The Basic Windows Troubleshooting Approach
As with hardware troubleshooting, the successful Windows troubleshooting requires correct planning and involves a number of steps, start with information gatherings. You should analyze the problem and eliminate any common problems by resolving them. Then, identify the source of a problem, produce a plan, and execute it.
When gathering information, the natural place to begin is with the user's complaint. Determine if the system has worked and if the problem is random or recurring. Gather information about the system configuration and the operating system. Locate any backups, startup disks, Emergency Repair Disks (ERD), Automated System Recovery (ASR) disks, or other external diagnostic or recovery tools. Find out if the user was presented with any error messages and exactly what he or she was doing when the system failed. If there appears to be a hardware problem, that must be resolved before any work on the operating system proceeds. Find out if any hardware or software was installed just prior to the failure.
Next, determine if the computer will boot. If the computer does boots, determine if you need to move or back up data files for the user before you proceed with repairs. Then try to generate the failure yourself. If the computer does not boot into normal operation, attempt to boot into safe mode. Identify any obvious problems.
It is important to focus on a single issue at a time, even if there are multiple problems on the system. Prepare a list and prioritize the problems. If you locate a problem that may resolve the issue, repair it and make sure that there are no other problems. Work in the operating system until you are sure that there is no other problem that caused the problem you just resolved. If the problem was due to lack of regular maintenance, operator error, or some other easily identifiable cause, take steps to eliminate the potential for further harm to the system.
Both during the operation and at its conclusion, be sure to document your findings, the steps you take, the results, and any requirements for follow-up action. If there are things the user should do, be sure to write them down and present them with a copy.