Essential Questions
- How can you use what you have learned about troubleshooting desktop computers and displays to apply to troubleshooting laptops and mobile devices?
- What issues are unique to troubleshooting laptops and mobile devices?
- How can I use what I know about one mobile OS to resolve issues on devices using a different mobile OS?
Big Ideas
Many people have replaced stationary desktop computers with the ease and portability of laptops. Laptops and other mobile devices have many similarities to other devices, and you can apply many of the things you’ve already learned to troubleshooting these devices. Laptops do have some unique issues, however, but like most devices there is a knowledge base that you can rely on to address common problems.
Mobile devices, too, have some similar features to their larger, less portable formats. They still have an OS and run applications (apps) and you can connect many of them to displays and printers. The CompTIA A+ Troubleshooting model can be used to diagnose and resolve issues related to mobile devices across different OS.
Connection to Student Lives
How many people do you know that have access to a laptop or a Chromebook? The number of schools and districts that are now providing laptops, Chromebooks, or tablets to students has risen exponentially, and it’s likely that your school district provides devices to at least some students you know–perhaps you? With the number of laptops and mobile devices now in schools, chances are you’re likely to be asked to support them in a Help Desk setting.
Different mobile devices rely on different operating systems, but even if you have an iOS device, you’ve probably learned enough to investigate issues related to an Android device, or vice versa. Mobile devices still have an OS, displays, and use applications, and you can likely apply what you know from working on other devices to mobile devices, even if it’s one you’re unfamiliar with.
Framing Problem
Students can apply skills they’ve developed in earlier weeks to troubleshoot issues related to laptops. Because technicians in a Help Desk are likely to encounter laptop issues, be sure sufficient time is spent covering them and providing hands-on experience with them. Mobile device issues are not on the 1001 exam, but they are issues that many students may have personal interest in. At the end of each week, students should determine the best documentation to add to the Knowledge Base.
Cornerstone Assessment
Students will document their troubleshooting efforts for each of the problems presented each week. There are multiple problems to troubleshoot each week. At the end of the week, students should determine the best documentation to add to the Knowledge Base.
DPI Standards
- NCCTE.2020.II21.05.05 - Troubleshoot common mobile device issues while adhering to the appropriate procedures.
- NCCTE.2020.II22.03.04 - Troubleshoot mobile OS and application issues.
- NCCTE.2020.II22.03.05 - Troubleshoot mobile OS and application security issues.
A+ Standards
TOPIC 15C: Troubleshoot Common Laptop Issues
TOPIC 16F: Troubleshoot Mobile Device Issues
Knowledge
- Laptop display issues and guidelines for troubleshooting them, including
- Built-in displays
- Touchscreens
- External display
- Laptop power and cooling issues and guidelines for troubleshooting them, including
- Battery issues
- Short battery life
- Swollen batteries
- AC power issues
- Overheating
- Laptop input and output device issues and guidelines for troubleshooting them, including
- Input devices
- Sound and speaker issues
- Laptop communication and connectivity issues and guidelines for troubleshooting them, including
- GPS and location services
- Laptop operating system and app issues and guidelines for troubleshooting them, including
Optional:
- How to find configuration options on mobile OS
- How to perform different kinds of resets on mobile OS, such as a force stop, soft reset, and factory default reset
- How to uninstall and reinstall apps
- Troubleshooting issues for mobile OS, such as
- Dim display
- Unresponsive/inaccurate touchscreen
- External monitor issues
- Sound issues
- Overheating
- Troubleshooting issues for mobile apps, such as
- Apps not loading
- Log errors
- Slow performance
- Battery life
- Troubleshooting issues for mobile wireless, such as
- Interference
- Wireless configuration
- Troubleshooting mobile device security issues, such as
- Utilization symptoms
- User behavior issues
- System lockout and unauthorized account access
- Email problems
Skills
Apply (or explain how to use) the CompTIA A+ Troubleshooting model to laptop issues, such as
- Display issues
- Power issues
- Cooling issues
- Input and output device issues
- Communication and connectivity issues
- OS and app issues
Optional:
Apply (or explain how to use) the CompTIA A+ Troubleshooting model to mobile device issues, such as
- Finding configuration options
- Explain how to perform different kinds of resets
- Uninstall and reinstall apps (or explain how to)
- OS issues
- Mobile app issues
- Wireless issues
- Security issues
Vocabulary
Troubleshoot Common Laptop Issues
Built-in display
Touchscreen
External display
Troubleshoot Mobile Device Issues
Indoor Positioning System (IPS)
Optional:
- Force stop
- Soft reset
- Factory default reset
Power drain
High resource utilization
Data transmission overlimit
Unauthorized location tracking
Geotagging
Metadata
Unauthorized root access
Unauthorized camera and microphone usage
Jamming
Denial of Service (DoS) attack
Rogue access point or evil twin
System lock out
Unauthorized account access
Weekly Map
Monday
Introduction to problem: Documenting Troubleshooting Strategies for Laptops and Mobile Devices in the Knowledge Base
Online Pre-assessment (available for student practice, as well)
Review the use of the troubleshooting model from the previous week and consider adjustments for the current week
Team meetings to develop project plan and goals
Tuesday
Hands-on exploration: Troubleshooting Laptop Display, Power, and Cooling Issues
Review content resources with whole group, small group, or independently
Contribute to team project
Wednesday
Hands-on exploration: Troubleshooting Communication, Connectivity, OS, and App Issues
Review content resources with whole group, small group, or independently
Activity 15-4: Troubleshooting Common Laptop Issues
Team progress check with supervisor (using project plan)
Thursday
Hands-on exploration: Troubleshooting Mobile Devices
Review content resources with whole group, small group, or independently
Activity 16-7: Troubleshooting Mobile Device Issues
Contribute to team project
Friday
Sharing of progress with whole group: Documenting Troubleshooting Strategies for Laptops and Mobile Devices in the Knowledge Base
Online post-assessment
Lesson Ideas
The Instructor Guide provides explicit steps for addressing common laptop issues related to displays, power and cooling issues, input and output devices, communication and connectivity issues, and problems stemming from the OS or applications. The bulk of the week should be dedicated towards using the troubleshooting model to address common issues with laptops, as Help Desk technicians will likely be asked to address laptop issues. Unlike the previous weeks, the Instructor Guide does not have suggested activities to prepare laptops for troubleshooting. Consider setting up a few on your own, or have your students set up issues on available devices that others can troubleshoot.
Continue to review the students’ use of the Troubleshooting Model from the previous weeks and determine if they are having any difficulties remembering or applying the steps in order. The model should be fairly ingrained in their memory and their practice by now.
Not all Help Desks support mobile devices. Neither are mobile devices addressed on the 1001 exam, but they use many of the same troubleshooting guidelines that PCs and laptops use. If you have time for mobile devices, your students may be motivated to work on them, as they probably own smartphones that run common mobile OS. If time permits, you can have students become “experts” on mobile devices they are familiar with and share troubleshooting guidelines to those with different devices.
Potential Resources
The Official CompTIA A+ Core 1 & Core 2 Instructor Guide for Exams 220-1001 and 220-1002
- Topic 8A: Wired Networks (480-495)
- Activity 8-1: Discussing Wired Networks (496-497)
- Topic 8B: Network Hardware Devices (498-505)
- Activity 8-2: Discussing Network Hardware Devices (506-507)
- Topic 8C: Wireless Networks (508-512)
- Activity 8-3: Wireless Networks (513)
CompTIA also offers videos for purchase through their website or on ITPro.TV.
Professor Messer at ProfessorMesser.com and YouTube offers numerous free videos of various lengths for many of the topics for the CompTIA 220-1001 A+ Exam. They are easy to understand, narrated videos with visuals. If you are teaching a CompTIA course, the site notes “You’re welcome to use them as much as you’d like, provided you embed the videos with the associated YouTube link or link directly to my site. Please click the “Contact Us” link at the top of our web page and let me know how you’re using them.”
- Professor Messer’s 220-1001 Core 1 CompTIA A+ Training Course videos on ProfessorMesser.com. Search or scroll to find the topics you’re interested in.
- Professor Messer’s CompTIA 220-1001 A+ Training Course playlist on YouTube
Entry Level I.T. Training from Technology Gee
- Troubleshooting Mobile Devices (Article | Video – 13:17)
- Mobile OS Issues (Article | Video – 4:04) optional
- Troubleshooting Mobile OS Issues (Article | Video – 6:05) optional
Articles and Other Resources:
Troubleshooting laptops
10 Most Common Laptop Problems and How to Repair Them from Mobile PC Medics, a computer repair company in California
How to Diagnose Laptop Problems and Fix Them from Reliance Digital
Laptop Repair – Troubleshooting Toshiba, Dell, HP, IBM Acer and Sony Laptops by Morris Rosenthal, author of several books about troubleshooting and repairing computers and McGraw-Hill’s Build Your Own PC series. The page, and site, contains flowcharts that can support decision making for many common issues.
iOS, Android, or other mobile OS information
User Guides for versions of iOS are available for free from Apple through their Books app, but you have to have a Mac device to download and use them.
Where to Download iPhone Manuals for Every Model by Sam Costello for Lifewire
A Beginner’s Guide to Android: Everything You need to Know by Christian de Looper and Kevin Parrish for digitaltrends
Android 1010: How to Use Your Android Smartphone or Tablet by Daniel Nations for LIfewire
20 Common Mobile Phone Problems and Their Solutions by Manuel Rozewski for SimOptions, a Sim card provider
How to Fix Common Smartphone Problems by Daivd Nield for Popular Science
The Basics of Troubleshooting Android Phones by Jagdish Purohit for Joy of Android
Mobile Device Security Issues
Android Malware Tries to Trick You. Here’s how to Spot It by Laura Hautala for CNET
How do I Know if I have Mobile Malware? By Liarna La Porta for Wandera, makers of security software for mobile devices
Mobile Malware from kaspersky, a global cybersecurity company
Security Advice for Mobile Users is a series of short articles on security issues from GSMA, a global organization that focuses on mobile device issues. The list includes Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about mobile device security, malware, and related issues
The 9 Most Common Security Threats to Mobile Devices in 2021 by Martin Gontovnikas for auth0, a security company that focuses on identity use
Phone Security: 20 Ways to Secure Your Mobile Phone from Prey, makers of an app that tracks and secures mobile devices