System Troubleshooting-Commom Problems

1. Troubleshooting – Common
Problems
 Imranul Hasan
 Greenwich University, UK

2. System Unit Troubleshooting:
 Error-1: Computer does not turn on and appears
completely dead.
 Cause:
a) Power cable connection is loose or disconnected.
b) Power supply unit of System may be defected.
 Symptom:
 Power indicator lead of system unit remains off after switching
on.
 Remedy:
a) Check the power Cable Connection from Main switch to System
Unit power socket through UPS and Extension board.
b) Measure the DC Voltage of the output of Power Supply that are
connected to HDD, FDD, CD-ROM Drive etc. using Multi-meter.
If 0 Voltage found then the System Unit power supply may be
damaged. Repair/ Replace the power supply unit.

3. System Unit Troubleshooting:
 Error-2: Computer is not booting.
 Cause:
a) System file may be corrupted.
b) Boot disk data cable or power cable may have defects.
c) Boot disk (Hard disk or floppy disk) may be damaged.
d) Boot drive is not enabled in BIOS.
 Symptom:
 “Strike F1 to retry boot and F2 to setup utility.” or “Booting failure” or
“Primary Hard Drive 0 not found” message will be appeared on the
screen.
 Remedy:
a) If possible transfer the system files to the drive where the Operating
System exists.
b) Check the Power and Data Cable connection of the bootable disk drive
by opening the casing of system unit. Tighten them if found loose.
c) Try to boot from floppy disk and change to the drive C (using command
C: and then Enter). If you can change drive then the Hard Disk Drive is
OK and try to reinstall OS (choosing Format and recover hard drive)
and all application software. Otherwise replace the Hard Disk with a
new one.
d) Select appropriate from BIOS boot sequence.

4. System Unit Troubleshooting:
 Error - 3: Computer does not boot and makes
continuous long beep.
 Cause:
 RAM is loose or RAM slot is empty.
 Remedy:
 Check the RAM slot and place RAM in that slot
properly.

5. System Unit Troubleshooting:
 Error - 4: The computer is 'Hang up', 'Lock up' or 'Freezes'.
 Cause:
 It is usually a software problem that occurs from corrupted files.
Sometimes it is due to faulty cooling system of processor.
 Symptom:
 Computer is not responding with the instruction from user. i.e.,
everything is freeze.
 Remedy:
 a) Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete at a time. Select the program for which
the program is not responding. Click End Task and wait for few
seconds. Another new window will appear. Click End Task again. If
the problem remains then-
 b) Press power switch of the System Unit and hold down till the
computer is shut down. Then restart the computer.
 c) If the problem remains shut down and open the casing of system
unit. Check for the processor cooling fan and clean all the parts of
the of the system unit. Restart the computer.

6. System Unit Troubleshooting:
 Error - 5: Error reading from Floppy Diskette.
 Cause:
a) Floppy Diskette may be damaged or some bad sectors may
occur in the surface of the Disk.
b) Read-write head of the Floppy Diskette Drive is not clean (dirty).
 Symptom:
a) Computer prompt for run scandisk or format disk.
 Remedy:
a) Run ScanDisk program to identify the errors on the disk and to
remove the error. If scandisk cannot run then try to format it. If
the disk cannot be formatted then the disk is permanently
damaged.
b) Clean the head of the Floppy Diskette Drive with a cleaning kit.

7. Display Trouble shooting:
 Error - 1: No display in monitor.
 Cause:
a) Monitor switch is off or Monitor Power cable connection is loose or
disconnected.
b) Monitor signal cable is loose or disconnected.
c) Monitor brightness is minimized.
d) AGP Card loose in AGP socket (For internal AGP card in AGP slot).
 Symptom:
 Power indicator lead of Monitor may remains off or may blinks after
switching on. One long and two short beep made by built in speaker.
(For d.)
 Remedy:
a) Check the power Cable Connection from Main switch to Monitor power
socket through UPS and Extension board.
b) Check Monitor signal Cable is connected to the System Unit perfectly.
c) Adjust the brightness of Monitor.
d) Shutdown the Computer. Unplug the monitor signal cable. Open the
casing of System Unit and unscrew & unplug the AGP card. Clean the
slot and the card with a soft and clean brush carefully. Reattach the
card in the slot and screw it. Close the casing and plug in signal cable.

8. Display Trouble shooting:
 Error - 2: The viewable area of monitor is not
adjusted with actual area.
 Cause:
 Monitor Display property on the front panel of Monitor
is not adjusted properly.
 Remedy:
 Adjust Monitor display properties using the front
panel of monitor.

9. Display Trouble shooting:
 Error-3: During booting some messages are displayed
of Monitor but after a few seconds Monitor does not
Display anything.
 Cause:
 Colour Refresh rate and screen area is not adjusted properly
 Symptom:
 All leads may be blinking.
 Remedy:
 Start computer in Safe Mode. Right click on Desktop >
Properties > Advanced > Adapter > set refresh rate at Adapter
default > Apply > OK > set colour at 256 colours > set Screen
Area at 800×600 > Apply > OK.

10. Display Trouble shooting:
 Error - 4: Monitor becomes dark after a fixed
time.
 Cause:
 Due to Screen Saver settings (It is not a problem
exactly).
 Remedy:
 Right click on Desktop > Properties > Screen Saver >
Set screen saver at ‘None’ > Apply > Settings (Lowest
button) > set System Standby, Monitor turn off and
Shut down Hard Disk properties at ‘Never', > Apply >
OK > OK.

11. Mouse and Keyboard Trouble shooting:
 Error - 1: Mouse is not responding when the computer is
powered on.
 Cause:
a) The mouse is loosely connected or not connected to the Mouse
port.
 Remedy:
a) Shutdown the computer. Set the Mouse connection to mouse
port properly. Restart the computer.
 Error - 2: Keyboard is not responding when the computer is
powered on.
 Cause:
 The Keyboard is loosely connected or not connected to the
Keyboard port.
 Remedy:
 Shutdown the computer. Set the Keyboard connection to
Keyboard port properly. Restart the computer.

12. Audio Trouble shooting
 Error - 1: No sound from speaker.
 Cause:
a) Speaker power and signal cable is loosely connected or disconnected.
b) Master volume is muted.
c) Audio driver is not installed.
 Symptom:
a) Speaker power lead is dark.
c) No volume control icon will exist on Task Bar.
 Remedy:
a) Check the power Cable Connection from Main switch to speaker through
UPS, Extension board and adapter.
b) Click Start > programs > accessories > Entertainment > Volume control
> clear all check boxes, which are muted.
c) Check Audio driver is installed properly. [Click Start > Settings > Control
Panel > System (or Right click on My computer > Properties >)
Hardware > Device Manager > double click on ‘Sound, Video and Game
controller’. If any error indicator appears before any item that contains
the word Audio then it means that, Audio Driver is not installed.] If not
installed then install audio driver.

13. Audio Trouble shooting
 Error - 2: Microphone is inactive.
 Cause:
a) Microphone is not connected properly.
b) Microphone control is muted.
 Remedy:
a) Connect the Microphone in Audio In Port.
b) Click Start > Programs > Accessories >
Entertainment > Volume control > clear check box of
Microphone volume control. [If microphone control is
not exist then click Options > properties > check on
Microphone check box from the list > click OK.]

14. Printer Trouble shooting
 Error –1: The message “There was an error writing to
LPT1: for the printer [IBM Proprinter XL24e]: There
was a problem ........................................” with a
message box.
 This message indicates that the printer is unable to
print specific object. The following steps to be done for
solving the problem:
1. Remove all the scotch tape and extra papers from the Printer (If
any). It is applicable only when you set a new printer first time.
2. Check whether the Printer Data Cable is connected properly to
printer port of CPU & printer and Power Cable connection from
extension board to printer properly.
3. On the Power switch of Stabilizer and Printer (If switched off);
4. Ensure the paper is inserted properly in the paper feeder of the
printer.
5. Press “Retry” or try to reprint the document, if everything is ok.

15.  Error – 2: Printer prints garbage.
 Causes:
a) Proper printer driver is not installed.
b) The proper printer driver is not set as default.
 Remedy:
a) Install proper printer driver.
b) Click start > Settings > Printer > Right click on your
physical printers driver > if the tick (√) mark is not
exist before ‘Set as default’ then click on it.
Printer Trouble shooting

16.  Error – 3: Printer output page is Blank.
 Cause:
 Printer data cable may have defect.
 Remedy:
 Change printer data cable (One or more pin
of the printer data cable may disconnected or
broken)
Printer Trouble shooting

17.  Does it cleaning?
 Is the ball missing?
 Is it plugged in?
 Have you checked
the port?
Mouse won't work properly

18. Scanner won't scan
 Is it plugged in?
 Is the proper scanner program
running?
 Is it in the wrong position in the chain?

19. Programs open slowly or not at all
 Not enough RAM
 Hard disk needs de-fragmentation
 Program isn't there or is corrupt
 Conflict with other programs

20. Running on Empty
Not enough memory
 Check Virtual Memory
 Look for memory leaks
Trouble:
System is running unusually slow, crashing, issuing ‘Low Memory’ errors

21. Bringing back files
I knew I shouldn’t have deleted that file
 Open the Recycle bin and retrieve it.
 Download a demo version of recovery
software.
 Ontrack’s EasyRecovery
(http://www.ontrack.com/easyrecovery/)
Trouble:
Deleted a file that you need.

22. Computer Maintenance
 Disk Defragment
 Scandisk/Chkdsk

23. Network Troubleshooting
 Ping Command