Personal Computer Troubleshooting Guidelines

Personal Computer Troubleshooting is a method of finding the cause of a problem and correcting it. The ultimate goal of troubleshooting is to get the equipment back into operation. This is a very important job because the entire production operation may depend on the troubleshooter's ability to solve the problem quickly and economically, thus returning the equipment to service. Although the actual steps the troubleshooter uses to achieve the ultimate goal may vary, there are a few general guidelines that should be followed. There are often cases where a familiar piece of equipment or system breaks down. In those cases, an abbreviated five-step troubleshooting process can be used to find the fault, get the system up and running. It is important to note that, although it is a five-step approach, the same basic guidelines of the seven-step troubleshooting method are followed. The steps are simply combined to be specific to the problem at hand. This article will briefly cover the five-step troubleshooting process, followed by a more in-depth look at the seven-step troubleshooting process.

General Troubleshooting Guidelines

The general guidelines for a good troubleshooter to follow are:

Use a clear and logical approach

• Work quickly
• Work efficiently
• Work economically
• Work safely and exercise safety precautions

  Troubleshooting Steps

  The five-step troubleshooting process consists of the following:
  1. Verify that a problem actually exists.
  2. Isolate the cause of the problem.
  3. Correct the cause of the problem.
  4. Verify that the problem has been corrected.
  5. Follow up to prevent future problems.