DIAGNOSING COMPUTER SYSTEMS PC Diagnosing

Probably the most frustrating problem computer users

run into are startup problems, where your computer won’t
boot. Equally annoying are error messages you
constantly run into during your computer’s startup
process. In this module, you will be given a few tips on
how you can avoid some of the most common problems
that happen right after your computer is turned on. Here
you will learn the basic troubleshooting.

▪ Trial and error: When you find a faulty component in your

computer, check it with the other computers so that you can make
sure whether the fault is in the component or not.
▪ Check cables: In case of any device failure, check all the cables
of your computer such as data cables, power cable, internal
circuitry cable and make sure that all these are plugged in and
working fine.
▪ Hardware settings: Check the hardware settings in the CMOS
and in the device manager of the system and make all the device
drivers up to date and all the cards are plugged in properly.
▪ Notice changes: When you notice a software or hardware error
in your computer, determine what was changed before the
problem occurred.
▪ Event viewer: In the event viewer, you will find the error or
warning messages associated with any faulty hardware or
software.
▪ Make notes: Troubleshooting is a useful skill and we can learn a
lot when we face any kind of troubleshooting in our computer.
Make notes including the error messages and their solutions, so
that you have a record on how a certain problem occurred and
how did you solve it.

Common PC Problems and Solutions

You are working away at your computer when suddenly, an error
message – or worse, your computer comes to a screeching halt. Here
are the common computer problems and solutions that can help you.
Steps

1. Check the POST. POST stands for Power On Self-Test. This is

generally the first or second thing that appears on a computer after turning
on the power. This appears before the operating system begins to load. The
POST will display any problem found with the hardware that makes the
computer unable to boot. POST may also display problems with hardware
that allow the computer to boot, but not operate at its full capacity during
operation.

2. Notice the load time of the OS (operating system). A longer than

usual load time may indicate errors in the hard drive.

3. Notice any graphics problems once the OS has loaded. Reduced

graphics may indicate driver failures or hardware failures with graphic cards.

4. Perform an auditory test. An auditory test is a simple, but still

effective way of judging how a computer is working. With the computer on
and running, play any decent length audio file (usually above 30 sec.) If the
audio is choppy or slow, it usually means that the processor is working at an
elevated level, or there is not enough RAM to run all programs loading.
Changing the startup sound is a great way to apply this test. Another issue
associated with choppy sounds is PIO (Programmed Input/Output) Mode.
This affects how the hard drive reads and writes data from a drive. Switching
to Direct Memory Access (DMA) allows for faster reads and writes, and
can sometimes repair choppy audio.

5. Check any newly installed hardware. Many operating systems,

especially Windows, can have conflicts with new drivers. The driver may be
badly written, or it may conflict with another process. Windows will usually
notify you about devices that can cause or have any problem. To check this
use the Device Manager, this can be accessed by entering the Control
Panel, clicking the System icon, clicking the Hardware tab, and clicking on
Device Manager. Use this to check and arrange the properties of hardware.

6. Check any newly installed software. Software may require more

resources than the system can provide. Chances are that if a problem begins
after software starts, the software is causing it. If the problem appears
directly upon startup, it may be caused by software that starts automatically
on boot.
 7. Check RAM and CPU consumption. A common problem is a choppy
or sluggish system. If a system is choppy it is good practice to see if a
program is consuming more resources than the computer can provide. An
easy way to check this is to use the Task Manager, right click on the taskbar
select Task Manager, and click the Processes tab. The CPU column
contains a number that indicates the percentage of CPU the process is
consuming. The Memory Usage column indicates how much memory a
process is consuming.

8. Listen to the computer, if the hard drive is scratching or making

loud noises, shut off the computer and have a professional diagnose
the hard drive. Listen to the CPU fan, this comes on a high speed when the
CPU is working hard, and can tell you when the computer is working beyond
its capacity.

9. Run a virus and malware scan. Performance problems can be

caused by malware on the computer. Running a virus scan can find any
problem. Use a commonly updated virus scanner (such as Norton Antivirus
or Avast!
Antivirus)

10. Check for the problem in safe mode. To enter safe mode, press F8
repeatedly during POST (this works on most systems). If the problem
persists in safe mode, it is a fair bet that the operating system itself is to
blame.

Common Trouble shooting for Computer Units

1. Double check the power connections.

2. Voltage regulator and power supply could cause power failure in
the computer unit.
3. Check the power cords and cable connectors in your computer
unit.
4. Unseated card. Loose cards could cause malfunction.
5. Check the boot sequence configuration in the advance BIOS
(Basic Input/Output Unit) setup.

Diagnosing Network Connection

Things to look for if a PC is connected to the internet or network:

• First, check the cable connecting to the network card into the network
hub.
• Check the back of the computer to see if the network card light is on
• Check the network cable (use cable tester) Check the network hub
(use multi-tester)