Tuesday 10 December 2013

Blog #8 - Troubleshooting

"Oh, you're in IT? Can you fix my computer?"

Well yes, I can fix your computer since everyone in NSCC's IT program is required to pass a CompTIA A+ course, including myself. However, there's only so much a web application developer can do since we're not specialists in the hardware field (unlike the systems students).

Here's a little guide to helping figure out what's wrong with your computer:
  1. Is your computer plugged in? This may seem like a stupid question to some, but remember, not everyone in the world knows how to use a computer.
  2. Will your computer turn on? If not, check to see if the power switch on the back of the computer is set to the dash (-) instead of the circle (o). If it is, open the case and check to see if the power cable is connected to the correct pins on the motherboard. The motherboard should be labeled to let you know what goes where. If it still won't turn on, either the power is out in your neighborhood, your power supply is dead and needs to be replaced, or you're in a dead zone.
  3. Do you hear any beeping noises? If you only hear one, that's like your computer saying everything is okay. If you hear more than one, it means a part of your computer isn't plugged in the right way, is non-compatible, is missing, or is damaged and needs to be replaced. To find out what each beep sequence means, check your motherboard's manual to see what each beep code is for, which will hopefully help you isolate and resolve the problem.
  4. Is there anything on the screen? The most common errors I've seen on startup are the ones saying:
    - a piece of non-essential hardware is missing (like a CD drive) and to press F2 to continue without it.
    - BOOTMGR is missing which means your hard drive doesn't have an operating system on it, or has
       become corrupt. If this is the case, you can pay a few hundred dollars to get what data you can off
       it, or you can just buy a replacement hard drive.
    - a whole bunch of text on a blue background, otherwise known as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD),
       which would indicate a critical system failure. In this case, I would suggest having your computer
       looked at by a professional or friend who knows what they're doing.
If you have a problem not on this list, then it's not a common problem and I would suggest either researching it yourself by doing a quick Google search, or by getting a professional or friend to see what they can do.


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