The Process of Troubleshooting Hardware Issues

Hardware problems can take several different forms:

  • Hardware problems that prevent Windows from starting

  • A newly installed hardware accessory that does not work as expected

  • A hardware accessory that did work correctly, but now fails

  • Unpredictable symptoms, such as failing applications and services, Stop errors, system resets, and accessories that behave unreliably

You should use a different process to troubleshoot each of these broad problem categories. The following sections discuss each of these suggested processes.

How to Troubleshoot Problems That Prevent Windows from Starting

Some hardware problems—especially those related to hard disks or core components such as the motherboard or processor—can prevent ...

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