Chapter 12 - Reviewing the Basics

Assume that you are a customer who wants to have a computer repaired. List five main characteristics that you would want to see in your computer repair person.

PC support technician, PC service technician, Technical retail associate, Bench technician, and Help-desk technician.

What are the six steps that you can use to solve any computer problem?

1. Interview the user and back up data 2. Examine the system and make your best guess 3.Test your theory 4. Plan your solution and then fix the problem 5. Verify the fix and take preventive action 6. Document what happened

How many bits does an x86-based operating system process at one time?

32 bits

When making an on-site service call, what should you do before making any changes to software or before taking the case cover off a computer?

Ask for permission first.

What is one thing you can do to help a caller who needs phone support and is not a competent computer user?

Be specific with your instructions

You have exhausted your knowledge of a problem and it still is not solved. Before you escalate it, what else can you do?

Go back over the basic questions and re-ask the customer so you can fix the problem. Then ask a co-worker.

If you need to make a phone call while on a customer's site and your cell phone is not working, what do you do?

Kindly ask them if you could use a local telephone to aid you in getting the repair done.

You make an appointment to do an on-site repair, but you are detained and find out that you will be late. What is the best thing to do?

Let them know. Apologize and arrange new date and time.

What should you do after finishing your computer repair?

Put everything back together the way it was and clean up any mess. Then explain to the customer what you just did and what was malfunctioning. Verify that everything works.

What GUI tool can you use to stop a program that is hung?

Task Manager

What command-line tool can you use to stop a program that is hung?

Tasklist, Taskkill

If an application works when the system is loaded in Safe Mode, but does not work when Windows is loaded normally, what can you assume?

The problem is not with the application, but with the operating system, device driver, or other applications that load at startup which are conflicting with the application.

What is a good strategy to follow if a conflict arises between you and your customer?

Treat others as you, yourself would like to be treated.

What is one thing you should do when you receive a phone call requesting on-site support, before you make an appointment?

Try to resolve over the phone prior to making an appointment, at least address the problem.

What is the command to use the Memory Diagnostics tool?

mdsched.exe

What is the command to use the System File Checker to immediately verify system files? To verify system files on the next restart?

sfc /scannow. To verify system files on the next restart check the box dialog "on the next restart"

How can you eliminate the possibility that an application error is caused by another application or service running in the background?

Boot in safemode with networking

How does Windows know which application to use to open a file when you double-click the file in File Explorer or Windows Explorer?

By the file extension

Which two tools might a software developer or system administrator use to register a component of an application in the Windows registry?

Component Services (also called COM+) and Regsvr32

Describe what you should do when a customer complains to you about a product or service that your company provides.

Don't argue with them but find something that you can both agree on to ease and comfort the customer.