Understanding RAM & CPUs Troubleshooting

 

  Understanding RAM & CPUs Troubleshooting

AT THE END OF THIS MODULE, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO:

• Identifying Different type Troubleshooting 
• Understanding Different Common Symptoms

You might occasionally run across a system that is having a problem with the CPU or RAM .Sometimes the problems are consistent , but more often they are intermittent; Sometimes you'll see the problem sometimes you won't. Intermittent problem are frequently related to overheating, so a good first step to that the system has adequate airflow, shutdown system and open the case and either vacuum it with an ESD-safe vacuum or take it outside and blow it out with compressed air.

Common Symptoms

The following are some common symptoms and possible cause related to the CPU or RAM:

1. Unexpected Shutdown : If the system is randomly shutting down or rebooting, the most likely cause is a heat problem. Check the ventilation and clean out the fans.
2. Continuous Reboots : In some cases, a hardware issue can prevent the system from booting completely. It starts, get so far, and the resets itself. This is more common after a faulty software update, but it can be due to a hardware problem, If you've just replaced hardware, double check your steps, If that isn't the issue boot into safe mode and troubleshooting the operating system. 
3. System Lockups : When a computer stops responding to inputs form the keyboard or mouse, technicians refer to it as frozen or locked up. This can also be due to heat issues, check the ventilation.

If you've cleaned out the system and you're still having intermittent problems there are two primary thing to check:

1. Power supply: An overloaded or failing power supply can cause intermittent problem. Use a multi-meters to verify the voltage, If the voltages are out of tolerance, replace the power supply.
   
   
   
2. RAM : It is possible to have a certain area of RAM that is faulty. The system can work until it writes data to that area, and then its shuts down of freezes, In some cases ,you receive a stop error or blue screen of death (BSOD) with an error code indicating a memory problem. If you suspect a RAM problem , use a memory checker to run memory diagnostics.