BAUCHI STATE UNIVERSITY GADAU

FACULTY OF SCIENCE

DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICAL SCIENCE

COURSE TITLE: COMPUTER HARDWARE MAINTENANCE

COURSE CODE: 3111

ASSIGNMENT TOPIC:HOW TO TROUBLESHOOT A COMPUTER

BY

GROUP B3 MEMBERS

1. ABDULKADIR MUHAMMAD BASUG/UG/SCI/CSC/21/3338

ADAMU

2. HASSAN BALOGUN ABDULQODIR BASUG/UG/SCI/CSC/21/2892

3. ABUBAKAR YAHAYA GARBA BASUG/UG/SCI/CSC/21/0343

4. STEPHEN PETER BEENARD BASUG/UG/SCI/CSC/21/3003

1
INTRODUCTION TO TROUBLESHOOTING

Troubleshooting requires an organized and logical approach to

problems with computers and other components. Sometimes issues

arise during preventive maintenance. At other times, customers

may contact you with problems. Taking a logical approach to

troubleshooting allows you to eliminate variables and identify causes

of problems in a systematic order. Asking the right questions,

testing the right hardware, and examining the right data helps you

understand the problem and form a proposed solution.

Troubleshooting is a skill that you refine over time. Each time you

solve a problem, you increase your troubleshooting skills by

gaining more experience. You learn how and when to combine

steps, or skip steps, to reach a solution quickly. The

troubleshooting process is a guideline that is modified to fit your

needs.

This section presents an approach to problem solving that you can

apply to both hardware and software.

2
NOTE

The term customer , as used in this book, refers to any user who

requires technical computer assistance.

Before you begin troubleshooting problems, always follow the

necessary precautions to protect data on a computer. Some

repairs, such as replacing a hard drive or reinstalling an operating

system, might put the data on the computer at risk. Make sure you

do everything possible to prevent data loss while attempting

repairs. If your work results in data loss for the customer, you or

your company could be held liable.

Troubleshooting

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 many 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,

3
as well as how to solve common problems you may encounter.

General tips to keep in mind

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 different approaches

before you can find a solution; other problems may be easy to

fix. We recommend starting by using the following tips.

Using the process of elimination

If you're having an issue with your computer, you may be able

to find out what's wrong using the process of elimination. This

means you'll make a list of things that could be causing the

problem and then test them out one by one to eliminate them.

Once you've identified the source of your computer issue, it

will be easier to find a solution.

Scenario:

Let's say you're trying to print out invitations for a birthday

party, but the printer won't print. You have some ideas about

4
what could be causing this, so you go through them one by one

to see if you can eliminate any possible causes.

First, you check the printer to see that it's turned on and

plugged in to the surge protector . It is, so that's not the

issue. Next, you check to make sure the printer's ink cartridge

still has ink and that there is paper loaded in the paper tray .

Things look good in both cases, so you know the issue has

nothing to do with ink or paper.

Now you want to make sure the printer and computer are

communicating correctly . If you recently downloaded an update

to your operating system , it might interfere with the printer.

But you know there haven't been any recent updates and the

printer was working yesterday, so you'll have to look

elsewhere.

You check the printer's USB cord and find that it's not plugged

in. You must have unplugged it accidentally when you plugged

something else into the computer earlier. Once you plug in the

USB cord, the printer starts working again. It looks like this

5
printer issue is solved!

This is just one example of an issue you might encounter while

using a computer. In the rest of this lesson, we'll talk about

other common computer problems and some ways to solve

them.

Simple solutions to common problems,Most of the time, problems can be fixed using
simple

troubleshooting techniques, like closing and reopening the

program. It's important to try these simple solutions before

resorting to more extreme measures. If the problem still isn't

fixed, you can try other troubleshooting techniques.

 Power button will not start computer

 An application is running slowly
 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.
 Problem: All programs on the computer run slowly
 Problem: The computer is frozen

6
 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
closeapplications, or access shut-down options.
Problem: The mouse or keyboard has
 stopped working
 Problem: The sound isn't working
 Problem: The screen is blank

Solving more difficult problems

If you still haven't found a solution to your problem, you may

need to ask someone else for help. As an easy starting point,

we'd recommend searching the Web. It's possible that other

users have had similar problems, and solutions to these

problems are often posted online. Also, if you have a friend or

family member who knows a lot about computers, they may be

able to help you.

Keep in mind that most computer problems have simple

solutions, although it may take some time to find them. For

difficult problems, a more drastic solution may be required,

like reformatting your hard drive or reinstalling your operating

system. If you think you might need a solution like this, we

7
recommend consulting a professional first. If you're not a

computer expert, it's possible that attempting these solutions

could make the situation worse.

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 and 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 tried already.

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

having 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

8
related cables to make sure they're properly

connected.

Restart the computer: When all else fails, restarting the

computer is a good thing to try. This can solve a lot of

basic issues you may experience with your computer.

TROUBLESHOOTING PROCESS

Troubleshooting is a systematic process used to locate the cause of

a fault in a computer system and correct the relevant hardware and

software issues. Approaching problem solving using a logical and

methodical approach is essential to successful resolution. Although

experience is very useful to problem solving, following a

troubleshooting model will enhance effectiveness and speed.

DATA BACKUP

A data backup is a copy of the data on a computer hard drive that is

saved to another storage device or to cloud storage. Cloud storage

is online storage that is accessed via the Internet. In an

9
organization, backups may be performed on a daily, weekly, or

monthly basis.

If you are unsure about whether a backup has been done, do not

attempt any troubleshooting activities until you check with the

customer. Here is a list of items to verify with the customer

regarding whether a backup has been performed:

 Date of the last backup

 Contents of the backup
 Data integrity of the backup
 Availability of all backup media for a data restore

If the customer does not have a current backup and you are not

able to create one, ask the customer to sign a liability release

form. A liability release form contains at least the following

information:

 Permission to work on the computer without having a current backup

 available
 Release from liability if data is lost or corrupted
 Description of the work to be performed
STEPS
In this section, you will learn that to troubleshoot a problem quickly
and effectively, you need to understand how to approach the issue.

10
 Troubleshooting is a way of discovering what is causing a problem
and fixing it.

Troubleshooting Process Steps

The troubleshooting process steps are as follows:

Step 1. Identify the problem.

Step 2. Establish a theory of probable cause.

Step 3. Test the theory to determine the cause.

Step 4. Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and

implement the solution.

Step 5. Verify full system functionality and, if applicable,

implement preventive measures.

Step 6. Document findings, actions, and outcomes.

IDENTITY THE PROBLEM

The first step in the troubleshooting process is to identify the

problem. During this step, gather as much information as possible

from the customer and from the computer

Troubleshooting is an iterative , trial-and-error

process that is repeated until the issue is fixed. The

11
following are some additional steps to consider for

effective troubleshooting:

The device manufacturer's technical manual is a

good source of troubleshooting tips.

Troubleshooting guides might also be available.

Other subject matter experts can have helpful

ideas.

An online search can often identify solutions to

common problems.

In a complex malfunction that appears to affect

multiple components, it might be necessary to

identify the root cause of the problem before

fixing individual issues.

How Does Troubleshooting Work?

Computer problems that troubleshooters address can

show up in any number of places. Examples of places

troubleshooters find themselves working include the

following:

12
  operating systems
 applications
 central processing units or CPUs
 firewalls
 hard drives
 solid-state drives

REFERENCES

https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/computerbasics/basic-troubleshooting-techniques/1/

https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/troubleshooting

https://www.ciscopress.com/articles/article.asp?p=2999386&seqNum=5

13