PC Troubleshooting Pocket Guide

by ANDREWS

• ISBN13: 9780619186203
• ISBN10: 0619186208
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-04-07
• Publisher: Course Technology Ptr

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
How to Use This Book to Solve PC Problems	1	(4)
If you know which PC subsystem has a problem	1	(1)
If you know only the symptom of the PC problem	1	(1)
If you need some technical data	1	(1)
If you are new to troubleshooting	2	(1)
If you want more information	2	(1)
How the Pocket Guide Works	2	(1)
Quick Reference: The Top 10 PC Problems	3	(2)
Before You Begin: Protect and Prepare	5	(4)
Professional Fundamentals	5	(1)
What the Customer Expects from a PC Technician	5	(1)
Fundamental Rules of Problem Solving	6	(1)
Interview the User	6	(1)
Safety Precautions	7	(1)
Protect Against ESD	7	(1)
Protect Disks and Other Hardware	7	(1)
Critical Things to Verify Before You Begin	8	(1)
Troubleshooting Roadmap: Finding the Solution by System or Symptom	9	(16)
The Problem-Solving Tool: Checklists and Flowcharts	25	(1)
Isolating a Boot Problem	25	(2)
Troubleshooting the Boot Process	27	(6)
Steps in the Boot Process	27	(1)
Troubleshooting Post Before Video Is Active	28	(2)
Troubleshooting Post After Video Is Active	30	(3)
Troubleshooting the Electrical System	33	(3)
Power Supply Problems	35	(1)
Troubleshooting the Motherboard and CPU	36	(3)
Is the Motherboard Newly Installed?	37	(2)
Troubleshooting the CPU	39	(1)
Troubleshooting Memory on the Motherboard	39	(1)
Troubleshooting the Video System	39	(5)
Monitor Problems	41	(3)
Troubleshooting the Keyboard	44	(1)
Troubleshooting the Mouse	45	(1)
Troubleshooting Loading Windows 9x	46	(8)
Using Safe Mode to Troubleshoot Windows 9x	49	(1)
Using the Windows 9x Startup Menu	50	(1)
Option 1: Normal	51	(1)
Option 2: Logged (\Bootlog.txt)	51	(1)
Option 3: Safe Mode	51	(1)
Option 4: Safe Mode with Network Support	51	(1)
Option 5: Step-by-Step Confirmation	51	(1)
Option 6: Command Prompt Only	51	(1)
Option 7: Safe Mode Command Prompt Only	51	(1)
Option 8: Previous Version of MS-DOS	52	(1)
Troubleshooting with the Windows 9x Startup Menu	52	(1)
Using the Windows 9x Emergency Startup Disk	53	(1)
Troubleshooting Loading DOS	54	(2)
Troubleshooting Loading Windows NT	56	(1)
Troubleshooting Loading Windows 2000/XP	57	(18)
Using Last Known Good Configuration to Troubleshoot Windows 2000/XP	62	(1)
Using Safe Mode to Troubleshoot Windows 2000/XP	63	(1)
Using a Boot Disk to Troubleshoot Windows 2000/XP	64	(2)
Using the Recovery Console to Troubleshoot Windows 2000/XP	66	(3)
Using the Recovery Console to Disable Services in Windows 2000/XP	69	(1)
Performing a Reinstallation (Repair) of Windows 2000/XP	69	(1)
Tricky Boot Problems, Solutions, and Tips	70	(5)
Troubleshooting Problems After the PC Boots	75	(6)
General Instructions for Problems with Software	76	(1)
General Instructions for Problems with Hardware	77	(1)
When Your System Has an Intermittent Problem	78	(1)
Troubleshooting Windows 9x After Booting	79	(1)
Troubleshooting Windows 2000/XP After Booting	80	(1)
Troubleshooting Floppy Drives	81	(1)
Troubleshooting the Hard Drive	82	(8)
S.M.A.R.T. Reports a Hard Drive Problem	82	(1)
Problems That Prevent the Hard Drive from Booting	82	(4)
Troubleshooting the Hard Drive File System	86	(4)
Troubleshooting CD-ROM Drives	90	(2)
Troubleshooting Sound Cards	92	(1)
Troubleshooting Microphones	93	(1)
Troubleshooting a Scanner	93	(1)
Resolving Resource Conflicts Using Legacy Devices	94	(1)
Troubleshooting Printers	95	(9)
Troubleshooting Localized Printer Problems	97	(1)
Laser Printer Problems	98	(1)
Dot Matrix Printer Problems	99	(1)
Ink-Jet Printer Problems	100	(1)
Troubleshooting Printer Problems with the OS or Device Drivers	101	(1)
Troubleshooting Printing from an Application	102	(1)
Network Printer Problems	103	(1)
Troubleshooting PDA and PC Connections	104	(1)
Troubleshooting Small Networks	104	(5)
Troubleshooting Wired Networks	106	(1)
Troubleshooting Wireless Networks	106	(2)
Troubleshooting TCP/IP	108	(1)
Troubleshooting Connections to the Internet	109	(1)
Troubleshooting Modems	109	(3)
Troubleshooting Problems with Dial-Up Networking and Connecting to the Internet	112	(2)
Troubleshooting Cable Modems	114	(1)
Troubleshooting DSL	114	(1)
Troubleshooting Firewalls	114
Appendix A Beep Codes and Post Codes	1	(1)
AMIBIOS Beep Codes	1	(1)
Award BIOS Error Messages	1	(2)
Phoenix BIOS	3	(5)
Dell BIOS	8
Appendix B Using CMOS Setup	1	(1)
How to Identify Your Motherboard and BIOS	1	(1)
How to Access CMOS Setup	1	(1)
Setup Programs for Older PCs	2	(1)
For Any Older PC	2	(1)
For Phoenix BIOS on 286 and 386 Systems	2	(1)
Try Clearing CMOS Setup	3	(1)
CMOS Settings	3
Appendix C DOS and Windows Commands	1	(1)
Appendix D Recovery Console	1	(1)
Launching the Recovery Console	1	(1)
Loading Recovery Console from the Windows XP Setup CD	1	(1)
Loading Recovery Console from the Windows 2000 Setup CD	1	(1)
Installing the Recovery Console on the Hard Drive	2	(1)
Removing the Recovery Console from the Windows Startup Menu	2	(1)
Recovery Console Commands	2	(6)
Help <Command>	2	(1)
Attrib --R +R --S +S --H +H --C + C Filename	3	(1)
Batch inputfilename outputfilename	3	(1)
Bootcfg	3	(1)
CD or CHDIR	4	(1)
Chkdsk	4	(1)
Cls	4	(1)
Copy	4	(1)
Del or Delete	4	(1)
Dir	4	(1)
Disable	5	(1)
Diskpart	5	(1)
Exit	5	(1)
Expand	5	(1)
Fixboot	6	(1)
Fixmbr	6	(1)
Format	6	(1)
Listsvc	7	(1)
Logon	7	(1)
Map	7	(1)
Md or Mkdir	7	(1)
More or Type	7	(1)
Net	7	(1)
Rd or Rmdir	7	(1)
Ren or Rename	7	(1)
Set variable = value	8	(1)
Systemroot	8	(1)
Adding More Flexibility to the Recovery Console	8
Appendix E Windows NT/2000/XP Stop Errors	1	(1)
Why do Stop errors occur?	1	(1)
When do Stop errors typically occur?	2	(1)
Why does the PC spontaneously reboot?	2	(1)
Troubleshooting Stop Errors	2
Appendix F CPUs and Their Characteristics	1	(1)
Intel CPUs	1	(1)
Pentiums	1	(1)
Amd CPUs	2	(1)
Via and Cyrix CPUs	3	(1)
Slots and Sockets	3
Appendix G IRQs and I/O Addresses	1	(1)
Appendix H Important URLs	1	(1)
Appendix I Record Keeping	1	(1)
Service Call Report	2	(1)
Help Desk Call Report	3	(1)
Intake Call Report	4	(1)
PC Information Sheet	5	(1)
Calling a Vendor for Help	6
Appendix J Where to Go for More Help: Hardware Resources	1	(1)
Technical Support on the Internet and Help Desks	1	(1)
Hardware Diagnostic Tools	2
Appendix K Where to Go for More Help: Software Resources	1	(1)
Glossary	1	(1)
Index	1