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Before I ever wrote a computer program or user manual, I repaired audio electornics down to the component level. The troubleshooting skills I learned there made the transition to computers easy. My knowledge of effective troubleshooting procedures has brought me more repeat business than any other skill. This web page is adapted from my book, Troubleshooting: Tools, Tips and Techniques.
"Great troubleshooters
are born, not taught"
BS! Troubleshooting is a set of procedures, priorities, mental tools
and attitudes that anyone can learn.
"Either you can troubleshoot
or you can't"
Wrong again! Just like any ability, there's a spectrum. You can always
get better. Imagine how silly this myth would sound if you substitute "play
basketball" for the word "troubleshoot".
"I can troubleshoot --
I do it every day"
See previous myth.
"Troubleshooting is machine
dependent"
True only to a small degree. However, the procedures, priorities, mental
tools, and attitudes apply no matter what machine, system, or entity you're
troubleshooting.
"Troubleshooting is fixing
machines"
False! You can troubleshoot a company's organization. Substitute the
word "reengineering" for "troubleshooting" and see
how silly the myth sounds.
"Troubleshooting is for
techies"
Nothing could be farther from the truth. Substitute the word "problem
solving" for "troubleshooting", and see how silly this myth
sounds.
"Troubleshooting isn't
as important as other skills"
Tell that to your CEO when a mission-critical system crashes and revenue
stops.
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Mental Model
Know the system as components and relationships between components.
Divide and Conquer
Each test should nearly as possible divide the remaining search area
in half. This is tempered by factors of ease and likelihood.
The Attitude
Maintain super-rationality. Don't try to fix it, just try to narrow
it down.
Fix the Right Problem
The quality control component of troubleshooting. Make sure you eliminated
the right symptom, fixed the right cause, and fixed the problem right.
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Copyright (C)1995, 1996 by Steve Litt. See the copyright notice for any restrictions on access and reuse of information provided in the Litt's Tips web pages.