Hardware Diagnostics - Page 3

Eliminate Potential Causes
Once you can reproduce the problem at will, the next step is to narrow the playing field until you can isolate one misbehaving application, task, or piece of hardware. To do this, first look at your notes from the previous step. Eliminate one of the non-active applications you had running at the time of the error. Then, repeat the task you were performing in your active application. Does the problem still happen? Eliminate another application and try again.

Repeat this process until you can't reproduce the problem any more. If you can reproduce the error with only the application in which you were working active, then that application is probably the guilty party! But if the application works alone but not with certain other applications, you can solve the problem by not operating the conflicting programs at the same time.

If you used to be able to run certain applications together without a problem and now you can't, did you upgrade any of them recently? The upgrade may be causing a conflict that the previous version did not. What about other changes to your system? If you were previously able to work in this application with no problem but now you can consistently reproduce a problem, look at all of the changes you have made to your system since the last time it worked properly. Using the technique we just applied to applications, remove each change one by one until the problem can no longer be reproduced. This is called "backing out of changes," and it is a very effective troubleshooting process. Often, a change that makes one application work better will wreak havoc with another! The key here is to narrow the list of possible suspects that may be causing your error. The ideal is to get to just ONE culprit out of all of the hardware and software you are running when the problem occurs.

Determining a Fix
Sometimes, when you've isolated the cause of the problem, a fix is obvious. When two applications conflict, for example, the only solution may be to avoid running the applications together unless one of the two software makers offers a fix for the conflict. Incidentally, if they don't report a fix, you should report the problem if you've completely narrowed it down and can reproduce it consistently. Problem reports like this enable software manufacturers to fix bugs and conflicts, either through patches or new versions.

When hardware is causing the problem, you may need an updated driver for your device. Or you may need to reconfigure the device somewhat to work properly with your system. Refer to the appropriate page in your journal to check the manufacturer's web site for a potential fix. Often, common conflicts and configuration issues are included in the manufacturer's FAQs or knowledge base and can point you to a simple fix. Calling the manufacturer's tech support line is another option here. If you suspect that the hardware device is malfunctioning, you should consider taking it for repair. Component level repair is beyond the scope of Focus on PC Support. But some devices can be repaired cheaper than they can be replaced. If your component is under warranty, you will definitely want to choose this option, but be sure to use an authorized repair center for your device so that you don't void the warranty.

Finally...
Document, document, document. The more detail you have about your PC problems and their solutions, the more prepared you are for the next error you see. Documenting the problem is what we have been doing all along in this article with the journal. But don't forget to document the solution! That will save you a lot of work later down the road.

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