Category : C Source Code
Archive   : QA.ZIP
Filename : TROUBLE

* Trouble-Shooting Tree
* (This system is being used for by the Customer Service Dept at the
* online service where I work - most of the information is useful
* for other online services. - JB)
* Y





TROUBLE SHOOTER

Note: If you get the "Hmmm" response, make a note of the symptoms so the
problem can be added into this database by Tech Support.

INITIAL COMPLAINT:

A. I can't get in to the system.
B. I'm getting garbage on my screen.
C. I don't see anything on the screen OR I can't see what I'm typing.
D. I'm seeing Double (lliikkee tthhiiss).
E. My printer is acting up.
F. I got disconnected / locked up.
G. Last Resort.

(At any prompt, you may hit END to exit, HOME (ESCAPE) to start over, and
BACKSPACE (LEFT,UP) to go backwards a question)

>NABCDEFG
* N
Are you a new user? (Y/N)
(If you've already been asked this, then say No)
>YN
* Y
Check Configuration.
Configuration OK? (Y/N)
>NY
* N
Need I say more?
!
* Y
^/N
* N
Hmmm. Call Tech Support
!
* A
Are you a new user? (or have you been off the system lately?)
(If this is a new user, but you have just determined that configuration
& login are correct, then say No.)

New User? (Y/N)
>NY
* N
Did you get connected (Did you hear the High Pitch or see the words
"CONNECT" or did your screen clear?) (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Did you see garbage on the screen?

(When our modems hang up due to inactivity, you'll usually see a little
garbage with the message "NO CARRIER". That's not what I mean, I mean
lots of garbage, like "D?M?R?C?R?O?A?I?N" or "UUUUUUUUUUUU").

Garbage? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
^///B
* N
Is your software programmed to do an Automatic Login?
(Does it automatically enter your username and password?) (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Have you failed to get on twice in a row or more? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
The Auto-Login probably needs work. Call Tech Support if you need help.
!
* N
Auto logins only work about 70% of the time. Try again.
Did it work this time? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
OK...
!
* N
^/Y
* N
Could you describe in detail everything that happened when you
logged in?

Login correct? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Hmmm. Call Tech Support.
!
* N
Need I say more?
!
* N
Did you hear the modem dialing? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Did you hear the DIALTONE before it starting dialing? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Did you get
A. NO ANSWER
B. BUSY SIGNAL or WRONG NUMBER
C. OTHER
>ABC
* A
Our ports may be busy (especially if there are a lot of people on.)
Make sure the phone number is good. Call Tech Support if problem
persists.
!
* B
Check Phone Number. If it's not a wrong number, then call Tech Support.
!
* C
Hmmm. Call Tech Support.
!
* N
We've determined that the software is setup OK, because we can hear dialing.

Look at the back of the modem. Is there a phone cable going from the
jack in the modem straight to the jack in the wall?

If there are two jacks in the modem, the cable should be plugged in the
one that says "To Jack" or "To Line" (NOT the one that says "To Phone").

Connections OK? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
The problem is either with the phone line, or the modem. Check the phone
line to see if it's getting a dial-tone. Try unplugging the phone cable
from the modem, and plugging it in to a spare modular phone. Pick up
the receiver and see if you can hear a dialtone.

Can you hear a dial-tone on the phone line? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Hmmm. There may be a problem with that modem. Report the symptoms to
Tech Support.
!
* N
The phone line is dead - it could be the phone company, the office phone
system, or the cable. (You HAVE been paying your phone bill?...)
!
* N
Fix the connections
!
* N
Can you usually hear it dialing? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Hmmm. Call Tech Support
!
* N
Either the modem doesn't have a speaker, or something's wrong. Call
Tech Support.
!
* Y
Did you get connected (Did you hear the High Pitch or see the words
"CONNECT" or did your screen clear?) (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Could you describe in detail everything that happened when you
logged in?

Login correct? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
^//NY
* N
Need I say more?
!
* N
The communications program probably needs to be CONFIGURED.
If configuration is OK, then say Yes.
Configuration OK? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
^//NN
* N
Call Tech Support if you need help configuring the software.
!
* B
Did you see any intelligable characters at all? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Describe the garbage:

A. Double letters (lliikkee tthhiiss)
B. Intermittent garbage (li{_ke this(*&)
C. Regular (consistent) Garbage (l?k? ?h?i?)
D. Anything else
>ABCD
* A
^//D
* B
The problem is probably caused by a noisy phone
connection - try calling back. If the problem is persistent, try
calling at 300 baud.
!
* C
Chances are, your parity is incorrect. If you are not already set to
Even Parity, Seven Data bits, One Stop bit, do so. Otherwise, call Tech
Support
!
* D
Please make a note of the type of garbage (get a print-out if you can)
and call Tech Support.
!
* N
Are you calling a Tymnet number? (Y/N)
(Are you outside of the 213,818 and 714 areacodes?)
>YN
* Y
Where you calling at 1200 baud? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
You are getting "please type your terminal identifer" at 1200 baud which
looks something like this: "xxx|xxx@x|xxxx...". Nothing is wrong -
you just need instruction on logging in thru Tymnet.
!
* N
Call Tech Support - Tymnet may be down in that area.
!
* N
^//N
* C
Can you see what we're sending - just not what you're typing? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Are you calling a Tymnet number at 1200 baud? (Y/N)
(Are you outside of the 213,818 and 714 areacodes?)
>YN
* Y
You probably mis-spelled the Tymnet user-name and accidently hit the BACKSPACE
which makes echoing stop. In the future, if you make a mistake while
logging in to Tymnet, just hit return and type the user-name again. (If this
is not the problem, call Tech Support).
!
* N
^//N
* N
^/N
* D
That's called LOCAL ECHO. Not only is the remote computer showing you what
you're typing, your computer or terminal is as well. Let's try to turn
it off. Are you using a hard-copy terminal? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
SOLUTION: Make sure the "LOCAL COPY" switch is off. This switch may
also be called FDX/HDX (set to FDX or FULL DUPLEX as opposed to HALF
DUPLEX). If you can't figure out how to stop local echo (unusual
equipment, no manual), call Tech Support. A temporary way to fix the
problem is to hit the BACKSPACE before you type the Tymnet user-name
when you login to Tymnet.
!
* N
Make sure the communications software is set to Full Duplex. If you
can't figure out how to do this, call Tech Support.
!
* E
(Note: This section if for printers only. Hard Copy terminals should
hit Backspace to start over.)

Is it printing anything at all? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Describe the trouble please? (Y/N)

A. Missing Information - (words or letrs)
B. Printing Garb&>%&age
C. Anything else
>ABC
* A
Your printer is not able to keep up with the speed that information is
coming in. If you HAVE to print (can't capture to disk), then try
logging in to Tymnet with CTRL-R,CTRL-X (works about half of the time)
or calling at 300 baud. Make sure XON/XOFF is set to ON. Call Tech
Support if there is still a problem.
!
* B
Are you also getting garbage on the screen? (Y/N)
>NY
* N
Have you successfully used the printer before with this communications software?

(Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Hmmm. Call Tech Support.
!
* N
Your communications program/terminal probably needs to be set up for this
particular printer. Call Tech Support if you need help.
!
* Y
^///B
* C
Hmmm. Tech Support.
!
* N
Is the printer beeping at you or flashing an error light? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Check to make sure the printer has paper, a good ribbon, and the cover
is closed. If everything checks out ok, call Tech Support.
!
* N
Is the printer on? (Usually, there is some kind of Ready light).
If so, look at the back of the computer. Is the cable connecting the
printer and the computer secure at both ends?

Power and Connections OK? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Have you successfully used the printer before with this communications software?

(Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Hmmm. Call Tech Support.
!
* N
Your communications program/terminal probably needs to be set up for this
particular printer. Call Tech Support if you need help.
!
* N
Need I say more?
!
* F
Were you disconnected or locked up?
(If you were disconnected, then you saw a message like "Carrier Lost" or
"No Carrier". If you have an external modem with status lights, the
"OH" light went off.)

Disconnected or Locked up? (D/L)
>DL
* D
Do you have this problem often (Almost everytime you call)? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Is your software configured properly (7-Even-1)? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Do you have Call Waiting, Rotary Lines, or Multiple Lines on one cable?
(Do you have any thing other than a single private line?)
Weird phone system? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Chances are, you need to switch to a single line. Unusual phone systems
can cause all kinds of problems with data communications.
!
* N
Are you in the 818 areacode? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Many of our users in the 818 area report frequent line noise. If you're
getting a lot of garbage and disconnects - then the problem could be coming
from the phone company. Try an alternate number, or calling at 300 baud.
!
* N
Are you using an Acoustic Coupler? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Acoustic Couplers (hand-set cradles) have microphones in them.
Microphones are designed to pick up noise. The goal here is to get that
microphone to pick up only the RIGHT noises. Try moving the coupler
further away from the computer (Especially if you are a noisy typist).
!
* N
Hmmm. Call Tech Support.
!
* N
Need I say more?
!
* N
Has this happened more than once today? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Are you getting an Error Message from Tymnet?
>YN
* Y
Call Tech Support. Start a call-back list. (Tymnet may be down).
!
* N
Hmmm. Call Tech Support.
!
* N
Try again. Does the problem keep happening? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
^/Y
* N
Good.
!
* L
Try hitting CTRL-Q. Does this fix the problem? (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
Either you hit CTRL-S, or your program sent it automatically because
data was coming in too fast. (This is called XON/XOFF protocol).
In the future, if everything freezes for more than a few seconds, try
hitting a CTRL-Q to unlock it.
!
* N
Were you talking to your software?
(Were you trying to get your software to save to disk or turn on the printer
or any other command?) (Y/N)
>YN
* Y
If you're not an expert at operating your software, you may have exited
terminal mode (while trying to save to disk for example). If you are
sure this isn't the case, then Call Tech Support.
!
* N
Hmmm. Call Tech Support.
!
* G (chain to mom file)
$MOM
* End of file