Thinking Like A Techie – The Diagnostic Path - Page 4 - Time Out

Please read first: Points of Failure

Points of Failure in a computer system listed from simplest to most elusive:

• Power and its pathways to components
• Hardware failure
• Software Settings
• Damaged hardware
• Data signals and their pathways to and from components
• Damaged Software
• Software failure
  

So, a system Point of Failure is one of the main elements of a system that can take down the system if it fails.

In a computer system, these Points of Failure involve one, or a combination, of three things:

• the computer processing unit itself,
  
• its input devices, and/or
  
• its output devices.

More specifically, these are the computer, the mouse and keyboard (input devices), and the monitor (output device).

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Click on the one choice that makes sense to you.

Using the Points of Failure list above on the left, how would the previous list of choices you've been given be put in order? Here is the list again; choose which should be done first.

A. Check the mouse for dead batteries.
B. Turn the mouse over to see if the laser light is on.
C. Check to see if the mouse connection to the USB port is connected.
D. Restart the computer and try again.