Telos Zephyr Xstream - Manual (Page 285)

USER’S MANUAL
Section 13: Deep Tech Information and Troubleshooting 273
13.5 Troubleshooting
The following sections discuss various areas where you may encounter challenges. We have
categorized this section into logical problem areas to make it as painless as possible. Of course,
you are always welcome to contact our support team if you get stuck!
13.6 General Troubleshooting Techniques
Thinking about Problem Solving
Despite best intentions, something could always go wrong. Sometimes troubleshooting a balky
set‐up can make even the toughest engineer a Maalox and Rogaine addict.
You can't fix any system without the right world view; a zeitgeist of suspicion tempered by trust
in the laws of physics, curiosity dulled only by the determination to stay focused on a single
problem, and a zealot's regard for the scientific method. Perhaps these are characteristics of all
who successfully pursue the truth. In a world where we are surrounded by complexity, where
we deal daily with equipment and systems only half‐understood, it seems wise to follow
understanding by an iterative loop of focus, hypothesis, and experiment.
The notions here apply whether you are solving problems at the system level or at the
component level. At the system level, the actions you might take would be very different –
checking cables, trying different menu settings – but the thinking is the same.
Too many times, we fall in love with our suppositions. We are quick to overtly or subconsciously
assume the problem being chased is due to lousy design, the stupid phone company, or the
manager’s latest memo.
Armed with a healthy skeptical attitude, the basic philosophy of troubleshooting any system is
to follow these steps:
• Observe the behavior to find the apparent problem;
• Observe collateral behavior to gain as much information as possible about
the problem;
• Round up the usual suspects;
• Generate a hypothesis;
• Generate an experiment to test the hypothesis;
• Fix the problem;
• Then, repeat, if necessary, to attack additional problems.