Find The Source Of The Problem
Once you know (or think you know) whether you’re dealing with a hardware or software problem, you can really dig into the next question: Which hardware component or program is the source of the trouble? If you can answer this question, you won’t have any trouble finding an article in this issue that addresses your problem. Here are some tips for narrowing the troubleshooting field. Hardware problems. Once you suspect a hardware problem, list the components (internal or external) that might be the cause of the problem and then check each component, one at a time. In some cases, this may mean checking external and internal hardware. For example, if your print documents don’t reach the printer or you see error messages that say your printer isn’t connected to the computer, you’ll want to check the USB cable that runs from your computer to the printer to make sure neither of the connections is loose. You’ll also want to be sure that your computer’s USB port is functioning. (You can test this by plugging another USB device, such as a USB flash drive, mouse, or external hard drive into that port.) In some cases, you may suspect that an internal component is damaged, but not be in a position to confirm the defect. If you think that your computer’s lost network connection is due to a damaged or incorrectly configured Ethernet NIC (Network Interface Card), you probably don’t have an extra Ethernet card that you can swap out. This is where the Device Manager, a built-in Windows tool, can help you identify problems without opening your PC or bumming spare parts from your friends. To open the Device Manager, rightclick the My Computer icon on the Desktop, and then click Properties. When the System Properties window appears, select the Hardware tab and then click the Device Manager button. The Device Manager displays a list of your PC’s components by category, such as Disk Drives (hard drives), Processors, DVD/CD-ROM Drive, and Display Adapters.
By default, the list shows only the component categories, rather than the components themselves. If you want to see the names of your specific CD-RW and DVD-RW drives, for example, you’ll need to click the plus (+) sign next to DVD/CD-ROM Drives. The list will then expand to reveal all of the components in that category. The exception to this rule, however, is the component that is damaged. If Windows knows your NIC isn’t working, it will automatically expand the Network Adapters category to display any networking components in your PC. You’ll see a red X next to the damaged NIC. To learn more about the NIC’s problem, right click it and then select Properties. The General tab of the NIC’s Properties window includes a Device Status section that offers a brief explanation of the problem. You can also pinpoint certain problems, such as excessive heat, by checking the PC’s BIOS. All PCs have a BIOS, which is a very basic operating system that allows your system’s components to communicate.
Most BIOSes have a PC Health or Status page that lists system fan speeds and system and processor temperatures. To learn more about entering the BIOS, see “Basic Troubleshooting: Processors,” on page 96. Software problems. If you’re fairly certain you’re facing a software problem, but you haven’t been able to identify the offending program, your best bet may be to use Windows XP’s System Restore. This feature is especially useful if you’ve installed multiple programs recently. System Restore reverts your computer to the condition it was in few days or even a few weeks ago, without destroying any of the documents, emails, music, or video files you’ve created. Thanks to System Restore, any programs you installed after the Restore Point (the date in the past to which you restore Windows) won’t appear on your PC. Once you complete the restore, you can reinstall the applications one at a time and check your PC for problems after each installation. System Restore is enabled by default in Windows XP, which means that System Restore has already created Restore Points automatically, even if you’ve never used the System Restore feature before. To access System Restore, click Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and System Restore. Once you click the Restore My Computer To An Earlier Time radio button and click Next, System Restore will display a small calendar with several of the dates in bold. All bold dates have at least one Restore Point. (Note that Windows refers to automatically created Restore Points as System Checkpoints; you can create your own labels for Restore Points that you create yourself.) Select the Restore Point and then follow System Restore’s instructions to restore your system to this earlier date. Finally, make sure your PC is operating without trouble. If it is, you’ve narrowed the problem to one of the programs that System Restore just uninstalled (or to another program on your PC that conflicted with one of these programs). Now you’re ready to hunt for the problem program. |
