ICT

• hardware troubleshooting


  is a systematic way to find the cause of fault in computer system and solve technical problem.
• hardware troubleshooting starts with general issue and gets more specific
• Hardware troubleshooting is the process of reviewing, diagnosing, and identifying operational or technical problems within a hardware device.
• hardware trouble shooting aims to resolve physical or logical problems in hardware.
• software troubleshooting is the process of scanning, identifying, diagnosing, and resolving problems, errors, and bugs in software
• Basic procedures for checking hardware problems

  1. Check that your computer is plugged into a working power outlet

  2. Check that everything is turned on

  3. If the computer is on but the screen is blank, check the connection between the computer and the screen

  4. Check that the keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers are properly plugged into the computer system

  5. Try a different port to check if it is a port issue, or change the device if the device is damaged
• It is necessary to switch off the computer before undertaking any hardware maintenance such as removing or replacing computer parts
• POST


  power on self-test
• POST is part of a computer’s startup program that is used to identify the keyboard, RAM, disk drives, and other hardware to make sure they are working properly.
• If the POST detects any errors in the hardware it either displays -> text error message on the screen -> emits a series of short and long beeps.
• If an error message appears as you boot your computer type the exact error message and then search on the Internet to find more information about the error.
• Beep codes are sounds emitted by the computer during POST.
• Each BIOS manufacturer has a unique beep sequence a combination of long and short beeps, for hardware failures.
• most computers emit one beep to indicate that the system is booting properly.
• If there is an error you might hear multiple beeps.
• BIOS


  stands for basic input or output system.
• BIOS


  is a program used by a computer to start the computer system after it is powered on.
• BIOS manages data flow between the computer’s operating system and attached devices like the hard disk, video adapter, keyboard, mouse, and printer.
• If the computer boots and stops after the POST, your computer has a BIOS setting problem.
• The CMOS 


  Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor
• CMOS


  is an onboard chip that stores information ranging from the time and date to system hardware settings
• CMOS primary function is to handle and store the BIOS configuration settings.
• If a computer shows a CMOS alert message on the screen, it indicates that the CMOS battery needs to be replaced.
• remove the CMOS battery carefully, and insert a new battery that is exactly the same as the old one.
• Replacing a CMOS battery may be more difficult in laptop computers than in desktop computers.
• When system or application errors occur on a computer running Windows, the Event Viewer is updated with information about the errors.
• The Event Viewer information records about computer errors

  • The problem that occurred

  • The date and time of the problem

  • The severity of the problem

  • The source of the problem

  • The event ID number

  • Which user was logged in when the problem occurred
• steps to launch the Event Viewer

  1. On the Windows Search box, write event viewer

  2. Click on Event Viewer
• the vast amount of troubleshooting you might want to do is related to the Windows Log category
• window log category event 1. Application

  2. System

  3. Security
• Application: related to Windows system components like ->drivers -> built-in interface elements.
• System: related to programs installed on the system.
• Security: related to security like -> logon attempts -> resource access.
• When you click on Application under Windows log, you get a list of Application log records events
• If you want to get detailed information about the error, double-click on the error
• Many computer problems are caused by -> hardware failures -> problems with hardware drivers.
• Windows usually displays notifications about devices that have a problem.
• Device Manager is used to check the status of different hardware devices.
• steps to identify hardware problems in Windows based systems 1. Type Control Panel. 2. Double-click the Control Panel

  3. Click Hardware and Sound.

  4. Under Device and Printers, Click on Device Manager
• Device Manager


  • Works as a centralized utility
  • Provides organized view of all hardware
  • Helps to manage all the hardware devices installed on a system