Troubleshooting Flashcards

Question

Common Storage Devices Problems --S.M.A.R.T.

Answer 1

* Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology – Use third-party utilities * Avoid hardware failure - Look for warning signs * Schedule disk checks - Built-in to most drive arrays * Warning signs - Replace a drive

Answer 2

* A lot happens when reading or writing data – Memory access, communication across the bus, spinning drive access, writing or reading the data to the storage device, etc. * Delays can occur anywhere along the way – Need a way to measure storage device access * Input/output operations per second (IOPS) – A broad metric of maximum performance * Useful for comparing storage devices – Hard drive: 200 IOPS – SSD: 1,000,000 IOPS

Answer 3

* OS boots normally – Other drives not shown - Check the BIOS * Internal drives – Bad drive or disconnected cable * External drives – No power to the drive or bad cable connection * Network shares – Shared drives can be connected during startup – Option to reconnect at sign-in – Connected with login script

Answer 4

* Is it connected? – We wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t a real solution – Check both power and signal cable * Input selection on monitor – HDMI, DVI, VGA, etc. * Image is dim – Check brightness controls * Swap the monitor – Try the monitor on another computer * No video after Windows loads – Use VGA mode (F8)

Answer 5

* Flickering, color patterns incorrect – You can almost work with this * Check the cable pins – Especially if missing a color * Distorted image and geometry – Check the OS refresh rate and resolution settings – Need to match the display specifications – Check or replace cable * Disable hardware acceleration – Troubleshoot with the software drivers

Answer 6

* An LCD display is fixed – The number of pixels doesn’t change * A display looks best when the video settings match a display’s native resolution – A mismatch can cause distortion * If changing the display resolution,try using a multiple of the native resolution – 2560 x 1600 is the same ratio as 1920 x 1200

Answer 7

* A problem across all monitor types – Some displays will pixel-shift – You probably won’t notice it * LCDs have “image sticking” – Try to remove by displaying a white screen for an extended period

Answer 8

* Always black – A manufacturing defect * This probably isn’t a problem on your side – Not a cable or power issue * Clean the monitor screen – Damp cloth * You’ll have to replace the monitor – No other option

Answer 9

Check the video cable connections – A loose cable will cause loss of signal * Replace the video cable – Usually a quick fix * The problem could be with the monitor – Try switching the display * Confirm the display settings in the operating system – May not match the monitor

Answer 10

* Colors may not be properly represented – Too much red, green, blue, yellow, etc. * Monitor settings – Tint – Custom color presets – Factory Reset * Driver configuration – Color tint * OS configuration - Very blue – Night light settings

Answer 11

* Many monitors include speakers – No sound, low volume * Monitor may have audio controls – Check volume levels and mute status * Confirm audio input over HDMI, DisplayPort, or Thunderbolt – Check the HDMI audio output in the OS * The monitor may support other audio input interfaces – Check for audio jacks

Answer 12

* Monitor video settings – Brightness – Contrast * Check the OS – Auto-dimming – Dim on battery power – Driver settings * Backlight failure – Some or all of the light – May only be a section of the screen

Answer 13

* Large screen projection – Conference rooms, large gatherings * Not always LCD – But common to see LCD * Metal-halide lamp – Very bright (very hot) light – Relatively expensive – (~ $35 to $350+ US) * Always let bulbs cool – Fan will run after shutting off – Keep it plugged in * Intermittent projector shutdown – No light output – Fans may continue to run * Cooling issue – Fans constantly cool the bulb – Shuts down if temperatures are high * Check the airflow – Remove any blockages – Clean dust from the air filters and external air input/output

Answer 14

* Replace aging battery – There’s only so many recharges * Bad reception – Always searching for signal – Airplane mode on the ground * Disable unnecessary features – 802.11 wireless, Bluetooth, GPS * Check application battery usage – iOS and iPadOS: Settings/Battery – Android: Settings/Battery

Answer 15

Buildup of gas – Designed to self-contain – Do NOT open the battery packet/container – Significant fire risk – You’ll be sorry * Faulty battery – Stop using immediately – Dispose of properly * Device can be damaged – Better than having a fire

Answer 16

* Time for a backup - Do this first! * Replace the screen - No easy fixes * The glass is sharp – Screen protectors can help – Use clear tape until repaired

Answer 17

* Check everything in the charging process – Cables, interfaces * Check the cable interface – Remove any obstructions * Check the cable – Don’t use frayed or damaged cables – Try a known-good cable * Verify the power adapter – Check with a multimeter

Answer 18

Cellular or Wi-Fi – Location, location, location * Cellular – Signal strength – Location matters – Outdoor connectivity may be better * Wi-Fi – Limited range – Interference can limit throughput – May need a channel/frequency configuration change

Answer 19

Many phones have a Liquid Contact Indicator (LCI) – Turns color when liquid has been present * Power down the phone – Don’t power it back on. Don’t do it. * Remove the case, cards, back, and battery – If possible * Putting the phone in a bag of rice doesn’t actually work very well – Silica gel is better * Leave it alone – Don’t turn it on – Do not charge the phone – Don’t connect it to power – Don’t press any keys – Don’t heat the phone – Don’t move it around * Wait at least a day – Or until the phone appears to be dry – And then perhaps a few hours after that * Once you’re sure, power it on – Hope for the best

Answer 20

* Phone will automatically shut down – Avoid overheating damage * Charging/discharging the battery, CPU usage, display light – All of these create heat * Check app usage – Some apps can use a lot of CPU * Avoid direct sunlight – Quickly overheats

Answer 21

* Touchscreen completely black or not responding to input – Screen presses do not register * Apple iOS reset – Press power button, slide to power off, press power button – Hold down power button and Home|Volume for 10 seconds * Android device restart – Remove battery, put back in, power on – Hold down power and volume down until restart – Some phones have different key combinations – Some phones do not have a key-based reset

Answer 22

* External interface - Charging and data transfer * Rough handling and accidents – Damages the interface * Not charging - Look closely * Not modular - Requires a system board replacement

Answer 23

* Always a concern – Even on mobile devices – The device type doesn’t matter * Look for symptoms – Unusual apps, large data transfers, pop up messages, high CPU usage, device overheating, excessive battery use

Answer 24

* Random input or cursor moves without touching the device – Common on older screens * Use a touch calibration app – Requires user input – Touch certain areas of the screen * The system will adjust to the new calibration parameters – No more drif

Answer 25

Do you have a link light? – Is it plugged in? * Ping loopback (127.0.0.1) – Is the protocol stack working? – Availability and intermittent connectivity * Ping local IP address – Checks local configuration, adapter, and link signal * Ping default gateway – Connectivity on the local network * Ping devices on router’s other side – 8.8.8.8 or 9.9.9.9

Answer 26

* Interference – Something else is using our frequency * Signal strength – Transmitting signal, transmitting antenna, receiving antenna, etc. * Incorrect channel – Usually automatic; look for manual tuning * Bounce and latency – Multipath interference; flat surfaces * Incorrect access point placement – Locate close to the users

Answer 27

* Predictable – Fluorescent lights – Microwave ovens – Cordless telephones – High-power sources * Unpredictable – Multi-tenant building * Measurements – Signal to noise ratio (SNR) – Performance Monitor

Answer 28

* Signal – What you want * Noise – What you don’t want – Interference from other networks and devices * You want a very large ratio – The same amount of signal to noise (1:1) would be bad

Answer 29

* Windows alert in the system tray – “Limited or No connectivity” – “No Internet Access” * Check the local IP address – An APIPA address will only have local connectivity * If DHCP address is obtained,perform the ping tests – Local gateway, remote IP address

Answer 30

* Most real-time media is sensitive to delay – Data should arrive at regular intervals – Voice communication, live video * If you miss a packet, there’s no retransmission – There’s no time to “rewind” your phone call * Jitter is the time between frames – Excessive jitter can cause you to miss information, “choppy” voice calls

Answer 31

* High speed and low latency – Real-time applications are demanding * Check the Internet connection – A speed test can identify slow links * Verify the local networking equipment – An old router can cause significant problems * View the network performance – A packet capture would be usefu

Answer 32

* A delay between the request and the response – Waiting time * Some latency is expected and normal – Laws of physics apply * Examine the response times at every step along the way – This may require multiple measurement tools * Packet captures can provide detailed analysis – Microsecond granularity – Get captures from both sides

Answer 33

Network interface goes up and down – Over and over again * Verify the cable – Check the wiring * Move between switch interfaces – Is the flapping associated with the switch interface or the device? * Replace bad hardware or cables – May require additional purchases