W
w_tom
You said it is easier for a novice to use shotgunning. Completely
wrong. Shotgunning may exponentially complicate the problem. Above
demonstrates how shotgunning resulted in more confusion. First, after
all that work, what has the OP accomplished? Nothing. Second, what
has the OP learned? Nothing (except frustrations created by
shotgunning). Third, with shotgunning (changes), another failure may
have been created. A second failure makes a problem exponentially
more complex. Fourth, shotgunning means spending money on wild
speculation - more expense and more labor. Fifth, shotgunning means
a novice cannot obtain useful replies from the technically informed.
Sixth, shotgunning cannot define anything as 'definitive'; can only
result in 'maybes'; also called unknown. Solving problems means
taking components or sub-systems from 'unknown' to either
'definitively good' or 'definitively bad'. If not 'definitively'
something, then little has been accomplished.
Six reasons say shotgunning is not recommended for a novice. Why do
we fix things? To learn these concepts; to learn how to solve
problems. Same concepts are behind CSI's "follow the evidence" and
what the Japanese mean by, "work smarter; not harder".
Is a power supply 'system' defective? Shotgunners typically don't
learn that a power supply 'system' even exists. Two minutes with a
meter will 'verify' system integrity or 'suspect' a component.
Are both $14 power supplies defective? Could be. CPU boots but
driver problems exist. Defective power supply that boots a computer
can make any component act defective - make drivers appear
defective.
Meanwhile other useful facts (ie system event logs) also were not
provided. Shotgunning means those facts also get ignored.
Only after power 'system' numbers are posted, will other information
in those numbers be revealed. This 'system' includes what Paul
described as the power chain. Disk drive can work strangely if red
wire voltage is too low. Is disk drive defective? Yes, because
computer booted? Computer can boot when red wire voltage is defective
- and therefore disk drive acts defective. Do we replace the disk
drive, or 'work smarter; not harder'? Just another reason why novices
learn how to "follow the evidence". Notice, Jan, no anger posted.
"Anger" also was a conclusion based only in speculation. Provided are
numerous reasons why shotgunning has leaves a novice struggling and
confused.
It's called spinning wheels. Until a power supply 'system' is
'definitively good', then anything can appear defective; especially
if using shotgunning.