PC Troubleshooting

Richmond R-XVI Training

Outline

• Session I OMG – What Just Happened?• Session II Minor Issues & Annoyances• Session III Preventive Maintenance• Session IV Tech Support?

Going to your Doctor / Mechanic

1. Prevent2. Diagnose3. Treat4. Prognosis5. Return to step 1

OMG!!! What Happened?• Something Happened– People tend to blame themselves “what did I do?”– Why it may NOT be your Fault!

• Programming Error– (Possible but unikely)

• Program/Application error– Conflict– Hardware/Configuration Error– Virus, Malware et al…– Social Networking/engineering

Know Your Computer

• A quick look “Under The Hood”

A typical Personal Computer

Innerds of a CPU

Motherboard

What goes Where?1. PURPLE – keyboard.2. GREEN – mouse3. BLUE – monitor4. USB ports (USB mouse, keyboard, printer, digital camera)5. firewire port (similar to USB)6. Ethernet (modem/network)7. Green – speakers Microphone etc.8. There may be other components in this area. These components, can be a dial-up modem, a new Ethernet card, video, (graphics card), sound card or even an extra USB five (5) port card.

Other Stuff

• Wireless WIFI (USB)• USB Mouse• Wireless Keyboard (USB)• External Hard-drive (USB)• USB Drives (Flash-Drives)• Camera (USB)• Printer / Scanner / Copier (all in one)(USB)

Minor Issues and Annoyances

Messy and Really Messy

What will go FIRST??

• HD• Mouse• Keyboard• Monitor• Who knows???

Hard Drive Issues

• How it works• Odd effects• System crashes• Programs Crash• Noises• Backup• Contact Tech ASAP

Hard Drives

• Partition• MBR - Master Boot Record• FAT (File Allocation Table)– Fat32 works like a book– NTFS works like a bigger book

• Sectors & Segments

Preventive Maintenance / PEBKAC• Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair• YOU Installed something

– You did something different/New– Installed software/virus/malware/etc

• Installed hardware… (adding Hardware installs Software– Or uninstalled hardware/software

• Location/heat/environment - Etc…– There could be an incompatibility– win 9x, win XP, win ME, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8??

• Software – updates• Always make a note of what you do…. (use notepad)• Research the software/hardware BEFORE you install• Restoring your machine…

More “Your Fault” Stuff

• Did you Delete something…– Only delete files that you create

• Use the Application’s uninstall routine• Use the Control Panel’s Add/Remove option• To Recover…. ‘tech-speak’• “May have to reinstall the OS” LAST RESORT• “Restore the Partition”• Did you NOT do something…• Updates???

What you can Delete!

• All Files in My Documents – on network• All files that YOU create – USB?• Create a folder called Download files• Internet files• Cookies & Temporary Internet files• Temp Files, Wall paper, media, old programs

(using the Add / Remove)

•Backup•Backup•Backup•Backup•Backup

Popup Problems• Users fail to distinguish between genuine pop-up warning messages

and false ones, a study at North Carolina State University has found.• A study examined the responses of undergraduates to messages

which popped up while they did other tasks on a PC. Seeing the pop-ups as a mere annoyance, the majority clicked 'OK'.

• Fake pop-ups are a well-known vehicle for cyber-criminals to install harmful software on PCs.

• "This demonstrates how easy it is to fool people on the web," said Michael Wogalter, professor of psychology at North Carolina State University.

• "Be suspicious when things pop up. Don't click OK - close the box instead," said Dr Wogalter.“

Things to do first:• SIMPLE Precautions• Use IE7 and enable all features

– Do not Disable options• Use protection Software

– Scan for:• SpyWare/AdWare

• Windows Defender• AVG-Spyware

– Viruses• AVG• Symantec or McAfee or Kasperski AntiVirus• Microsoft Online Help

Things to try:• Hardware• Check all connections - including Wireless• Be at one with your machine – Listen to it• Check the keyboard• Restart – Fixes MANY issues• Shut Down – save all open files• If mouse is dead - CTRL+ESC• Power off – 5 sec (last resort)

– When you restart you may get:– Windows did not shut down correctly– Check Disk– May start in Safe Mode**

Things to Try #2

• Software– Control Z – undo– ESC– Document what you did– Saving to a USB “FLASH DRIVE”– Control C – copy– Control V - paste

Things to Try #3• Depending on the problem:• Software–Update–Make sure you are updating ALL your apps–Antivirus–Microsoft Critical Updates–Driver Updates

• Hardware– Check all connections – Moisture – Dust – Blocked

Vents – Heat – Fans – Environment - Bugs

Things to Try #4

• Drive Properties– Right Click on Drive C– Click “Properties”

• Task Manager– What’s going on NOW– Control + Alt + Delete– Used when computer locks up the program– Lots of information

Tech Support?

• Know when to call for help…• Who owns the problem?• Ask around – try some things• Can you replicate the issue?• Collect info – lots of it – document• Then Look for and/or Get Help

More Ideas

• Troubleshooting Minor Annoyances• What’s Slowing My Machine?• Install & Uninstalling Stuff Correctly• Too many Icons on your Desktop• Too many things happening on Start-up• CLEAN UP YOUR MESS!!

The End