Telephone is one of the most important tools in communications at home. It is very frustrating if your phone is not working especially if you are using it for business.
You may be able to fix your telephone problem by conducting a quick equipment check. By doing this, you can also determine if the fault is caused by one of your privately-maintained equipment or private wirings inside the house. It will avoid you as well of some call out fee or service charge of sending a technician according to the policy of your service provider.
HOW TO DO AN EQUIPMENT CHECK?
Check how many phone sockets do you have inside your house or inside the premise. Simply unplug all equipments from all these phone sockets. This may include telephones, fax, modems, filters, answering machines, alarms, extensions and ringers. Wait 10 seconds then plug only one working phone back into the socket by itself. It is better to use a normal or standard phone because cordless phone causes cross-talking.
Check for dial tone. If there is no dial tone, unplug the phone and try it in another phone socket. Check again for dial tone. If there is still no dial tone, try another handset on the same phone socket. If the line is still dead, it means that there is a possible fault in the line. Call your service provider's customer service or technical support to log a fault report.
NOISY LINE
For noisy line like crackling, humming, buzzing or whirring noise but there is a dial tone, doing an equipment check will help you determine what is causing the noise. If you are using a lot of equipments especially internet related (modems, fileters and splitters), unplugging all of them and trying only one phone to the socket usually solved the problem. You have to plugged back in one equipment at a time to pinpoint which equipment is causing the noise and have it replaced or repaired.
Showing posts with label troubleshooting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label troubleshooting. Show all posts
Basic Computer Troubleshooting: Computer is Slow
How to troubleshoot a computer that is performing or running slowly?
Follow this procedure to troubleshoot a computer that is performing or running slowly in the Windows Vista® operating system.
NOTE: When troubleshooting slow performance using the steps below, some steps may take an extended time to complete. Move on to the next step and complete the unused steps at a later time.
1. Close any programs that are not being used.
2. Software loading when the computer starts may be causing the computer to slow down. Remove unused applications from startup.
3. If this is a notebook computer, the power settings may have an overall effect on system performance.
WARNING: There is a risk of data loss. Before closing an application or process using the task manager, be sure to save all open files because the application may not prompt you to save data before closing. Also,
closing critical processes may cause system instability.
4. Use the Task Manager to close any unused applications or processes without an icon on the task bar or in the system tray, or which are listed as (not responding).
5. Stop any instances of host svcs that may be running.
6. Delete any unnecessary files using the Disk Cleanup utility.
7. Adjust visual effects.
8. Perform a System Restore to return the configuration to a time when the computer was not performing as slowly.
9. Detect and repair possible errors on the hard drive using the Check Disk utility.
10. For computers upgraded to the Windows Vista® operating system, check the Windows Experience Index rating to determine expected performance.
11. Defragment the hard drive.
12. Remove any recently added hardware.
NOTE: For assistance with any third-party hardware or software, please contact the hardware or software manufacturer.
13. Setup the Windows Readyboost™ feature on a removable disk or flash memory drive.
14. The presence of viruses, spyware, and adware can cause the operating system to perform slowly. Use a spyware or adware removal utility and anti-virus application to clean the system of malware.
NOTE: The presence of two or more anti-virus programs may decrease computer performance.
15. Documents waiting to be printed may affect performance. Let the print jobs finish and performance should increase.
NOTES:
- Upgrading the system memory is likely to improve performance.
- A full recovery of the system may be required if the above steps did not resolve the issue.
WARNING: There is a risk of data loss. Ensure to back up any important data before running a full recovery of the system.
Basic Computer Troubleshooting: Using Safe Mode in Windows Operating System
Most of Sony users are calling about black screen or windows error recovery problem in their computers. Or sometimes, the computer crashes or locks up. They reboot the computer and it loads a strange looking Windows desktop with the words Safe Mode in the four corners. What is Safe Mode in Windows operating system? How does it works?
Safe Mode is a special way for Windows to load when there is a system-critical problem that interferes with the normal operation of Windows. The purpose of Safe Mode is to allow you to troubleshoot Windows and try to determine what is causing it to not function correctly. Once you have corrected the problem, then you can reboot and Windows will load normally.
There are several things that happen when Windows boots in Safe Mode that differ from a standard boot:
Safe Mode starts up automatically if Windows does not boot on the previous attempt. You can also invoke Safe Mode by pressing F5 or by pressing F8 and selecting it from the boot menu.
So what should you do if your computer boots to Safe Mode? First, try to determine what has changed on your system that could have caused Windows to fail to boot properly. If you have added any kind of hardware, go to the Control Panel and remove it and uninstall the software driver for that device. Then attempt a reboot. If Windows boots properly, you can be reasonably certain that there was some type of conflict with the device and try to resolve it.
Use this same method if you have loaded a new game or application sometime recently. Go to the Control Panel, click on Add/Remove Programs and remove the software. Try a reboot and hopefully you will get a normal Windows boot.
If the problem is definitely not new hardware or software, then you most likely have a corrupted Registry. In this case, you will quite likely have to perform a new installation of Windows to set things right.
Safe Mode is a special way for Windows to load when there is a system-critical problem that interferes with the normal operation of Windows. The purpose of Safe Mode is to allow you to troubleshoot Windows and try to determine what is causing it to not function correctly. Once you have corrected the problem, then you can reboot and Windows will load normally.
There are several things that happen when Windows boots in Safe Mode that differ from a standard boot:
- Safe Mode does not run the autoexec.bat or config.sys files.
- Most device drivers are not loaded. A device driver is the software that Windows uses to interact with a piece of hardware, such as a printer or scanner.
- Instead of the normal graphics device driver, Safe Mode uses standard VGA graphics mode. This mode is supported by all Windows-compatible video cards.
- Himem.sys, which is normally loaded as part of the config.sys script, is loaded with the /testmem:on switch. This switch tells the computer to test the extended memory before continuing.
- Safe Mode checks the msdos.sys file for information on where to find the rest of the Windows files. If it finds the files, it proceeds to load Windows in Safe Mode with the command win /d:m. If it does not find the Windows files, it will run command.com to bring up a C: prompt.
- Windows boots using a batch file called system.cb instead of the standard system.ini file. This file loads the Virtual Device Drivers (VxDs) that Windows uses to communicate with the standard parts of the computer.
- Windows now loads the regular system.ini file plus win.ini and Registry settings. It skips the [Boot] (except for the shell and device lines) and [386Enh] sections of system.ini and does not load or run any programs listed in win.ini.
- The Windows desktop loads up in 16 colors and at a resolution of 640 x 480 with the words "Safe Mode" in each corner.
Safe Mode starts up automatically if Windows does not boot on the previous attempt. You can also invoke Safe Mode by pressing F5 or by pressing F8 and selecting it from the boot menu.
So what should you do if your computer boots to Safe Mode? First, try to determine what has changed on your system that could have caused Windows to fail to boot properly. If you have added any kind of hardware, go to the Control Panel and remove it and uninstall the software driver for that device. Then attempt a reboot. If Windows boots properly, you can be reasonably certain that there was some type of conflict with the device and try to resolve it.
Use this same method if you have loaded a new game or application sometime recently. Go to the Control Panel, click on Add/Remove Programs and remove the software. Try a reboot and hopefully you will get a normal Windows boot.
If the problem is definitely not new hardware or software, then you most likely have a corrupted Registry. In this case, you will quite likely have to perform a new installation of Windows to set things right.
Basic Computer Troubleshooting: Networking and Internet Connections in XP
Even though my split as computer technician is hardware, about 30% of the calls I received is about networking problem. Issues like cannot connect to the internet, local access only and no available networks are some of the common problems with networking. Because of this, I requested a special training for networking and internet from our operations manager which she granted. The training is just about basic networking troubleshooting that is why I am still doing research online for advanced troubleshooting of networking and internet.
Here are the links to the most popular Microsoft Knowledge Base troubleshooting articles for troubleshooting networking issues, cable modems and internet connection sharing (ICS). Also includes home networking, connectivity, TCP/IP, TRACERT, file sharing, permissions, wireless network connections, internet connection problems, VPN, cable modems, XP firewall, routers and print servers
GENERAL NETWORKING
TCP/IP
WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY
INTERNET CONNECTIONS
FILE SHARING
NETWORK PRINTING
OTHER
Here are the links to the most popular Microsoft Knowledge Base troubleshooting articles for troubleshooting networking issues, cable modems and internet connection sharing (ICS). Also includes home networking, connectivity, TCP/IP, TRACERT, file sharing, permissions, wireless network connections, internet connection problems, VPN, cable modems, XP firewall, routers and print servers
GENERAL NETWORKING
- Troubleshooting Home Networking in Windows XP
- How to Troubleshoot Network Connectivity Problems
- Network Problems with a Router in Windows XP
- You May Be Unable to Browse the Network
- Network Adapter Not Working no Compatible Driver
- Cannot Create a Network Connection After XP Restore
TCP/IP
- How to Troubleshoot TCP/IP Connectivity with Windows XP
- How to Use TRACERT to Troubleshoot TCP/IP Problems
- How to Reset Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
- Syntax and Options of Ipconfig Diagnostic Utility
WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY
- How to Troubleshoot Wireless Network Connections
- How to Make 802.11b Wireless Network More Secure
- Wireless Network Adapters May Lose Connectivity
- How to Enable Automatic Wireless Network Configuration
INTERNET CONNECTIONS
- How to Troubleshoot Internet Connection Problems
- WebCast: Troubleshooting Internet Connectivity
- Using Internet Connection Sharing with User Profiles
- Troubleshooting Internet Connection Sharing in Windows XP
- Resources for Troubleshooting Internet Connection Sharing
- Setting up Internet Connection Sharing
- Description of Repair Option LAN or Internet Connection
- Check Your Internet Connection Speed
FILE SHARING
- Description of File Sharing and Permissions in Windows XP
- Connect to Network Resources Without Mapping a Drive or Port
- XP Firewall Can Prevent Browsing and File Sharing
NETWORK PRINTING
- Cannot Print from the Network to a Windows XP Print Server
- How to Print to Network Printer from an MS-DOS Program
- How to Troubleshoot Network Printing Problems
- "Access Denied" When Printing to a Network Printer
OTHER
Basic Computer Troubleshooting: Hardware
Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving most often applied to repair of failed products or processes. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem so that it can be solved, and so the product or process can be made operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to develop and maintain complex systems where the symptoms of a problem can have many possible causes. Troubleshooting is used in many fields such as engineering, system administration, electronics, automotive repair, and diagnostic medicine. Troubleshooting requires identification of the malfunction(s) or symptoms within a system. Then, experience is commonly used to generate possible causes of the symptoms. Determining which cause is most likely is often a process of elimination - eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state.
In general, troubleshooting is the identification of, or diagnosis of "trouble" in a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining the causes of these symptoms.
A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example).
Troubleshooting is a process. The process for troubleshooting is to isolate the area of the system that the problem has occurred and attempt to take steps toward resolving the problem.
It is important to note any changes to the system prior to the problem as well as immediate symptoms. Troubleshooting is a process. The process for troubleshooting is to isolate the area of the system that the problem has occurred and attempt to take steps toward resolving the problem. It is important to note any changes to the system prior to the problem as well as immediate symptoms. For instance, if a system performs well until you open an unexpected mail attachment from a co-worker. It is possible the system was affected by the act of opening the attachment (possible virus/worm).
COMPUTER TROUBLESHOOTING
Trying to track down and resolve technical problems on your computer is, undeniably, one of life's most frustrating experiences. To help you through the process, I've written some articles that explain the critical issues you need to understand to do effective troubleshooting on personal computers. This section will tackle mainly on the basic troubleshooting of computer's hardware problems.
1. The computer does not display, beep, clear POST or boot.
The troubleshooting steps listed above should resolve your issue. If you have completed all of the steps and the issue is not resolved, service may be required.
2. The Windows freezes or stops responding frequently.
Cause:
This issue could be caused by any of the below possibilities.
1. Software related issue.
2. Driver related issue.
3. Operating system related issue.
4. Heat related issue.
5. Hardware issue.
6. Serious issue with Windows
7. Hardware failure.
Answer:
This article contains recommendations on what to do if the computer frequently freezes or completely halts. An easy way to determine if your computer is in this situation is by pressing the Num Lock button on the keyboard and watching the Num Lock led to see if it turns off and/or on.
If you're able to get the light to turn off an on, press CTRL + ALT + DEL and attempt to end task the program. Additional information about this can be found on document CHTSR. Otherwise continue reading this document.
Software related issue
A computer locking up or freezing is often is caused by a software related issue. If you're encountering lockups when the computer is opening a particular program, make sure you have all the latest updates for that program. You can find the latest updates for your software through the software developer or publisher.
Driver related issue
A computer lock up can also be caused by drivers. For example, if there is an issue that exists with your video drivers a computer could lock up while playing a game or displaying any other type of video. Make sure you have the latest drivers for all major devices in your computer (video, sound, modem, and network). A listing of driver related pages as well as driver related help can be found on our drivers page.
Operating system related issue
Make sure your operating system has all of the latest updates installed on it. Additional information about updating Windows can be found on document CH000545.
Heat related issue
If the computer processor is getting too hot it can cause the computer to freeze. If you have heard any abnormal noises coming from your computer recently such as a high squealing, this could indicate a fan may be failing in your computer.
You can first start by verifying the fan on the power supply is working by examining the back of the computer and seeing if the fan is moving and moving smoothly. For all other fans in the computer you will need to either open the computer and make sure the fan are working (processor fan and case fan) and/or if your BIOS monitors the RPM of the fans, enter BIOS and make sure the BIOS does not report any errors.
Users may also be able to determine how hot their computer is by onboard thermal sensors. If your computer comes equipped with these sensors, make sure your CPU is not running too hot.
Hardware issue
In addition to software, hardware can also cause a computer to lock. If you have recently added any new hardware into the computer, try temporarily removing it to make sure it is not the cause of your issue.
Before attempting to remove any hardware, make sure you are not encountering this issue because of hardware conflicts by viewing Device Manager for errors. Additional information about Device Manager can be found on our Device Manager page.
If you have not recently installed any new hardware into the computer, the next best solution to determining if this is a hardware issue would be remove any hardware on the computer that is not needed. For example, remove your modem, network card, sound card, and any other expansion cards that are not needed for the computer to operate. Run the computer without these cards to see if they are the cause of your issue.
Serious issue with Windows
If you have tried all the above recommendations and the computer continues to frequently lock up, its possible that Windows may be seriously corrupt. Try running through the basic troubleshooting steps for your version of Windows on our basic troubleshooting page. If these additional steps do not resolve your issue, we suggest you backup all information and erase and reinstall Windows on your computer.
Hardware failure
If after reinstalling your operating system, or during the installation of your operating system, your computer turns off abnormally, it is very likely that other hardware is failing in the computer. Often this is RAM, CPU, Motherboard, and/or Power Supply (in that order).
If you have extra available parts or have a friend or co-worker with a similar configuration that is willing to allow you to test their hardware in your computer, try swapping these parts to determine if they are at fault. Otherwise, you will need to have the computer serviced.
In general, troubleshooting is the identification of, or diagnosis of "trouble" in a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining the causes of these symptoms.
A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example).
Troubleshooting is a process. The process for troubleshooting is to isolate the area of the system that the problem has occurred and attempt to take steps toward resolving the problem.
It is important to note any changes to the system prior to the problem as well as immediate symptoms. Troubleshooting is a process. The process for troubleshooting is to isolate the area of the system that the problem has occurred and attempt to take steps toward resolving the problem. It is important to note any changes to the system prior to the problem as well as immediate symptoms. For instance, if a system performs well until you open an unexpected mail attachment from a co-worker. It is possible the system was affected by the act of opening the attachment (possible virus/worm).
COMPUTER TROUBLESHOOTING
Trying to track down and resolve technical problems on your computer is, undeniably, one of life's most frustrating experiences. To help you through the process, I've written some articles that explain the critical issues you need to understand to do effective troubleshooting on personal computers. This section will tackle mainly on the basic troubleshooting of computer's hardware problems.
1. The computer does not display, beep, clear POST or boot.
NOTES:
* Because each of these steps represents a possible solution to this issue, check the computer status after completing each step.
- Restart the computer by pressing and holding the power button until all power indicator lights are off, waiting 30 seconds, and then pressing the power button again.
- Remove or disconnect all removable media.
- Restart the computer to Safe Mode.
- Reset the computers BIOS to the default values.
- Restart the computer to the Last Known Good Configuration.
- Disconnect all peripheral devices connected to the computer.
- Remove any additional third-party cards that were installed in the computer.
- Remove any additional RAM memory modules that have been added to the computer.
- Remove and replace (reseat) the original RAM memory modules that came installed in the computer.
NOTE: Refer to the operating instructions supplied with the computer for specific information on how to install, remove or replace RAM memory modules.
The troubleshooting steps listed above should resolve your issue. If you have completed all of the steps and the issue is not resolved, service may be required.
2. The Windows freezes or stops responding frequently.
Cause:
This issue could be caused by any of the below possibilities.
1. Software related issue.
2. Driver related issue.
3. Operating system related issue.
4. Heat related issue.
5. Hardware issue.
6. Serious issue with Windows
7. Hardware failure.
Answer:
This article contains recommendations on what to do if the computer frequently freezes or completely halts. An easy way to determine if your computer is in this situation is by pressing the Num Lock button on the keyboard and watching the Num Lock led to see if it turns off and/or on.
If you're able to get the light to turn off an on, press CTRL + ALT + DEL and attempt to end task the program. Additional information about this can be found on document CHTSR. Otherwise continue reading this document.
Software related issue
A computer locking up or freezing is often is caused by a software related issue. If you're encountering lockups when the computer is opening a particular program, make sure you have all the latest updates for that program. You can find the latest updates for your software through the software developer or publisher.
Driver related issue
A computer lock up can also be caused by drivers. For example, if there is an issue that exists with your video drivers a computer could lock up while playing a game or displaying any other type of video. Make sure you have the latest drivers for all major devices in your computer (video, sound, modem, and network). A listing of driver related pages as well as driver related help can be found on our drivers page.
Operating system related issue
Make sure your operating system has all of the latest updates installed on it. Additional information about updating Windows can be found on document CH000545.
Heat related issue
If the computer processor is getting too hot it can cause the computer to freeze. If you have heard any abnormal noises coming from your computer recently such as a high squealing, this could indicate a fan may be failing in your computer.
You can first start by verifying the fan on the power supply is working by examining the back of the computer and seeing if the fan is moving and moving smoothly. For all other fans in the computer you will need to either open the computer and make sure the fan are working (processor fan and case fan) and/or if your BIOS monitors the RPM of the fans, enter BIOS and make sure the BIOS does not report any errors.
Users may also be able to determine how hot their computer is by onboard thermal sensors. If your computer comes equipped with these sensors, make sure your CPU is not running too hot.
Hardware issue
In addition to software, hardware can also cause a computer to lock. If you have recently added any new hardware into the computer, try temporarily removing it to make sure it is not the cause of your issue.
Before attempting to remove any hardware, make sure you are not encountering this issue because of hardware conflicts by viewing Device Manager for errors. Additional information about Device Manager can be found on our Device Manager page.
If you have not recently installed any new hardware into the computer, the next best solution to determining if this is a hardware issue would be remove any hardware on the computer that is not needed. For example, remove your modem, network card, sound card, and any other expansion cards that are not needed for the computer to operate. Run the computer without these cards to see if they are the cause of your issue.
Serious issue with Windows
If you have tried all the above recommendations and the computer continues to frequently lock up, its possible that Windows may be seriously corrupt. Try running through the basic troubleshooting steps for your version of Windows on our basic troubleshooting page. If these additional steps do not resolve your issue, we suggest you backup all information and erase and reinstall Windows on your computer.
Hardware failure
If after reinstalling your operating system, or during the installation of your operating system, your computer turns off abnormally, it is very likely that other hardware is failing in the computer. Often this is RAM, CPU, Motherboard, and/or Power Supply (in that order).
If you have extra available parts or have a friend or co-worker with a similar configuration that is willing to allow you to test their hardware in your computer, try swapping these parts to determine if they are at fault. Otherwise, you will need to have the computer serviced.
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