Troubleshooting process overview

A basic troubleshooting strategy:

• Record the symptoms of the problem
• Re-create the problem
• Eliminate possible causes

Record the symptoms of the problem

Depending on the problem, whether it is with your application, your server, or your tools, you might receive a message that indicates that something is wrong. Always record the error message that you see. As simple as this advice sounds, error messages often contain codes that make more sense as you investigate your problem further. You might also receive multiple error messages that look similar, but have subtle differences. By recording the details of each message, you can learn more about the problem. Sources of error messages include log files and error dialog boxes.

Re-create the problem

Think back to what steps led you to this problem. Try those steps again to see whether you can easily re-create this problem. If you have a consistently repeatable test case, you can more quickly determine what solutions are necessary.

Consider the following questions:

• How did you notice the problem?
• Was anything done differently that made you notice the problem?
• Is the process that is causing the problem a new procedure, or has it worked successfully before?
• If this process worked before, what changed? The change can refer to any type of change that is made to the system. Changes might range from adding new hardware or software to configuration changes you might make to existing software.
• When you noticed the first symptom of this problem, were there other symptoms that occurred around that time?
• Does the same problem occur elsewhere? Does the problem occur on one computer or is it occurring on multiple computers?
• What messages are generated that can indicate what the problem is? What else do you see that indicates there is a problem?
• How often does the problem occur?

Eliminate possible causes

Narrow the scope of your problem by eliminating components that are not causing the problem. By using a process of elimination, you can simplify your problem and avoid wasting time in other areas. Consult the release information that comes with the product and other available resources to help you with your elimination process.

Start with these questions:

• Has anyone else experienced this problem?
• Is there a fix that you can apply?
• Have any fixes been applied or any changes made to the system that can be causing the problem?
• Does rolling back the fix or the changes solve the problem?