by
short beep sounds produced
by the motherboard's speaker.
This error occurs when you
press the power button to
turn on the computer.

Application Error
06
Malfunctioning application
due to anomalies in the
program code.
Immediate Solution:
Upgrading to the program's
latest version.
 OPERATING SYSTEM
ERRORS
Browser Status Code
07 Error
Misplaced web pages in the
browser's server.
 COMPUTER SYSTEM
ERROR BEEP CODES
Below is a guide to errors and their corresponding beep codes. Note, that beep codes may vary
depending on the manufacturers.
AMI BIOS ERROR BEEP CODES
Indicator Possible Error Solution
1 beep DRAM refresh failure Check memory
2 beeps Memory parity error Check memory
3 beeps Base 64K memory failure Check memory
4 beeps System timer failure Replace motherboard
5 beeps Processor error Replace processor
6 beeps Gate A20/Keyboard controller failure Replace motherboard
7 beeps Virtual mode processor exception error Replace processor
8 beeps Display memory read/write failure Replace video card
9 beeps ROM checksum error Replace BIOS chip/motherboard
10 beeps CMOS shutdown register read/write error Replace BIOS chip/motherboard
1 1 beeps Cache error Replace cache memory
PHOENIX BIOS ERROR BEEP CODES

Indicator Possible Error Solution

1-1--4-1 Cache error Check cache memory
1-2-2-3 BIOS ROM Checksum Check BIOS ROM
1-3-1-1 DRAM test rate Check DRAM
1-3-1-3 Keyboard controller test Check keyboard controller
1-3-1-3 RAM Failure Check memory
1-3-4-3 RAM failure data bits of low memory bus Check memory
1-3-4-1 RAM failure data bits of low memory bus Check memory
1 -4-1-1 RAM failure data bits of low memory bus Check memory
2-1-2-3 ROM copyright notice Check ROM
2-2-3-1 Test for unexpected interrupt Replace processor/motherboard
AWARD BIOS ERROR BEEP CODES

Indicator Possible Error Solution

One long beep and Video error Replace video card
two short beeps

Two short beeps non-fatal error Reset RAM, check other components
 Manual Diagnosis
If the problem with the computer system is not totally
apparent and intermittent, a basic diagnostic procedure
might help determine what is wrong.
 DIAGNOSING/
TROUBLESHOOTING
COMPUTER SYSTEMS
• When a potential error is found, check other computer system to verify the cause of
the problem.
• Examine all the cables of the computer system. Make sure that all cables have
connectivity, and replace malfunctioning ones as needed.
• Make sure that all device drivers are up-to-date by checking the hardware settings in
the BIOS/ CMOS and in the device manager of the operating system.
• Check the history and changes made to all software and hardware errors encountered.
 COMMON COMPUTER SYSTEM
DIAGNOSTIC ACTIVITY
• Check the Power-On-Self-Test (POST). After switching on the computer, the POST
routine will run and generate beep tones and/or error messages for every error it
encounters.
• Pay attention to the loading time of the operating system. A long loading time may
indicate errors in the hard drive and/or in the system and application software.
• Observe for any glitches in the graphics. Poor graphic resolution may indicate
driver or hardware failure on the graphics card.
• Check the newly installed hardware. Some drivers are not compatible with some
operating systems; a driver may be badly written or have conflict with other processes.
• Check the newly installed software. The software may require additional resources
that the system cannot provide.
• Check the memory (RAM) and CPU consumption. If the computer system runs
slow, it may be because the applications are consuming more resources than the
computer system can provide.
• Listen to the sounds generated by the computer system. If the hard drive creates a
loud or scratching noise, take it back to the dealer or distributor. lf the sound comes
from the CPU fan; it might mean that the computer system is overworked.
• Run anti-virus or anti-malware software.
• Run in Safe Mode if needed. Press F8 several times during the POST routine if the
operating system has been established as not functioning properly.
• Double-check the power connections. A problem in the voltage regulator or power
supply can cause a power feed failure in the computer system.
• Inspect for loosely connected interface cards.
• Know the facts. Educate yourself on the different aspects and operations of the many
parts of a computer system.
• Observe proper assembly and disassembly.
 The good news about
computers is that they do
what you tell them to do.
The bad news is that they
do what you tell them to
do.
 PROBLEM ISOLATION

Akin to detective work, problem isolation requires you to determine which parts are not
working properly and to take detailed notes as you go. When looking for abnormalities in
the unit, activate your senses for you might encounter foreign smells, erratic sounds, and
flashing error codes. All the gathered information will be of help in
diagnosing/troubleshooting the computer system,
 COMPONENT ISOLATION

Component isolation helps to identify which components of the computer system are
failing. Most systems have three (3) major components: monitor, system unit, and
printers, but some have multiple external devices. To troubleshoot, you need to isolate
major components that are operational. After that, you need to detach the other devices
one after the other.
 SOFTWARE DIAGNOSTICS

• The computer system comes with several sophisticated diagnostic programs built
into hardware drivers and components of the Windows operating system.
• These tools are software used to trace the causes of erratic behaviors and slowing
of operations,
• The Windows Operating System comes with a variety of utilities, some of which
are not in plain view and can only be accessed by browsing through the Start
menu or typing the names of known tools in the Search programs and files field.
 CHECK DISK (CHKDSK)
Part of the Microsoft Windows software, CHKDSK tests and repairs file system
information on hard drives. It is especially useful when a power failure leads to the
shutdown of the computer. It can also be run manually using the Windows Explorer
or the command prompt
 TASK MANAGER

Task manager monitors the status of the hardware and software

performances. In most cases, if the system's performance becomes slow, it
means some of the programs running are overtaxing the system resources.
Task manager helps by showing the list of programs running on the
computer system together with the amount of memory that each consumes.
 WINDOWS DEFENDER
Windows Defender is a software product that scans the hard drive for
viruses, spyware, and other malicious programs. This was released for free
for Windows XP users and released as a part of Windows 10.

DISK DRIVERS/DEVICE MANAGER

Drivers monitor the operations of devices and troubleshoot as needed, they
are located in the Device Manager.
 WINDOWS MEMORY DIAGNOSTIC
Windows memory diagnostic is used to check the different computer
memory errors

RESOURCE MONITOR
Resource monitor provides you statistics of CPU, memory, disks, and
network process performance.
 PERFORMANCE MONITOR
The Reliability and Performance Monitor provides you the
performance report of the computer system in a graphical manner.
 COMPUTER MANAGEMENT
AND ADMINISTRATIVE TOOLS
• Task Scheduler. Allows you to view, customize, and even create scheduled tasks on your
computer.
• Event Viewer. Helps present and filter system events.
• Shared Folders. Displays the network's shared folders.
• Device Manager. Allows you view and customize the setting of devices connected to your
computer.
• Disk Management. A partition manager that comes ready with the software.
• Services. Allows you to view and control and back-end services of the Windows Operating
System.
 DISK CLEANUP

• Disk Cleanup is used to free up disk space by safely removing temporary files that you no
longer use.