This unit will introduce a variety of faults and problems those are likely to encounter at some point in your career. You will learn to gather data, assess the status of a computer system, identify different types of faults, classify them, and choose the most appropriate course of action and tools. You will also learn how to document the fault-finding process.
Outcomes for this unit
After completing this learning pack you will be able to:
- Organise the collected data to enable an understanding of the status of the system
- Analyse the data to determine that there is a problem, and the nature of the problem
Activity 1: Fault Types
This activity will require you to think about a series of faults and classify them, according to their nature. Your task is to complete the chart below
Table: Fault classification
Q: Classify the faults in the table and give a criticality rating for each.
Table: Fault classification
Activity 2: Documenting a System
This activity requires you to document a system by using the Track-It! Software auditing feature. You will need to download an evaluation version from http://www.itsolutions.intuit.com/. Free registration is required. You will need Internet access with download capability. You will also need access to a Windows PC to which you can install software. You may use any version of Windows – at least Win 95.
Please complete the following steps:
- Download and Install a copy of Track-It! To your system
- Using the Auditing feature of Track-It!, audit the machine on which Track-It! is installed.
- Import the audit data into the Inventory function of Track-It! See online help within Track-It! for help on how to do this.
- Once the audit data has been imported in Track-It!, you should be able to see the details of the workstation in the ‘Inventory’ module of Track-It!
A: Track-It is a very simple, compact yet effective tool suitable for small to medium sized enterprises (SME). Its interface is intuitive and simple, making a perfect choice for many help desk operations. Its online help system is very comprehensive and provides online instructions and tutorials for most common operations within Track-It!
Activity 3: Auditing
This activity will require you to become familiar with auditing features in a Windows based operating system.
- Using the Internet, go to http://www.microsoft.com/
- Using a combination of online documentation and search facilities within the site, find out how to enable auditing of printing devices in the Windows XP operating system (note that you don’t need access to a Windows XP system – only if you wish to test your findings).
- Write down the steps that you need to take in order to audit printing device usage and statistics and consequently view the actual auditing data.
A: The steps that you need to take in order to enable auditing of printing device are as follows:
- Open up the Control Panel – Click on Start and then click Control Panel
- Open up the Administrative Tools Program Group and then click Local Security Policy
- Under Local Security Policy go to Security Settings. Click on Local Policies then click Audit Policy
- Enable the following settings: Audit Object Access – Success and Failure
- Click OK to close the dialog box and close the Local Security Policy tool
- Then you need to enable Auditing for the actual printing device that you would like to audit. Click on Start Printers and Faxes
- Open Up the desired printing device
- From the Printer Menu select Properties
- Click on the Security Tab and then click Advanced
- Click on the Auditing Tab
- Click on the Add button.
- In the select User or Group dialog box, type ‘Everyone’ and click on check name
- Click OK as required closing all open dialog boxes.
This activity requires you to access the Standards Australia web site (http://www.standards.com.au/) to find out about relevant standards for system and technical documentation. Note that you do not need a paid subscription to search through the standards and their abstracts. You need premium access if want to access the actual standard document in full.
- Using your web browser go to http://www.standards.com.au/
- Find the relevant AS (Australian Standard) number that applies to documentation of computer-based application systems.
A: The actual standard that is applicable to the development and management of systems documentation is AS 3876-1991 (based on ISO 6592-1991).
This standard offers guidelines for obtaining commitment from the relevant parties developing the system, ensuring that documentation and documentation procedures are well-planned and standardised. The standard also covers how the documentation should ensure that the system can be well managed, controlled, updated and maintained.
This activity requires that you create a decision tree that will assist a technician in troubleshooting a standalone computer system that will not power on. You can simply use a word processing application such as MS Word to create a simple flowchart, or you may use a specialist program such as MS Visio to generate a chart.
Refer to the following graphic for guidelines on how to use simple flowcharting symbols.
Q: Using your chosen tool, draw a decision tree for troubleshooting this problem.
A: Decision trees can be very helpful in troubleshooting scenarios, particularly for inexperienced technicians. Decision trees can also be complex, but they don’t have to be. If you find that your decision tree is getting too complicated, maybe you should think whether it is appropriate to break it up in to two trees or even more. Simple is beautiful! The following is a sample solution for this activity. Note that this is not the only possible solution.
Key terms
Application Software: Application software refers to software programs that are part of the operating system. Application software is not critical to the functions of the computer system as a whole. Application software allows a user to perform a specific task such as word-process, access a database, access the Internet and email etc.
Auditing: Operating System or Software Application feature that enables the capture of specific data for monitoring and testing purposes.
Boot Time Fault: Fault which might have its source in hardware or software, and that occurs during a computer systems start-up. Boot time faults may halt the normal start-up sequence rendering a system unusable.
Debugging: Operating System or Software Application feature which enables the detailed capture of data for troubleshooting purposes
Disaster Recovery and Contingency Plan: Set of policies and procedures formulated by a company, to deal with the recovery from major (critical) faults that are likely to impair normal business operations.
FRU (Field Replaceable Unit): Hardware device which is practical and reasonable to replace on the field, without the need to remove the failed device from customer premises.
Hardware Fault: Fault which has its source in a hardware component.
ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library): ITIL is a set of best practice standards for Information Technology service management. ITIL is controlled by the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) in the United Kingdom.
Non-Routine Fault: Non-routine faults are those faults that occur unexpectedly. These faults may be serious, so their criticality must be evaluated. A non-routine fault may trigger the enactment of a ‘Disaster Recovery and Contingency’ plan.
Response Time: The length of time between a request to a computer system and the response from the computer system.
Routine Fault: Routine faults are those faults that are expected to occur somewhat regularly. Due to the fact that some problems can be foreseen, businesses may develop procedures and practices for dealing with problems considered routine.
Software Fault: Fault which has its source on a software component or application.
System software: Usually system software refers to software components that are part of the operating system. System software some times can be critical to the proper functions of the operating system and system services.
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