- "You will not apply my precept," he said, shaking his head. "How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth? We know that he did not come through the door, the window, or the chimney. We also know that he could not have been concealed in the room, as there is no concealment possible. When, then, did he come?"
- --Sherlock Holmes in The Sign of the Four, ch. 6 (1890)
The Checklist
Just as Sherlock Holmes would investigate a crime, there is a bit of deductive reasoning involved in solving computer and software problems. Therefore, the first things to verify are usually the most obvious and may seem like a waste of time, but its essential to eliminate them before continuing. This generic checklist should help in your search for the truth and development of a solution to the problem.
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Software
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- Power/data is available from source
- Power cord(s) is/are attached on both ends
- Data cable(s) is/are attached on both ends
- Data cable(s) is/are connected to the proper ports
- Cable(s) is/are proper for situation
- Cable(s) is/are clean and undamaged
- Power switch(es) is/are in on position
- There is a physical indication of on and/or ready state
- Device(s) is/are configured to accept connections, send/receive data
- Device temperature/conditions is/are within its/their tolerances
- Plugs, ports, and/or mechanisms are clean and undamaged
- Necessary media matches specifications of device
- Necessary material(s) is/are sufficient for the task(s)
- Fuse or breaker has not been tripped/blown
- There is no unusual visible, audible, or tactile noise/effect
- Device(s) is/are capable of desired action
- Devices and models are compatible
- Components are properly seated and in optimal condition
- Device location has not changed; device has not been moved to another PC
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- Download was complete and successful
- Checksum matches that provided by the download site
- Software/driver is installed/loaded
- Software/driver recognizes existence of device(s)
- User has authority/access to perform action(s)
- Internal device settings/BIOS optimal for situation
- File/directory has proper group and/or permission settings
- Firewall is set to permit service or port traffic
- Service/daemon/software is enabled/running
- Service/daemon/software is configured or initiated properly
- Software exists, is present, and is current
- Software is executed with necessary authority/access
- Software has not failed silently or thrown errors
- Dependencies are installed and proper version
- Configuration/data files are readable/writable
- Configuration file has no typo or format flaw
- Software/driver is capable of desired result
- Software works as expected in GUI, cli, or both
- Device enumeration matches known hardware; /etc/fstab or other configuration file is accurate
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Specific Areas
Additional Resources
Subcategories
This category has only the following subcategory.
Pages in category ‘Troubleshooting’
The following 21 pages are in this category, out of 21 total.
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