Hardware problems can take several different forms:
Hardware problems that prevent Windows from starting
A newly installed hardware accessory that does not work as expected
A hardware accessory that did work correctly, but now fails
Unpredictable
symptoms, such as failing applications and services, Stop errors,
system resets, and accessories that behave unreliably
You
should use a different process to troubleshoot each of these broad
problem categories. The following sections discuss each of these
suggested processes.
How to Troubleshoot Problems That Prevent Windows from Starting
Some
hardware problems—especially those related to hard disks or core
components such as the motherboard or processor—can prevent Windows
from starting.
How to Troubleshooting Problems Installing New Hardware
Often,
you might have difficulty installing a new hardware component, or an
existing hardware component might suddenly fail. If you are having
trouble installing a new hardware component, follow these steps:
1. | If Windows will not start.
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2. | Install any updates available from Windows Update.
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3. | Download
and install updated software and drivers for your hardware. Hardware
manufacturers often release updated software for hardware components
after they release the hardware. You can typically download software
updates from the manufacturer’s website.
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4. | Remove
and reinstall any newly installed hardware by strictly following the
manufacturer’s instructions. You often need to install the software
before connecting the hardware.
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5. | Use
the Event Viewer to find any related events that might provide useful
information for diagnosing the problem. Typically, drivers will add
events to the System event log. However, drivers could add events to
any log.
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6. | Install
updated drivers for other hardware components, including BIOS and
firmware updates for all hardware accessories and your computer.
Updated drivers for other hardware components can sometimes solve
incompatibility problems with new hardware.
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7. | If
possible, move hardware to different connectors on your computer. For
example, move internal cards to different slots, and connect USB
devices to different USB ports. If this solves the problem, the
original connector on your computer has failed or the device was not
connected correctly.
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8. | Replace any cables used to connect the new hardware to your computer. If this solves the problem, the cable was faulty.
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9. | Connect the new hardware to a different computer. If the hardware fails on multiple computers, you might have faulty hardware.
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10. | Contact
the hardware manufacturer for support. You might have a hardware or
software failure; the hardware manufacturer can assist with additional
troubleshooting.
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How to Troubleshooting Problems with Existing Hardware
If a hardware component that previously worked suddenly fails, follow these troubleshooting steps:
1. | If Windows will not star.
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2. | Open
Problem Reports and Solutions and check whether Windows Vista has
registered the problem and to see whether Microsoft has released a
solution for the problem. If the problem does not appear, or if no
solution is available, continue with the following troubleshooting
steps.
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3. | Use
Reliability Monitor to determine how long the problem has been
occurring and what related symptoms might be occurring. Then use Event Viewer to find any related events
that might provide useful information for diagnosing the problem.
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4. | Install any updates available from Windows Update.
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5. | Roll
back any recently updated drivers, even if they are for other devices.
Driver problems might cause incompatibilities with different devices.
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6. | Download
and install updated software and drivers for your hardware. Hardware
manufacturers often release updated software for hardware components
after they release the hardware. You can typically download software
updates from the manufacturer’s website.
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7. | Remove and reinstall any newly installed hardware.
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8. | Install
updated drivers for other hardware components, including BIOS and
firmware updates for all hardware accessories and your computer.
Updated drivers for other hardware components can sometimes solve
incompatibility problems with hardware.
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9. | Troubleshoot
disk problems by using Chkdsk to identify and possibly fix disk-related
problems. Disk problem can corrupt drivers, which might cause hardware
to stop functioning.
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10. | If
possible, move hardware to different connectors on your computer. For
example, move internal cards to different slots, and connect USB
devices to different USB ports. If this solves the problem, the
original connector on your computer has failed or the device was not
connected correctly.
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11. | Replace any cables used to connect the new hardware to your computer. If this solves the problem, the cable was faulty.
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12. | Connect
problematic hardware to a different computer. If the hardware fails on
multiple computers, you might have a hardware malfunction. Contact the
hardware manufacturer for technical support.
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13. | Perform a System Restore to attempt to return the computer state when it was functioning correctly.
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14. | Contact
the hardware manufacturer for support. You might have a hardware or
software failure, and the hardware manufacturer can assist with
additional troubleshooting.
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How to Troubleshoot Unpredictable Symptoms
Hardware, driver, and disk problems can cause unpredictable symptoms when Windows is running, including:
Many
different types of problems can cause these symptoms. To identify the
source of these problems and possibly fix the issue, follow these
steps. After each step, determine whether the problem continues.
1. | If Windows will not start.
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2. | Open
Problem Reports and Solutions to check whether Windows Vista has
registered the problem and to see whether Microsoft has released a
solution for the problem.If the problem does not appear, or if there is
no solution, continue with the following troubleshooting steps.
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3. | Use
Reliability Monitor to determine how long the problem has been
occurring and what other related symptoms might be occurring. Then use Event Viewer to find any related events
that might provide useful information for diagnosing the problem.
Typically, drivers will add events to the System event log. However,
drivers could add events to any log.
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4. | Install any updates available from Windows Update.
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5. | Install
updated drivers available directly from the hardware manufacturer,
including BIOS and firmware updates for all hardware accessories and
your computer.
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6. | Roll back any recently updated drivers.
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7. | Troubleshoot
disk problems by using Chkdsk to identify and possibly fix disk-related
problems. To resolve problems related to low free disk space, run the
Disk Cleanup Wizard.
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8. | Test your memory for problems by using Windows Memory Diagnostics.
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9. | Remove
unnecessary hardware components one by one. If the problem disappears
after removing a hardware component, you have identified the hardware
component causing the problem.
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10. | Perform
a System Restore to attempt to return the computer to a state when it
was functioning correctly.
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11. | Contact
your computer manufacturer for support. You might have a hardware or
software failure, and your computer manufacturer can assist with
additional troubleshooting.
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