Learning how to troubleshoot

Why did I put "learning how to troubleshoot" before the IT-specific ones? Because this is about how you approach problems. A person with very little knowledge on a subject can reach the correct answer if they follow basic guidelines when working on problems.

1. 3 Simple Rules to troubleshooting ANYTHING. - YouTube
2. Troubleshooting Technology Basics - Laptops - Ep. 1 - YouTube

There are two distinct ways to resolve an issue; heuristic and logical.

1. Heuristic troubleshooting relies on the technician's experience and knowledge of the system, and while it can lead to quick fixes, it can fail on more complex issues or only provide temporary solutions that occur again later.
   1. For example, rebooting the computer as a first step for any issue.
2. Logical troubleshooting follows a series of steps to clearly identify what the problem is, what caused, and how to permanently resolve it.
   1. This often takes longer, but is more thorough, enhances your understanding of the system, and can give longer-lasting results.

Each of these methods have their strengths and weaknesses, but are best used in tandem. When you're starting out, however, focus on logical troubleshooting to build your experience to help with heuristic troubleshooting.

However, the key to effective troubleshooting is defining the problem. When someone comes to you with a problem, they will typically give you symptoms of the problem; my internet isn't working, my computer won't turn on, I can't log in to my computer. The problem is what causes these symptoms, and can be more difficult to determine. The symptom "my internet isn't working" could be cause by the internet service provider experiencing an outage to the laptop being in Airplane mode.

For help with logical troubleshooting, CompTIA has a handy little blog that describes their steps, but I think Limble has a better guide and flowchart:

Building a Homelab

I go into it more in Building a Homelab, but if you're just getting started in IT, I highly recommend setting up a homelab to get hands-on experience with the hardware and software you'll be supporting.

Building a homelab demonstrates initiative and gets you real-world experience without having a job in IT.

IT Helpdesk/Support Classes and Lectures

Below are a few courses, classes, and channels that cover the basics you'll want to cover. I never got the CompTIA A+, and I have heard various people say that they learned a lot of useful information from it, and that it was a complete waste of time.

When I mention Udemy courses, should always try to get them on sale.

• If you do not see them on sale or don't want to wait, you can either copy and paste the URL into an incognito browser window; there should be a banner at the top of the page to "redeem" a discount code. When I tested it, I was able to log in while the code changed and the price was a little higher, it was still less than $20.
• You can also use Gale and enter your school or a participating local public library to get discount codes.

1. IT Support Technical Skills Bootcamp | Udemy
   1. As usual, don't buy a Udemy course at full price; wait for it to go on sale in a week or two.
   2. 39 hours of lectures on a range of critical topics.
   3. From what previews I've seen, it looks like a thorough overview of common applications and technology used in corporate environments.
   4. Taken a little bit at a time and using a homelab should give you a great foundation and feeling of confidence for your first IT Helpdesk/Support job.
2. MS-102 Microsoft 365 Administrator Expert course with SIMS | Udemy
   1. Many things are moving to the cloud, and Microsoft 365 is an integral part of corporate infrastructure; you will stand out if you have hands-on experience managing it.
   2. This is a great looking course with sims, and is only 13 hours long.
3. Kevtech IT Support
   1. This guy has a ton of videos and playlists going over every aspect of an IT Helpdesk environment.
   2. He's also on Udemy, but watch is free videos first to make sure his format works for you.
4. Techtubers
   1. Watching techtubers talk shop is a great way to get learn by immersion; see trends in the techspace, get different perspectives, and fall down niche dives into unknown areas of tech that might spark your interest... (note that these channels are not listed in any particular order)
      1. The Bearded I.T. Dad I just discovered him, and he's a great resource for getting started in IT.
         1. Build a Future-Proof Career with Azure - YouTube
      2. Matt Brown is an awesome hardware security researcher who shows the whole process of hacking hardware.
      3. Veronica Explains is a fountain of information for all things Linux; tons of great videos on essential tools.
      4. Linus Tech Tips, Bitwit, JayzTwoCents, Gamers Nexus, Snazzy Labs, DIY Perks, Level1Techs; they're all in kind of the same territory for hardware enthusiasts. Maybe not directly helpful to IT support, but they're entertaining, keep you interested in creative, and keep you in the know.
         1. LTT - How to Build a PC, the last guide you’ll ever need! (2024 Update)
      5. Chris Greer has a ton of great classes on Wireshark to help you get started
      6. Chris Titus Tech is like the LTT of Linux, PowerShell, and corporate applications
      7. Black Hills Information Security and Antisyphon Labs are great resources for cybersecurity news and topics.
      8. NetworkChuck focuses on networking, but gets into other areas as well in a light and entertaining format.
      9. LaurieWired is an awesome malware analyst; pretty beyond helpdesk, but she's super knowledgeable and great at explaining complex topics.
      10. Snake Discovery has nothing to do with tech, but they're great if you like reptiles.
      11. Lawrence Systems is a great resource for homelab setup and infrastructure configuration. It can be a little dry, but great information.
      12. DIY Perks is a great source of inspiration for working with and reusing old hardware, and creating new and beautiful devices; below are a few favorites.
          1. Broken smartphone to working laptop transformation - YouTube
          2. Transform a Damaged Laptop into an ALL-IN-ONE desktop PC - YouTube
          3. Things you can make from old, dead laptops - YouTube
          4. Transform a laptop into a stunning desktop media PC (for CHEAP) - YouTube
          5. Broken smartphone to working laptop transformation - YouTube
      13. David Bombal is an IT and cybersecurity expert who focuses on networking and cybersecurity. He also has courses on Udemy.
      14. Jeff Geerling and his second channel Level 2 Jeff are great sources for information on Linux and ARM/RISCV processors.
      15. Smokin' & Grillin with AB is also not an IT channel, but he is an excellent chef. Not for people on a diet.
      16. John Hammond is the Principal Security Researcher at Huntress and in incredible communicator in cybersecurity.
      17. Low Level does great breakdowns of the latest vulnerabilities.
      18. Miniminuteman actually kind of related to IT; the same kind of critical thinking Milo employs is very helpful in analyzing information and protecting yourself, family members, and co-workers from phishing scams. Additionally, science communication to combat pseudoscience has many parallels with communicating with users; maintaining engagement, fighting bad ideas, and teaching people complex topics in a short period of time.
      19. DeviantOllam is a notorious penetration tester with great guides, ideas, and opinions, and interesting stories.