Troubleshooting is the process of diagnosing the source of a problem. It is used to fix problems with hardware, software, and many other products. The basic theory of troubleshooting is that you start with the most general (and often most obvious) possible problems, and then narrow it down to more specific issues.

The six steps of troubleshooting.

1. Identify the problem.
2. Establish a theory of probable cause.
3. Test probable cause theory to determine actual cause.
4. Establish an action plan and execute the plan.
5. Verify full system functionality.
6. Document the process.

What are your top 5 troubleshooting questions?

• Is anyone else experiencing this issue?
• Have you had this problem before? If so, when?
• Has anything changed since this issue started?
• Do you experience this issue on another computer/device/network?
• What impact does this issue have on you, or your team, or department?

10 Most Common Help Desk Problems

• I Need to Reset My Password.
• The Printer Is Down.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader Needs to be Updated… Again.
• Video Conferencing Error.
• My Voicemail Password Needs to Be Reset.
• The Network Is Slow.
• I Can’t Access My Documents.
• Third-Party Software Problems.

Basic Troubleshooting Probing Questions

1. Gather Symptom Data. Would you describe exactly the problem you’re having? When did the problem begin?
2. Identify Possible Problem Causes. Verify the system. Verify what OS the customer is running.
3. Identify Possible Solutions. What have you done to correct the problem? ( Reload, Reboot, Reseat)
4. Implement Solution.

If you want a quick overview of your system’s hardware, use the left-hand panel to navigate to Reports > System > System Diagnostics > [Computer Name]. It provides you with multiple checks for your hardware, software, CPU, network, disk, and memory, along with a long list of detailed statistics.

The easiest way to get there is to right-click on the Windows icon and select “System” from the menu. The window that pops up will give you a variety of useful information, including your PC’s name, the CPU it uses, the installed RAM, and information on the version of Windows 10 that’s installed.

Unplug the USB device, wait about five seconds, and then plug the device back in. If you are using a hub, unplug the hub, wait about five seconds, and then plug the hub back in. If you are using a USB hub, try to use the device without the hub.

To launch the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool, open the Start menu, type “Windows Memory Diagnostic”, and press Enter. You can also press Windows Key + R, type “mdsched.exe” into the Run dialog that appears, and press Enter. You’ll need to reboot your computer to perform the test.

Press the power button on your Mac and then immediately press and hold down the D key on the keyboard. (To start Apple Diagnostics over the internet, hold down Option-D.) Release the D key when the prompt appears on the screen asking you to choose your language using the arrow keys.

How to Test RAM With Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool

1. Search for “Windows Memory Diagnostic” in your start menu, and run the application.
2. Select “Restart now and check for problems.” Windows will automatically restart, run the test and reboot back into Windows.
3. Once restarted, wait for the result message.

Here goes:

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Click on System and Security.
3. Click on Administrative Tools.
4. Double-click the Windows Memory Diagnostic shortcut.
5. Click the Restart now and check problems option.