beautypg.com

Locating a problem, Troubleshooting – Elitegroup 532 User Manual

Page 71

background image

T

T

r

r

o

o

u

u

b

b

l

l

e

e

s

s

h

h

o

o

o

o

t

t

i

i

n

n

g

g

This chapter describes locating and solving problems that you may encounter while using your computer.

Locating a Problem

Problems with your computer can be caused by something as minor as an unplugged power cord – or as major
as a damaged hard disk. The information in this chapter is designed to help you find and solve minor
problems. If you try all the suggested solutions and you still have a problem, make a list of what steps you
have taken to correct the problem and contact your dealer.

Successful troubleshooting is the result of careful observation, deductive reasoning, and an organized
approach to solving the problem.

The problems that you will encounter can be divided into two basic categories: hardware problems and
software problems. Hardware problems can be further divided into electrical and mechanical problems. You
will know you have a hardware problem if the screen is dark, the computer cannot read the disk drives, or
you get an error message during the Power-On Self Test (POST).

Software errors can occur at several levels. The ROM BIOS and the operating system can give you a large
number of error messages. On top of this, each application software package has its own set of error
messages. It is important to determine whether the software error message you are getting is from the
application or the operating system. Once you know this, you can look in the respective manual for a solution
to the problem.

63