Summer 2002
Exam III – B
Essay Questions

Name ____Cliff De Long______________________________________________  

1.	Name and describe 5 of the 10 Fundamental Rules of PC troubleshooting. 
Approach the problem systematically.  Start ant the beginning and step through in an analytical deductive manner.
Divide and conquer.  Isolate the problem.  As an example, remove newly installed devices first, and then if you are frustrated enough, pull all the drives off and boards out  – you can get a post with nothing more than RAM, a keyboard and a video adapter – then add the devices back in one at a time.  Many times I have seen machines that wouldn’t post because of badly seated RAM or failed CD-ROM drive motors.  Uninstall or reinstall application software, etc.
Don’t overlook the obvious.  Sounds easier than it really is - Is it plugged in? Turned on?
Check the simple things first.  Try the easier repair first when faced with multiple possibilities in your diagnosis. 
Make no assumptions.  Makes an ass out of u and me!  Be from Missouri – “Show me.”
Become a researcher.  Been there – done that – surfed it.  Use the combined knowledge available to you from everyone that has already faced your problem.
Write things down.  Draw pictures, make lists, I carry a pocket notebook because I just can’t remember everything anymore.
Reboot and start over.  Especially if you are working with Microsoft products!
Establish your priorities.  Satisfy the customer!  Quality is Job 1.
Keep your cool.  Nah – just fdisk it and reload from the backup or ghost image – sometimes it’s the fastest way!  Definitely leads to cleaner registries…
Don’t assume the worst.  Once you overwrite data you can’t recover it.    Theoretically it is possible – but only admissible in court in cases dealing with National Security.  If in doubt – low level format usually destroys data beyond recovery – but a car air conditioner clutch magnet energized over the drive always works for destruction of data.  Something made the fuse blow in the power supply – probably the fan motor – a $2 fan is cheaper than a $30 power supply – but maybe your time is more valuable…
Know your starting point.  Check it out with the user there.  Problems shouldn’t be intermittent – they should be replicable.


2.	List three  questions you should ask when troubleshooting a printer problem? 

Is it turned on?  Plugged in?  Select (online) light on?  Any lights flashing? Got the right driver?  TCP/IP port? 


 
3.	What three speeds dictate the overall data transmission speed? 
Port speed calling, line speed, port speed answering

 
4.	List three digital alternatives to analog modem communications that are available in your area. 

ISDN, T1, T3, OC3, OC12, OC48, ADSL, asynchronous satellite, cable modem