CompTIA A+ 1001 (Troubleshooting)

Dim Image (Troubleshooting)

This irregularity often has something to do with brightness settings on the display or with adapter issues.

No Image On Printer Display (Printer Troubleshooting)

This is most often caused because the printer is unplugged or in standby mode.

Smoke & Burning Smell (PC Troubleshooting)

• Electrical problems • The smoke makes everything work • Always disconnect power • There should never be a burned odor • Locate bad components • Even after the system has cooled down • Replace all damaged components

SSID Not Found (Network Troubleshooting)

• Network name doesn't appear • Other networks are there • Too far away • Local networks are louder • Wireless router has disabled SSID advertisements • It will never appear on a list • You can still manually connect

Troubleshooting Steps

1. Identify the problem. 2. Establish a theory of probable cause. 3. Test the theory to determine cause. 4. Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and identify potential effects. 5. Implement the solution or escalate as necessary. 6. Verify full system functionality, and if applicable, implement preventative measures. 7. Document findings, actions, and outcomes.

VGA Mode (PC Troubleshooting)

A video setting you can try if the display is not working.

IP Conflict (Network Troubleshooting)

A conflict that occurs when two hosts are assigned the same address on a network.

Overheat Shutdown (Hardware Troubleshooting)

A shutdown of this sort could be due to problems with the video card or blocked airways for ventilation.

Proprietary Crash Screens (PC Troubleshooting)

A stop error screen that sometimes appears when a Windows-based system is unable to boot. The BSOD screen includes failure codes that indicate the source of the problem.

Loud Clicking Noise (PC Troubleshooting)

A typical symptom of either a hard disk drive having read/write problems or from a failing cooling fan.

Incorrect Color Patterns (Hardware Troubleshooting)

Damaged cables, or a damaged connection port on the PC, may be responsible for this malfunction.

POST Beep Codes (PC Troubleshooting)

An audio signal emitted by the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) of a computer to announce the result of a short, diagnostic testing sequence.

Streaks (Printer Troubleshooting)

An error caused by dirty rollers and/or wash water, and by using outdated solutions.

Apps Not Loading/Slow App Performance (Mobile Troubleshooting)

Apps are not loading. Restart the device.

Multiple Failed Jobs In Logs (PC Troubleshooting)

Are there specific errors on these jobs that can direct to the troubleshooting steps (such as toner, paper, access issues)? This may be due to spooler issues.

No Connectivity (Printer Troubleshooting)

Are you physically connected? Is it getting good DHCP? Are others able to connect to it. Most of the time its a network issue and nothing to do with printer itself.

Short Battery Life (Mobile Troubleshooting)

Bad reception. Disable unnecessary wireless features. Check application battery usage. Replace aging battery

Blank Screen Upon Booting (PC Troubleshooting)

Bad video or BIOS configuration issue.

Battery Not Charging (Hardware Troubleshooting)

Batteries lose capacity over time, laptop charging hardware may be faulty.

Log Entries & Error Messages (PC Troubleshooting)

Can indicate a variety of issues from improper credentials to failing hardware.

Unavailable Resources (Network Troubleshooting)

Can you get to the system itself by pinging it?

Creased Paper / Paper Jam / Paper Not Feeding (Printer Troubleshooting)

Dirty or faulty pickup rollers.

APIPA/Link Local Address (Network Troubleshooting)

This indicates an issue reaching the DHCP server.

Num Lock Indicator Lights (Hardware Troubleshooting)

When this light is on this number keypad feature is working.

No Connectivity (Network Troubleshooting)

Check power, network connection, whether printer is shared, proper IP address, and whether printer is set up as default in Windows.

No Sound From Speakers (Mobile Troubleshooting)

Check volume settings (also in app). Reinstall software, try headphones. Intermittent could be conflicting with other app. If all fails, use factory reset.

Color Prints In Wrong Color (Printer Troubleshooting)

Color printers use base colors to create shades of all other colors. Wrong color is usually due to one of the ink or toner cartridges being empty or malfunctioning.

Faded Prints (Printer Troubleshooting)

Common indication of critically low toner level in a laser printer. Can also be caused by using an economy print mode

Disassembling Processes For Proper Reassembly

Document and label cable and screw locations. Organize Parts. Refer to manufacturer resources. Use appropriate hand tools.

Unable To Decrypt Email (Mobile Troubleshooting)

Each user has a private key. Install individual private keys on every mobile device. Use a Mobile Device Manager (MDM).

Error Codes (Printer Troubleshooting)

Error codes would direct you to the issue, usually with paper, ink or toner, or memory. Troubleshoot these errors accordingly.

Drive Not Recognized (PC Troubleshooting)

Error that takes place if misconfiguration or cable error or other problem prevents the computer from detecting the storage device.

No Power (PC Troubleshooting)

Power outlet or power supply issues are usually the cause of this.

Intermittent Device Failure (PC Troubleshooting)

Hardware is usually responsible for this, in the form of a bad hardware installation, overheated components, hardware going bad, or hardware not fully connected to motherboard.

Intermittent Wireless (Network Troubleshooting)

Move closer to access point, try a different access point.

GPS Not Functioning (Mobile Troubleshooting)

First, you should ensure that the GPS function is enabled. If that is not the problem, reboot the device. Then try turning location services off and then back on. Finally, you could perform a GPS reset.

Oversized Images & Icons (PC Troubleshooting)

If the resolution of the monitor does not match the system settings, this can be the result.

Unable To Install Printer (Printer Troubleshooting)

If this problem occurs, the account used to install the printer probably does not have permissions to install the printer. Use an administrative level account to install the printer.

Distorted Geometry (Hardware Troubleshooting)

Images that are stretched inappropriately on a monitor.

Limited Connectivity (Network Troubleshooting)

In this situation, a computer can connect to the network but cannot access a specific resource on the network. The problem could be because the user does not have permission to access the resource. If you can ping the resource but cannot access the resource by its host name, the DNS server could be down. The problem could lie with the remote resource. See if other computers can connect to it.

Swollen Battery (Mobile Troubleshooting)

Physically expanded battery. (A swollen battery is a sign of physical damage to the battery. A swollen battery runs the risk of exploding, and should be handled carefully and IMMEDIATELY REPLACED. Also applies to cell phone batteries)

Dead Pixels (Hardware Troubleshooting)

Pixels that do not display light as expected and will show up as small black dots.

Low Memory Errors (Printer Troubleshooting)

Problems caused by attempting to print a document that will not fit in the laser printer's onboard temporary storage.

No Bluetooth Connectivity (Network Troubleshooting)

Reassure that device is in discoverable mode. check pairing. make sure Bluetooth is turned on.

Vertical Lines On Page (Printer Troubleshooting)

Similar to streaks troubleshooting, these may be caused by toner or ink residue. Ensure that the internals are clean and the cartridge is not leaking.

Frozen System (Mobile Troubleshooting)

Soft and/or hard reset. Ongoing problems may require a factory reset.

Slow Performance (PC Troubleshooting)

This can indicate that a drive has already failed or that there are errors on the drive files. There may also be issues with virtual memory.

Ghost Cursor/Pointer Drift (Hardware Troubleshooting)

Symptoms pointing to problems with the touchpad or track pad or cursor movement stick on a laptop.

Failure To Boot (PC Troubleshooting)

System cannot start, possibly due to BIOS/UEFI boot order, damage to operating system files or other causes.

Flickering Image (PC Troubleshooting)

This happens when there are damaged cables or a damaged connection port on the PC.

Ghost Images (Printer Troubleshooting)

The laser printer optical drum may not be cleaning properly. Print shows ghost or "shadow" from previous drum rotation.

Printing Blank Pages (Printer Troubleshooting)

The most often cause of this problem is that the printer is out of ink or toner. It can also be caused by clog print nozzles in an inkjet printer. For a laser printer, the toner cartridge has sealant tape over the toner dispenser. If this tape is not removed, pages will be blank.

Distorted Image (PC Troubleshooting)

The system settings on your OS may be responsible for a distorted image. The refresh rate or resolution may be at fault.

Unexpected Shutdowns (PC Troubleshooting)

These can be caused by hardware that's failing or by adding new hardware that's incompatible.

Continuous Reboots (PC Troubleshooting)

These could be related to BIOS problems or OS problems. Problems with a bad driver may also be responsible.

BIOS Time & Settings Resets (PC Troubleshooting)

These indicate a problem with the BIOS CMOS battery.

System Lockups (PC Troubleshooting)

They can be caused by something freezing up the operating system, such as a bad system or application process, insufficient RAM, or by using old software or driver versions.

Booting To Incorrect Device (PC Troubleshooting)

This can be caused by a problem with the boot settings within the BIOS.

No Image On Screen (Hardware Troubleshooting)

This can happen if there is a cabling issue, or a connection is not seated properly.

RAID Stops Working (PC Troubleshooting)

This can happen in any RAID array that does not mirror data. It is usually caused by one of the drives failing.

Access Denied (Printer Troubleshooting)

This is most often caused by the access control list (ACL) for the printer. Make sure that the user has been granted print permission. This can also be affected by print availability and print priority.

Read/Write Failure (PC Troubleshooting)

This is usually caused by damaged sectors on the hard drive or by hard drive failure. Run the chkdsk command to scan the drive for damaged sectors. If the hard drive has completely failed, you will need to replace the drive and restore the data from backup.

Garbled Characters On Paper

This may mean a software or connection issue. Are correct drivers installed? Is the printer connected firmly with a good cable? Is there enough RAM free on the printer?

Toner Not Fused To The Paper (Printer Troubleshooting)

This may only happen on laser printers due to a fuser problem. Try replacing the fusing roller or the fuser lamp.

RAID Not Found (PC Troubleshooting)

This problem could be caused by issues with the RAID controller or the management software.

Printer Will Not Print (Printer Troubleshooting)

This situation might arise for a variety of reasons, such as paper not being inserted correctly, power cord being dislodged or not plugged in, or printer not reading the computer command.

S.M.A.R.T. Errors (PC Troubleshooting)

This stands for Self Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology, and it includes multiple error categories known as SMART statistics. These can proactively see issues before a drive fails completely.

OS Not Found (PC Troubleshooting)

This usually is a software issue where the boot sector cannot be located. Reboot the computer into the Recovery Console and repair the operating system.

Touchscreen Non-Responsive (Mobile Troubleshooting)

Touchscreen is completely black or not responding. Restart the device.

Artifacts (PC Troubleshooting)

Typically a sign of a failing or overheating graphics card. It can also be caused by bad system memory on occasion.

Dim Display (Mobile Troubleshooting)

When a mobile device has the backlight set to its lowest setting and the automatic light adjustment is disabled, or the phone is set to conserve power by auto-dimming the light.

Burn-in (Hardware Troubleshooting)

When a static image stays on a monitor for many hours, leaving a permanent impression of that image on the monitor.

No Wireless Connectivity (Network Troubleshooting)

Verify the Wi-Fi settings are correct. Perform a hard reset on the specific device, if necessary.

Low RF Signal (Network Troubleshooting)

Wireless network problem caused variously by obstructions between router and wireless client; use of only one antenna by router or client; excessive distance between router and client

Backed Up Print Queue (Printer Troubleshooting)

You can try to delete the print job from the print queue that you suspect is causing the problem. If this does not fix the problem, you will need to stop and restart the print queue.