Troubleshooting Operating Systems

Question 1

Bluescreen & Spontaneous Shutdowns

Answer 1

• Startup & Shutdown BSOD
  
  • Bad hardware , bad drives , bad applications

-Apple pinwheel / beach ball

• Use last known good, system restore , rollback driver
  
  • Safe mode
• Reseat or remove the hardware
• Run hardware diagnostic

Question 2

Boot Errors

Answer 2

• Can’t find operating system
  
  • OS missing
• Boot loader replaced or changed
• Check boot device
• Modify the vista 7 / 8 / 8.1 Boot Configurations Database
• Startup repair

Question 3

Improper Shutdown

Answer 3

• Windows Error Recovery Window
• Should Recover normally
• Launch startup repair
  
  • Can fix most issues
  • F8 or run from Windows Error Recovery Windows

Question 4

Missing GUI

Answer 4

• No login dialog , no desktop
  
  • Driver corruption , OS file corruption
• Startup in VGA mode
  
  • F8 for startup options
• Run SFC
  
  • System file checker
  • Run from recovery console

-Update driver in safe mode

Question 5

Startup Repair

Answer 5

• Missing NTLD2
  
  • The main Windows boot loader is missing
  • Run startup repair or replace manually & reboot
• Missing operating system
  
  • Boot configuration data may be incorrect
  • Run startup repair or manually config BCD store
• Boot to Safe Mode
  
  • Windows is not starting normally
  • Run startup repair

Question 6

Missing Grub / LILO

Answer 6

• GNU = Grand Unified Boot loader (GRUB)
  
  • A common Linux boot loader
• Linux Loader (LILO)
  
  • An older less common boot loader
• Missing boot loaders
  
  • Can be overwritten by other operating system
• Boot repair LiveCD
  
  • Or command line recovery

Question 7

Starting the System

Answer 7

• Device not starting
  
  • check device manager & event viewer
  • Often bad driver
  • Remove or replace driver
• One or more services failed to start
  
  • Bad / incorrect driver , bad hardware
  • Try starting manually
  • Check account permissions
  • Confim service dependencies
  • Windows service ; check system files

Question 8

Managing DLLs

Answer 8

• Dynamic Link Library
  
  • A shared library
  • Can be used for multiple applications
• DLL version are very specific
  
  • Applications are written to a particular version

Earlier Windows would mismanage DLLs
-Overwriting was common

-Windows file protection , Windows Resource Protection

Question 9

Files & Compatibility Error

Answer 9

• Files type are associated with applications
  
  • Associations can be changed
  • Fails to open
• Configure file associations
  
  • Windows vista 7 / 8 / 8.1
  • Control Panel / Default Programs applet
• Compatibility tab
  
  • Run applications as an older Windows app

Question 10

Slow Performance

Answer 10

• Task manager
  
  • Check for high CPU utilization and I/O
• Windows Update
• Disk Space
• Laptop using power saving mode
• Antivirus & antimalware
  
  • Running scans

Question 11

Kernel Panic

Answer 11

• Unix & Linux System , Mac OS X
  
  • Non-recoverable fatal error
  • All system activity halts

Error message provide some insight

 - Direction for troubleshooting
 - Hardware failure
 - Operating system bug