DRAFT
To find resources about how to know whether you are facing a software or hardware issue, look here.
Let's say the same device is still causing problems after you have tried it on other computers, and even before the operating system starts up. From this, you can deduce that you are dealing with a hardware failure.
Hardware troubleshooting
Check the power supply.All hardware needs power to operate. Take the time to check that the appliance is properly powered. This may involve a visual check. Check to see if the LEDs are on. Sometimes a faint or a fluctuating glow can indicate a power supply fault. This could be as simple as changing the batteries in a wireless keyboard or mouse, for example. It may also be important to check by reading the nameplates. If the device is not plugged directly into mains power , is it using the correct power supply, or transformer? Does it provide sufficient voltage and current? If the power supply is internal, is it possible to replace it with one from a computer with the same specifications? Sometimes it is possible to change a fuse.
Check the cables: Whether power or data cables, it's important to confirm that the cables are suitable and functional. Suitable means that they are designed for their intended use. For example, some USB cables can only carry data but not power. Network cables may or may not be crossed, may or may not have PoE pairs. You also need to make sure that the cables are functional. A suitable cable may be damaged. One way to check its condition is to test it on another piece of equipment. At this point it is a good idea to check the connectors on the cable and on the device, as dust or dirt can be the origin of the fault.
Check the basic setting. Equipment sometimes has switches or settings that need to be set correctly. It can be a physical switch used to toggle between different modes, or choices to be made via a control screen. For example, the adjustment buttons on a screen to choose the source of the signal.
Basic settings need to be checked. It is useful to check the LED status (flashing or steady) and the color of the LEDs. One example is the color code of a UniFi access point. This helps us understand where the device is in its initialization routine. Before assuming that a device is faulty, it is important to perform a factory reset.
Sometimes there are several levels of configuration. For example, the fact that an access point does not appear in a UniFi controller does not mean it is faulty. Does it turn on (it might not have the right injector), does it receive an IP address (can it be seen on the DHCP server, it might be using a faulty network cable). Can you ping it? (it could be a network problem). Is it registered on another controller?
Run a hardware diagnostic tool: This can help to identify and fix hardware problems.
Remove and replace components: If the power supply, connectors and settings are OK, it is possible that a component or electronic board is defective. If you have identified a specific board that is causing the problem, and it can be changed, you may need to remove and replace it. But often this is not possible and the last resort is to replace the equipment.
Software troubleshooting
Let's imagine that the same device works well on another computer but not on the user's computer, or works well before the operating system starts up but not afterwards. From this you can deduce that you are dealing with a software failure. Note that you may need to reconsider this assumption, as in the first case, a hardware fault on the user's computer, such as a port problem, may be the source of the issue.
Restart the computer. Yes, even IT guys can neglect this very first step. But rebooting can often fix minor software glitches and save your precious time.
Check for updates: Make sure that you are running the latest versions of your operating system and software applications to make sure you do not spend time solving issues that have already been fixed by the developers. While you check for updates, note down the name and version officially supported from the manufacturer. It could be that the currently installed software tells you that there are no updates currently available, because the current version is too old or because it is not the software from the original manufacturer.
Uninstall and reinstall the official software. If you are having problems with a specific software application, try uninstalling and reinstalling it. Make sure to download the right software and from the official websites. These are some manufacturer websites:
- Microsoft Support: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us
- Google Support: https://support.google.com/
- Apple Support: https://support.apple.com/
- Asus Support: https://www.asus.com/us/support/
- HP Support: https://support.hp.com/us-en
- Dell Support: https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us
Check the software's documentation: The software's documentation may contain troubleshooting tips for specific problems.
Booting the computer in Safe Mode can help to identify and fix software problems that are preventing either the computer from booting up normally or the software from working properly.
Run a virus and malware scan: A virus or malware infection can cause a variety of software problems.
You might be asked to troubleshoot computers that are experiencing performance issues. It is always important to know the history of the problem. Is this something new that the computer is performing slowly.? If so, has anything changed recently? You might want to open the Task Manager to check the computer resources and if there is a bottleneck with the disk, the memory, the CPU or network.
Windows is well known for experiencing blue screens of death (BSODs). Troubleshooting a recurring BSOD can be time consuming. You can analyze the dump file to try to identify the root cause that can be software or hardware. Sometimes, it is faster to reinstall the computer to check if it solves the problem or not.
Reset methods (Dell website)
When you experience issues with the system, you may want to either recover or reset Windows. There are many options depending on the situation and what you are seeking to achieve.
- Rollback the system to a previous state. If you know the issue is related to a recent change, you can use the restore points to revert the changes and roll back the system to a previous point in time. Simply search for Recovery, open System Restore, and choose the appropriate restore point. Note that System Restore must be enabled before the issue happens.
- Reinstall Windows without losing anything. Go to the Windows download page. Download the Media creation tool and select Download the ISO. When downloaded, mount the ISO and launch the setup file.. This is what it does:
- Reinstalls Windows
- Keeps your personal files
- Keeps the apps and drivers you installed
- Keeps the changes you made to settings
- Reinstall Windows without losing your data. Search for Reset, select Reset this PC, and select Keep my files. This is what a refresh does:
- Reinstalls Windows
- Keeps your personal files
- Removes apps and drivers that you installed
- Removes changes that you made to settings
Notice that this option might reinstall apps which the computer manufacturer preinstalled
- Reinstall Windows to a clean state, without your data. Search for Reset, select Reset this PC, and select Remove everything. This is what a reset does
- Reinstalls Windows
- Removes your personal files
- Removes apps and drivers that you installed
- Removes changes that you made to settings
Notice that this is the only option which will not reinstall apps the computer manufacturer preinstalled
- Reinstall the Manufacturer’s factory image. You can do that from Windows by searching Reset, Advanced startup, Restart now. When the system restarts, choose Troubleshoot and select Factory Image Restore. This menu is also available if you press F12 during the boot sequence (if you were unable to start Windows).
Note: At the time of writing, this works at least for Dell and HP, as long as the restore partition has not been deleted.
Here are some additional tips for troubleshooting hardware and software problems:
- Be systematic: When troubleshooting a problem, it is important to be systematic and to follow a logical process. This will help you to identify the root cause of the problem and to find a solution more quickly. See the infographic below.
- Document your steps: As you troubleshoot the problem, document the steps that you take. This will help you to keep track of what you have already tried and to avoid repeating the same steps.
- Make sure to identify the root cause of the problem rather than solving a secondary consequence. It is important to implement long term solutions to prevent the problem from recurring
As a general first step, it is good to identify whether the hardware or software is under warranty or maintenance. If so, you should contact the support quickly. They should be able to guide you through the troubleshooting steps free of charge.
If the warranty has expired, and you are still unable to troubleshoot the problem yourself, seek help from a colleague or search the web. These are some helpful resources:
Online knowledge bases:
- iFixit: https://www.ifixit.com/
- PCWorld: https://www.pcworld.com/
- How-To Geek: https://www.howtogeek.com/
- Tom's Hardware: https://www.tomshardware.com/
- BleepingComputer: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/
- Language Technology: https://lingtran.net/LingTranSoft%20Wiki
Tech support forums:
- Spiceworks: https://www.spiceworks.com/
- Reddit: https://vview.reddit.com/
- Stack Overflow: https://stackoverflow.com/
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