Use best practices to troubleshoot hardware issues
Outside of component failure, hardware-related problems typically occur when you install a new hardware device or update a device driver. Common signs of a hardware-related problem include spontaneous computer restarts and error messages that display on a blue screen.
Best practices for troubleshooting hardware issues include:
Verify hardware compatibility. Verify that the computer and all connected devices are compatible with the version of Windows unstalled. If any hardware device is not compatible, replace it with a compatible device.
Use Event Viewer and Device Manager for initial troubleshooting. When performing initial troubleshooting, you should review device related events in Event Viewer and check for device conflicts in Device Manager.
Remove or disable recently installed device drivers. If you have recently installed another company’s device driver or software package, try removing or disabling the driver to prevent it from loading, and then restarting the computer. If that does not fix the problem, contact the hardware vendor, and ensure that you have the latest available driver. If you are using the latest version of the driver, contact the hardware vendor, and log the issue as a support incident.
Use driver rollback to return to a previous driver version. If a failure occurs after installing an updated device driver, use the driver rollback feature to return to the previous working driver version. If driver rollback is not possible, consider using System Restore to restore the computer’s configuration to a previous point. Remember that using System Restore most likely will resolve the driver problem, but it also will revert other system settings. To roll back a device driver:
- Access driver rollback from within Device Manager.
- Start the computer in Safe Mode, if necessary, to access driver rollback.
Consider upgrading the computer’s BIOS or firmware. This is a relatively straightforward process, and you typically can do this in a Windows operating system by using a vendor-supplied tool. After applying a BIOS or firmware update, you also might need to update the system device drivers.
Use hardware vendor support. Ensure that you have adequate support agreements and escalation procedures with the hardware vendor, and then utilize this support if a hardware failure occurs. Many hardware vendors offer extended support options, and will replace failed hardware components within a certain period. You should have support options specified in your organization’s service level agreements (SLAs).
Follow the company incident reporting process. Users often find it difficult to determine the exact sequence of events that led to failures. Many IT help desks adopt scripts that facilitate logical interviewing techniques to determine whether users made changes to their computers prior to the failure. Using a consistent procedure for recording incidents also aids with diagnosing problems.