Troubleshooting Strategy

A successful troubleshooting strategy requires thoughtful planning. Information gathering is the first, logical step. Use the site log to review the system's service history. Ask the user or customer contact the following:

• What first alerted the user to the problem?
• Were there any recent changes or upgrades to the operating system (OS), firmware, or application software?
• What symptoms did the user notice? Ask about any unusual system sounds or odors.
• Did the user make any initial troubleshooting efforts? If so, what were the results?
• Is the OS functioning? If the answer is no, use power on self test (POST). If the answer is yes, use the system to gather information from log files such as the error log , operator log, and crash dump files. Run OS-based diagnostics, such as DEC VET.