William Torrent

CompTIA A+ Certified | IT Support Specialist

Troubleshooting Log

Real-world troubleshooting tickets documenting my hands-on problem-solving process. Each entry follows a systematic approach: gather information, reproduce issue, test solutions, document outcome.

TICKET #001 January 21, 2026
Micro SD Card "Need Formatting" - Hardware Damage
Problem: Micro SD card displays a "Need formatting" error and fails to mount.
Environment: Windows 11, SanDisk 64GB Micro SD, INSIGNIA USB adapter.
Steps Taken: 8 troubleshooting actions (Verified connectivity across multiple workstations and adapters, cleaned physical contacts, updated drivers, and checked status in Device Manager).
Root Cause: Physical damage to the contact pins caused by removing the card with tweezers after incorrect insertion.
✗ Outcome: Card declared dead - Issued replacement 64GB SanDisk card.
View detailed write-up →
TICKET #002 January 21, 2026
Old TV Display "Cut Off" (Overscan Issue)
Problem: Desktop edges, corners, and taskbar are cut off when connected to an older office TV.
Environment: Windows Workstation, 2015 LED TV, HDMI/DisplayPort
Steps Taken: 10 troubleshooting actions (Verified cable/adapter integrity, performed hard reset on display, tested multiple Windows resolutions and scaling percentages, and performed manual aspect ratio calibration via GPU software).
Root Cause: Overscan: hardware limitation where the legacy TV display does not automatically sync with modern OS scaling.
✓ Outcome: Resolved - Applied custom scaling (92% Horizontal/Vertical) via Intel Graphics Command Center to fit the display area.
View detailed write-up →
TICKET #003 January 21, 2026
Peripheral Disconnection & System Overheating
Problem: External keyboard and mouse disconnect during heavy workloads; system exhibits sluggish performance and excessive fan noise.
Environment: Dell Latitude 5410, Windows, Logitech K120/M100.
Steps Taken: 12 troubleshooting actions (Verified battery health via BIOS and powercfg reports, isolated faulty power supply, conducted full hardware teardown, cleared significant internal dust buildup, and reapplied Arctic MX-6 thermal paste).
Root Cause: Simultaneous failure of the AC adapter and thermal throttling due to dust buildup; the power draw from the maxed-out fan triggered "USB Selective Suspend," shutting off peripherals to save energy.
✓ Outcome: Resolved - Issued a replacement AC adapter, performed an internal deep clean, and reapplied high-performance thermal paste to restore system stability and cooling.
View detailed write-up →
TICKET #004 January 21, 2026
Outlook Search Indexing Failure
Problem: Outlook search returns "No results found" for all recent emails (current and previous week), despite emails being visible when scrolling.
Environment: Windows (Accessed via Remote Desktop).
Steps Taken: 4 troubleshooting actions (Confirmed email availability via manual scroll, inspected Indexing Options status, and initiated a manual index rebuild).
Root Cause: The Windows Search Index stalled with over 7,400 items pending, preventing recent data from being cataloged and made searchable.
✓ Outcome: Resolved - Successfully rebuilt the search index through Advanced Indexing Options; full search functionality restored.
View detailed write-up →
TICKET #005 January 21, 2026
Microsoft Teams Microphone Failure (Input Device Conflict)
Problem: User's voice is not transmitted during Microsoft Teams calls despite the microphone not being muted.
Environment: Windows Laptop, Microsoft Teams, Bluetooth Headset.
Steps Taken: 3 troubleshooting actions (Reproduced issue via remote test call, verified hardware mute status, and inspected Windows Sound input configurations).
Root Cause: The system was defaulting to a connected Bluetooth headset for audio input instead of the internal laptop microphone.
✓ Outcome: Resolved - Manually switched the input device to the internal microphone and configured it as the permanent default device in Windows Sound settings.
View detailed write-up →
TICKET #006 January 21, 2026
Microsoft Word Frequent Crashes (Add-in Conflict)
Problem: Application freezes and displays "Microsoft Word is not responding" after approximately 10 minutes of use.
Environment: Microsoft Word.
Steps Taken: 5 troubleshooting actions (Verified application instability, performed system reboot, isolated and disabled conflicting COM and Word Add-ins, and verified stability post-reconfiguration).
Root Cause: Conflicting third-party Add-ins causing application instability and resource freezing.
✓ Outcome: Resolved - Disabled all third-party Add-ins; Word application is now stable.
View detailed write-up →
TICKET #007 January 21, 2026
[URGENT] CSV Files Opening in Notepad Instead of Excel
Problem: User's monthly sales reports are opening as raw text in Notepad instead of organized spreadsheets in Excel.
Environment: Windows, Microsoft Excel, .csv file format.
Steps Taken: 5 troubleshooting actions (Provided immediate workaround via "Open With" context menu, identified incorrect file association, navigated to Windows Default App settings, and reconfigured .csv extension to prioritize Excel).
Root Cause: Incorrect "File Association" where Windows was defaulting to Notepad for comma-separated values (.csv) files.
✓ Outcome: Resolved - Restored Excel as the default application for .csv files; verified automatic opening functionality.
View detailed write-up →
TICKET #008 January 21, 2026
Intermittent Website Performance / Slow Loading
Problem: Websites fail to load or experience significant latency; issue is intermittent.
Environment: Windows Workstation.
Steps Taken: 6 troubleshooting actions (Verified real-time bandwidth in Task Manager, conducted network route testing via tracert to verify hop latency, cleared browser cache, and performed a DNS flush).
Root Cause: Likely intermittent network congestion or a background system update; connection verified as stable and performing at optimal speeds during technical audit.
✓ Outcome: Resolved - Performed system optimization and verified network stability.
View detailed write-up →
TICKET #009 January 21, 2026
Sudden System Shutdown & Data Loss Recovery
Problem: Laptop powered off abruptly during a 4-hour document session; user had not saved the file, and no cloud backups were configured.
Environment: WWindows Laptop, Legal Documentation Software.
Steps Taken: 6 troubleshooting actions (Audited Windows Event logs for Event ID 41, performed battery health and telemetry analysis via powercfg, verified physical hardware integrity of the charging system, searched local temporary directories for auto-recovery fragments, and reconfigured Advanced Power Options).
Root Cause: Emergency system shutdown caused by 0% battery state (device was not connected to power); data was lost from volatile memory (RAM) because it had not been committed to the non-volatile disk.
✗ Outcome: Unresolved - Local file recovery unsuccessful; ticket escalated to Tier 2 for forensic data review.
View detailed write-up →
TICKET #010 January 21, 2026
Printer Offline - Network Connectivity (Faulty Ethernet Jack)
Problem: allway printer is powered on but fails to receive print jobs or communicate with the network.
Environment: Office Hallway Printer, Ethernet Connection.
Steps Taken: 5 troubleshooting actions (Verified user print workflow, confirmed power status/hardware functionality, inspected Ethernet port link lights, tested alternative network jack, and verified internal IP configuration).
Root Cause: Inactive or faulty Ethernet wall jack preventing network communication.
✓ Outcome: Resolved - Relocated network cable to a functioning Ethernet port; verified printer IP and successful test print.
View detailed write-up →

About This Log

I maintain this troubleshooting log to document real-world IT problems I encounter and solve. Each ticket follows a systematic approach:

  • Gather Information: Understand the problem and environment
  • Reproduce & Test: Confirm the issue and test potential solutions
  • Document Process: Record every step taken (even failures)
  • Determine Outcome: Resolved, escalated, or closed with explanation

This practice helps me develop systematic troubleshooting skills and builds a reference knowledge base for future issues.