Summary

4 IT Essentials: PC Harware and Software Companion GuideTroubleshooting is a skill that you will refine over time. Each time you solve another problem,you will increase your troubleshooting skills by gaining more experience. You willlearn how and when to combine, as well as skip, steps to reach a solution quickly. The troubleshootingprocess is a guideline that you can modify to fit your needs.In the following sections, you will learn an approach to problem solving that you can applyto both hardware and software. You also can apply many of the steps to problem solving inother work-related areas.The troubleshooting process consists of the following steps:How ToStep 1.Step 2.Step 3.Step 4.Step 5.Step 6.Gather data from the customer.Verify the obvious.Try quick or less intensive solutions first.Gather data from the computer.Evaluate the problem and implement the solution.Close with the customer.It is best to follow this process and document the process as you go through it. This willhelp you to identify solutions the next time you encounter a similar problem and help youwork backward if you made unwanted changes.NoteThe term customer, as used in this course, is any user that requires technical computer assistance.After completing the following sections, you will be able to explain the purpose of dataprotection and perform each step in the troubleshooting process.Explain the Purpose of Data ProtectionBefore you begin troubleshooting problems, always follow the necessary precautions toprotect data on a computer. Some repairs, such as replacing a hard drive or reinstalling anoperating system, can put the data on the computer at risk. Make sure that you do everythingpossible to prevent data loss while attempting repairs.CautionAlthough data protection is not one of the six troubleshooting steps, you must protect data beforebeginning any work on a customer’s computer. If your work results in data loss for the customer, youor your company could be held liable.A backup is a copy of the data on a computer hard drive that is saved to media such as aCD, DVD, or tape drive. In an organization, backups are routinely done on a daily, weekly,and monthly basis.