Day one: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
PC configuration settings you've got to know before you start troubleshooting
Understanding the multitude of CMOS configuration settings is a must when it comes to advanced troubleshooting. In this session, we'll start by showing you the most common and some not-so-common ways to enter the CMOS Setup program on a PC. After you discover how to enter the program, you'll then learn how to make sense of the various settings that appear before you. You'll discover how features such as ROM shadowing affect the performance of a PC, and we'll show you why the proper settings depend on the operating system that is installed on the PC. In addition, you'll learn:
How to determine the correct settings for chipset features and peripherals
How to configure system resources manually when plug-and-play just won't work
What you get when you select BIOS Defaults and Setup Defaults
What to do when automatic hard drive detection routines fail to detect the PC's hard drive
How to quickly locate and repair trouble spots in a PC's Registry
The Registry contains the majority of the settings that tell your operating system about the PC and the software that has been installed on it. This single location for system settings can act as a double-edged sword. It has improved system performance, but it can also create devastating effects when something is wrong. This session will show you how to safely troubleshoot a PC's Registry to solve both hardware and software problems. You'll begin this session by learning how to back up and restore a PC's Registry. You'll then discover some of the best techniques to protect a PC's Registry from inadvertent user access and corruption. Plus, you'll find out about:
The structure of the Registry, including hives, keys and subkeys, so you'll be able to quickly locate the problem area
How to safely edit a PC's Registry
A simple technique to export and import Registry sections or even the entire Registry structure
A "last-ditch" technique to use when you have a corrupt Registry and no backup
How to use System Policies to eliminate an end user's access to system settings so you can avoid accidental computer crashes
Many technicians and network administrators have set up PCs for users that work well when installed, but as a result of something the user changes, the PC ceases to function properly. Controlling what users can and cannot change is of vital importance to the person responsible for troubleshooting and maintaining PCs. By making a few simple policy additions, you can keep end users from changing critical system settings that can lead to PC malfunctions. This session will show you how to make those critical policy settings and avoid time-consuming repairs later. You'll learn about the power of the System Policy Editor and how you can control virtually every aspect of how end users interact with a PC. We'll show you how you can stop end user mistakes, such as improperly changing display settings, that can result in a nonusable PC. You'll also learn:
How to create a single policy file that will control all networked end users, even on a peer-to-peer network
How to create security policies that will protect data on both network and local hard drives
A simple technique to create mandatory user profiles so all users have the same interface
How to create roaming user profiles on a server-based network
How to enhance performance without expensive hardware purchases
Performance enhancement begins with performance monitoring, and this session will show you how to use the built-in performance monitoring tools that Microsoft?? includes with each of its operating systems. You'll discover how to use them to remotely monitor the performance of all the computers on a network. Plus, you'll learn some of the best techniques to dramatically increase the performance of PCs without purchasing expensive new hardware or software. You'll find out about:
How to manage system cache settings to improve hard drive and CD-ROM performance
When and how to override the virtual memory settings of Windows?? to improve your system's responsiveness
Using both built-in tools and third-party utilities to put an end to hard drive fragmentation and speed up file access times
When to use hard drive compression to increase storage space and potentially improve performance
Troubleshooting pesky problems unique to laptops
As more and more laptops are used in today's computerized businesses, additional demands are being placed on PC support experts to quickly identify and resolve laptop problems. This session will cover key issues in laptop troubleshooting and repair. You'll uncover how to quickly isolate and resolve problems that plague laptops, such as short battery life. We'll also show you how to identify hard drive problems that affect laptops but seldom appear in desktop systems, and you'll find out about the special problems that plague laptop video display systems-plus learn some special techniques to help you resolve external display issues. You'll also discover:
How to overcome PCMCIA problems with modems and network adapters
How memory expansion chips could be the reason for a boot failure
Tips on how to determine if system problems are the result of failures in external media devices such as CD-ROMs or floppy disk drives
How to troubleshoot common laptop devices such as infrared (IR) and docking ports
Day two: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
A step-by-step guide to effective network hardware troubleshooting
This session begins with tips and techniques on network adapter troubleshooting. You'll find out how to quickly resolve resource conflicts and get your network adapters properly configured. We'll also show you how to find and use replacement drivers to get back up and running when your network devices just won't work. Plus, you'll learn how to manually configure your adapter when plug-and-play fails so you can identify and properly configure the card. You'll also learn how to pick the right client software and protocols to avoid trouble later. In addition, you'll learn:
How to troubleshoot various network devices such as hubs and repeaters
How to quickly isolate and repair a bad network cable segment
How switches, routers and other advanced networking devices function
The best techniques to monitor network performance
Discovering 3 hidden tools to help you troubleshoot TCP/IP network connectivity
TCP/IP is the most widely used protocol in the world, and if you don't know how to troubleshoot it, you'll be extremely limited in your ability to troubleshoot PCs and PC networks. This session will give you the tools you need to effectively troubleshoot an IP network. You'll begin by learning about the origins of TCP/IP, and then you'll find out how IP addressing works. We'll show you how to use 3 hidden utilities to test connectivity, and you'll find out how to monitor resource utilization on remote computers with Net Watcher. You'll also learn about:
What subnet masks are and how to put them to use to segment a large network into smaller, more
How to implement a DHCP server to automatically assign each workstation an IP address, gateway, WINS server and DNS server
How to set up a WINS server and how it can improve the overall performance of a network
How to set up, manage and troubleshoot a DNS server
The best way to determine if your routers are functioning properly
How to troubleshoot and administer PCs without ever leaving your desk
In this session, you'll explore the benefits of remote administration and troubleshooting. You'll find out how to enable remote administration on Windows?? computers and learn how to secure your network to limit the potential risks inherent in remote administration. You'll also discover how you can often troubleshoot and repair a software problem without sitting down at the problem PC. We'll show you how to do remote Registry editing and how you can use the Registry Editor to compare two PC Registries to find the problem quickly and easily. You'll also find out:
How to create and manage remote shared resources
How to use Windows' network monitoring tool to keep your eye on who's accessing remote shares
The best way to quickly identify and disconnect shared resource users
How to use Remote Access and remote control programs to troubleshoot distant PCs
How to bring a "dead" hard drive back to life
In this session, you'll explore how data is stored on a disk drive and learn how to recover lost or corrupt data. You'll also learn proven techniques to recover accidentally deleted files-even from reformatted hard drives. We'll show you the built-in recovery tools that Windows has to offer, as well as some third-party utilities that go way beyond the capabilities of your operating system. You'll discover what the Master Boot Record (MBR) is and learn how to fix it if it becomes damaged. You'll also learn:
Why it's important to use the correct version of FDISK when partitioning a hard drive
How to fix lost and cross-linked clusters
How to use third-party utilities to read sectors from a reformatted hard drive
How to bring a damaged hard drive back to life using new, specialized formatting tools
Quick techniques to recover data from a damaged floppy diskette
Diagnostic software that dramatically reduces troubleshooting time by quickly isolating hardware problems
This session explores software applications that can be used to diagnose hardware functionality and performance. Find out what kind of diagnostic software is available and what you can expect to accomplish with each. Plus, you'll discover some terrific utilities that will test virtually every component in a PC. We'll explore some of the various reports that these utilities produce and show you how they can be used to justify hardware expenses. You'll also find out about:
Hard drive diagnostic utilities
Software that will test system memory and produce a report detailing the specific location of any failed memory
Video adapter and monitor diagnostic utilities
Network adapter utilities that test all the functions of an adapter
COM port and modem testing utilities