What to do when you can't troubleshoot the problem?

HLRS

my fear is when i get a IT job and I can't troubleshoot the problem. I know how to build a PC from scratch but im afraid I cant fix it when something comes up.

GOZCU

do not hesitate to ask others for help, team work always is appreciated at everywhere. Main idea is to learn and do it next time more confident.

but before

try to divide the problem into small pieces. ( divide and conquer). And try to find out what is going on for each pieces you already had.
this helps you to find the solution faster and more accurate.

lordy

Don't worry. IT is too big of a field to know and be able to fix everything.

As GOZCU said, try to break the problem down and isolate it. Then go to your colleagues or high-up and tell them what you tried, what the results were and what you think might be the problem. Then they will be glad to help.

With time you will get a better understanding of how things interact with each other and a lot of problems will become obvious even though you are seeing them for the first time. Best of luck to you!

Krunchi

The biggest mistake that I see and have done is over complicating the issue start with the Basics and work your way up if that fails there is always google

CodeBlox

I had this fear before I got my first IT job. It's bound to happen, I'm sure. You can research/consult your peers for guidance on issues. Always good to give it a good shot first before asking others.

eansdad

When in doubt...Google...You might not find the answer but you should be able to be pointed in the right direction.

alxx

You can't expect to fix or know everything.

Learn how to break things down into simplest steps possible and checklist them .

Learn where to start with an appropriate first step for trouble shooting to eliminate things.

N2IT

Command your scope

drkat

Google.

Akaricloud

Troubleshooting rarely requires very much knowledge as long as you use good process. Pretty much you just keep narrowing the scope of the problem until you find the cause, or eliminate the rest at which point you fix it.

Often fixing is just replacing hardware, reinstalling programs, OS files, ect. When you have the problem narrowed down it becomes much easier.

You'll get much, much better at this during your first IT job.

alxx

N2IT wrote: »

Command your scope

Thats very true in more ways than one

i.e scope of the problem and using your scope to trouble shoot (yes I have one on the bench at work)

undomiel

Make sure that you follow a very logical process in your troubleshooting. There is always a cause and effect to problems, just do your best to fill in the logical links between these and how you know programs and machines to operate. Make sure you always understand your escalation procedure even if it is just to call the vendor. As mentioned earlier Google and other search engines will really help you, just make sure you understand whatever process you're applying and not just throwing noodles at the wall to see which one sticks. You could make an easy problem a bad problem that way. And of course there are always your coworkers around to ask for assistance from.

Once you get an IT job and begin fixing more and more problems you'll build up confidence and won't be so scared of the unknown. Just make sure you're always learning.

cyberguypr

The secret to a succesful IT career is:


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the_hutch

The solution to 99% of your problems when working a helpdesk position

the_Grinch

We've all been there. It takes time, but you'll develop your troubleshooting skills and as others have said there is always Google.

DevilWAH

In my view it works like this

Entry level / help desk role -- is all about learning to trouble shoot, as many people have said Google is you friend, but at this level you are not expcted to know all, and asking for help is expected.

Level 2 engineer / system admin -- is where you start to develop you technical skills in-depth, and now you are expected to see problems though and find he answers "unaded"

So starting out in IT 90% is about learning how to deal with issues, there's no right or wrong way to do it. People like me use Google as a daily tool, while other people like books and are walking enclopedies. But the important things in your first year of IT is to learn a methodical apraoch to solving problems.

If a juinour member of staff comes to me asking for help, I expect them to be telling me what they have done and asking what else the could try/look at. Not expecting me to provide the answer for them. I am most likely to tell them to go check X or read Y, to point them in the right direction. If they still have issues then there free to come back, but I will then expect them to have more information based on my suggestions.

Like I say in my book you have a year to show in IT where you will end up, are you going to move on to become a top expect, or remain on the help desk you whole career.

My advice is go for it, stick you neck out, ask away as much as you want. But just only ask a question once, the worst thing in the world is explaining to the same person for the 10th time how to fix the same issue. If your going to ask, do some home wok so you know you are asking the right question.

Bokeh

Roguetadhg

Pray that the wire you unplugged was the right wire.

rwmidl

1. Don't be afraid to ask for help.
2. Refer to any intercompany/office documents/wiki etc as the answer may be there.
3. The internet is your friend.

jamesp1983

Use KISS principle, what you know already, coworkers, google, and after you build some experience it'll get easier.

Hypntick

In the words of one of my co-workers "Wing it!"

Doesn't work out very well most of the time though...

bdub

I dont know, maybe its just me but if you cannot troubleshoot issues with computers you built you probably shouldnt go into IT.

Obviously, you can never know how to troubleshoot/fix everything, but just starting out, you should be able to troubleshoot and fix just about any problem with your own machine(s). You should be the person your friends and family go to for computer help/questions. If your not that person and you cannot troubleshoot issues with desktops/laptops you should work on that before thinking about a career in IT.

MAC_Addy

When I first got into IT I would ask my supervisor questions ALL the time - most people that have a lot of experience have dealt with an issue for so long that they know how to fix something immediately. Even when I knew the answer, I'd check with him first.

instant000

bdub wrote: »

I dont know, maybe its just me but if you cannot troubleshoot issues with computers you built you probably shouldnt go into IT.

Obviously, you can never know how to troubleshoot/fix everything, but just starting out, you should be able to troubleshoot and fix just about any problem with your own machine(s). You should be the person your friends and family go to for computer help/questions. If your not that person and you cannot troubleshoot issues with desktops/laptops you should work on that before thinking about a career in IT.

There's a big difference between building a computer from scratch, and understanding how it works once you've loaded OS and apps onto it.

In this case, I believe the OP has fear that he/she won't be able to handle it, not that he/she can't support their friends and family (and except for my wife, I do not give out free support anymore, but that's another story.)

This is my advicedisclaimer: it may repeat other advice)
1. Keep backups
2. Check for change.
3. Keep it simple.
4. Change parts.
5. If the problem is really difficult, try to replicate it.
6. SLA.
7. Learn.
8. Know your network.
9. Know the rules.
10. Customer service.
11. Follow the dollars.
12. Don't worry.

1. Keep backups. If you have a backup, you can often just restore what was lost, and get on with things.

2. Check for change. If something is not working that used to work, then figure out what changed. Often, the answer from end users will be that nothing changed. In this case, you can often compare to a known good system, that does not have the problem.

3. Keep it simple. Often, the simple answer is the correct answer. Do not begin to think up complex, strange scenarios ... they're rarely the case.

4. Change parts. If at all possible, change parts to a known good. If backups are up-to-date, you can even change out an entire system and see if that resolves the problem.

5. Replicate it. If the problem is really difficult, you can try to replicate it. If you can figure out how to get the problem to appear, you can use that knowledge to create a workaround, and/or get better vendor support to resolve the issue. (Unless you're an upper level client with vast resources, you're less likely to get a really high level of vendor support.)

6. SLA. Service level agreement. Set up expectations for the customer. Have a plan of attack, whereby you try different levels of troubleshooting, and after a certain period of time, you automatically go to the next level of troubleshooting. Troubleshooting in this manner, consistently, is a more professional way to handle it. While I am confident that I could fix anything that came before me (given enough time to work on it), I need to exercise the sense to escalate when necessary. Wasting time works in no one's favor.

7. Learn. You need to learn how things really work. You can use simple techniques to do a lot of troubleshooting (like they say, turn it off and on again, or swapping out parts). But, these will only get you so far. If you understand how things work, you'll be able to more readily resolve the problem, and get things working well again. For example, you might have a problem with a workstation not getting an IP. You can try the simple things of resetting the machine, or swapping out the cable, but, often, the problem could be bigger than the immediate problem in IT. What if, in this case, the DHCP server has sent out all available IP's for the scope? [of course, good admins would have watched this, but that's another issue] ... would you be able to track down that sort of issue? Learning also extends to learning troubleshooting methods. I find that the more I know about how a system works, the more easily I can troubleshoot it, when issues occur.

8. Know your network. Know all the pieces of how things work in your environment. You won't catch it all in one day, but you'll steadily get more competent, over time. This kind of ties into the "learn" piece, but is not exactly the same. You need to know as much as you can about where every machine plugs in, where it gets its power from, network from, etc.

9. Know the rules. Policies and procedures are important. Knowing the technicals is fine, but you also need to make sure that you follow the company's rules. Following protocol can be more important than knowing how to do things.

10. Customer service. Maintain good customer service. You don't have to be everyone's friend, but do show respect to others. Not everyone cares how the 1s and 0s get to them, they just want the end result. If they're not working, then they're probably unhappy, because their computer is down. If their computer is down, they're probably already having a bad day. Do your best to assist them and have a bright attitude. This is one of the few jobs where you often see people when they're not going to be that happy (unless they enjoy not doing work).

11. Follow the dollars. Where is the money being earned in the company? These are the areas you need to make sure that you're relevant in.

12. Don't worry. There is no need to get hung up on something. Problems will always appear. Do your best to work at solving them in a professional manner. It always takes some time to learn a new environment. Once you get a consistent troubleshooting method going, you'll be OK.

Hope this helps.

paulgswanson

@Instant Blimey thats a detailed outline, but right on all accounts.

bdub

instant000 wrote: »

There's a big difference between building a computer from scratch, and understanding how it works once you've loaded OS and apps onto it.

In this case, I believe the OP has fear that he/she won't be able to handle it, not that he/she can't support their friends and family (and except for my wife, I do not give out free support anymore, but that's another story.)

That's exactly my point.

Honestly, I've worked with very few people who are not the go to person for their friends and family, or at least were at one time. Thats where most people start out, and the few I've worked with who did not, well lets just say it was quite obvious. Only exception being software developers.

DevilWAH

@Instant great pointers,

I would say one of the most important points in customer service, and customers can be you boss not just end users. Keep every one informs of whats happening and how long you expect things to take, and if it changes update people.

The last thing you want to do is wait till the last minute to let people know your struggling, be professional and accept you don't know it all. Don't let try to be a hero and struggle on putting the business at risk. No one will thank you when 5 minutes before the director has to make a video call you tell them you still haven't fixed it. Be professional in how you treat the clients, and also in how you treat your collages.

DarthVader

To quote Gene Hackman:
"I winner always wants the ball!!!"

Look at everything as a new challenge and kill it

KenC

instant000 wrote: »

(and except for my wife, I do not give out free support anymore, but that's another story.)

Learnt that the hard way I'll bet.

NightShade1

Well
This is what i do:

1-check all the basic is okay.
2-Try to solve it
3-looking in the knowledge base, docs of the provider page(example let say in my case Aruba or fortinet page)
4-If its a server issue on windows platform... Technet... and social technet, also look in the event viewer for all the errors and search for them on how to resolve them
5-Google.

If its taking a lot i open a case with the manufacter for example Aruba, alcatel, etc etc...
After that i keep trying to solve myself while they assign me an engineer...
If its a network down i dont try that hard to solve it alone... i prefer opening a case with the provider as its an emergency... if its something bothering but its not like a network down then ill try to solve it myself.

Ah yeah! if you know there is nothing wrong in the configuration, everything looks okay to you, then it could be a bug... if i feel so, i always check the release notes or bug checker(if the provider got one in their support page) to look for a possible bug... and many times it is.... which is solved with a firmware upgrade.



Well thats what i do and it works fine.

bugzy3188

I am currently in the same state of mind as OP, I had my third day at my first Help Desk position today and I am feeling the pressure. I handle about 10 separate client networks, administration, server side/client side, backups, quoting new hardware, network monitoring, building/salvaging rigs, and any other side jobs that they can throw at me...There is some great info in this post! very uplifting...