Basic Troubleshooting 2-1

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This chapter describes basic troubleshooting procedures that can help you
diagnose a computer system problem. These procedures can often reveal the
source of a problem or indicate the corre ct starti ng point f o r troubleshooting
the sy stem. A brief e xpla nation of ho w to load and start the Dell Diagnost ics is
found at the end of the chapter. Dell recommends that you perform the follo w -
ing procedures in the order they are present ed in this chapter.

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When you fi rst contact a user who has a problem, ask the user to describe the
problem and the cond itions under which it occurs. A ve rbal description can
often indicate the cause of a problem or indicate the appropriate troubleshoot-
ing procedure to use. After the user describes the problem, follow these
steps:
See the operating system documentation and Appendix D, “Maint aining
the System,” in the

User ’s Guide

for information about backing up data.
Can the user duplicate the problem?

Yes

. P roceed to step 3.

No

. Proceed to the next section, “External V isual Inspect ion.”
Is the problem a resul t of user error?

Yes

. Instruct the user in the proper procedure, or direct him or her to the
appropriate user documentation for the correct procedure.

No

. Proceed to the next section, “External V isual Inspect ion.”