Determining Whether a Problem Is Caused by Hardware or Software

The oldest dilemma for any computer technician is determining whether a problem is caused by hardware or software. The widespread use of Windows operating systems makes this problem even more acute than it was when MS-DOS was the predominant standard, because all hardware in a Windows system is controlled by Windows device drivers.

A troubleshooting cycle is a method that you can use to determine exactly what part of a complex system, such as a computer, is causing the problem. The troubleshooting cycle used in this section goes into more depth than the six-step troubleshooting process described in the preceding section. The first step is to determine the most likely source of the problem. The client interview helps you determine which subsystem is the best place to start solving the problem. In the previous example, the printing subsystem was the most likely place to start.