Chapter 12: Supporting Customers and Troubleshooting Windows

Which of the following involves assigning a problem to those higher in the support chain? ticket logging, problem escalation, responsibility passing, issue resolution

Problem escalation

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

Stay professional. Allow the customer to vent. Listen carefully. Do what you can to solve the problem. Escalate if necessary.

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

Windows uses the file extension and associates a file extension to an application.

What is the command to use the Memory Diagnostics tool?

mdsched.exe

What is defined as a record of a call for help with a computer problem?

ticket

True/False: If you make a mistake that makes the problem worse, it's best to hide the problem until you can resolve it or until you have left the customer site.

False

You can quickly identify a problem with memory or eliminate memory as the source of a problem by using what tool?

Memory Diagnostics

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

Allow the customer to ask questions. Be patient and take the customer through each step slowly.

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

Allow the customer to speak without you getting defensive. Take notes and send the information to the right person in your organization. Be an active listener. Show you care.

What should you do when you have a customer that is frequently complaining about your company, products, or services?

Allow the customer to vent for a while and apologize as necessary

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

Ask a knowledgeable co-worker for help.

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?

Ask permission to use the phone.

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

Ask questions to identify the problem and ask the caller to check and try some simple things while on the phone with you.

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

Ask the user to describe the problem in detail and if there is data on the hard drive not backed up. Then ask permission to service the computer.

When working with co-workers and supervisors, which of the following is a good practice? if you have a problem with a co-worker, first discuss it with other co-workers if you need to give bad news or criticism, use email to lessen the blow be professional by putting business matters over personal matters never tell your boss you can't take on a new project, even if it's beyond your skills

Be professional by putting business matters over personal matters

When working with a computer illiterate user over the phone, what is NOT a good practice?

Before proceeding with the call, tell the customer to put someone else on the line

If you have an overly confident user on the phone, what is a good practice?

Compliment the user's knowledge, insight, and experience

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

Component Services (COM+) and Regsvr32

What are three possible reasons for an application error that should be considered at step 3 of the application troubleshooting process?

Consider data corruption; application settings may be wrong; application may be corrupted

What is the last step in the six step troubleshooting method covered in this chapter?

Document

What are two valid steps in the six step troubleshooting method discussed in this chapter? Boot to Safe Mode; Establish a Theory; Document outcomes; Reinstall Windows

Establish a Theory; Document outcomes

What are some useful rules to use when troubleshooting? Establish your Priorities; Become a Researcher; Never Suspect the User; Make No Assumptions

Establish your Priorities; Become a Researcher; Never Suspect the User; Make No Assumptions

True/False: Most Microsoft patches and device drivers can be applied to a 32-bit installation and also a 64-bit installation.

False

True/False: Once you feel like you have resolved a problem, politely tell the customer the job is finished, and go on your way.

False

When attempting to solve application errors, what does the first step involve?

Interview the user and back up data; ask the user to reproduce the problem while you watch; try a reboot

What is a good practice when working with a customer on site?

Limit use of your cell phone to work-related calls

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.

Positive and helpful attitude, own the problem, be dependable, be customer-focused, be credible, maintain integrity and honesty, know the law with respect to your work, act professionally, perform your work in a professional manner.

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

Run the application after starting the system with a clean boot or in Safe Mode.

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

Task Manager

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 OS, device drivers, or other programs loaded at startup.

True/False: Errors with memory are often difficult to diagnose because they can appear intermittently and might be mistaken as other types of errors.

True

True/False: You should take ownership of a customer's problem as if it is your own problem.

True

What can you do if you suspect an application requires more privileges than the currently logged-on account?

Use the Run as administrator shortcut menu option

What should you do after finishing your computer repair?

Verify everything is working. Then ask the customer to do the same. Fill out the paperwork.

What application can be used to set Windows 8 to boot into Safe Mode while still in Windows?

msconfig.exe

What two tools can be used to disable a service and to give a list of all currently running services, respectively?

msconfig; taskmgr.exe

What piece of equipment is NOT a tool that would be considered appropriate equipment for on-site visits? oscilloscope, flashlight, multimeter, ESD strap

oscilloscope

What command will unregister a component when run?

regsvr32.exe /u

The System Restore utility can be started from command line using what executable?

rstrui.exe

What console can be used to enable, disable, start, or stop a service?

services.msc

What should be entered at a command prompt in order to scan all system files?

sfc /scannow

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, sfc /scanonce

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

taskkill

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 form a theory of probable cause or your best guess, (3) Test your theory, (4) Plan a solution and implement it, (5) Verify all works and take appropriate preventive measures, and (6) Document what happened and the outcome.

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

32 bits

What should be done before any changes are made to a system that is experiencing a problem?

Backup data

What should be done if a system cannot boot from the hard drive?

Boot from the Windows setup DVD

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?

Call the customer and explain the situation. Agree on a new time of arrival.

What should you do after a problem has been resolved at an on-site service call?

If you changed anything since the last boot, reboot one more time