Troubleshooting process
Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2
Troubleshooting process
The first level of troubleshooting is provided in the Help files that are included with your service profile. This troubleshooting Help information makes it possible for many problems to be resolved directly for the user. Each problem that cannot be resolved leads to a Help topic that instructs the user to call customer support. You should customize this Help topic with a phone number for your customer support group, additional information specific to your service, and other information that may help your users.
To resolve problems most effectively:
Make sure that all system requirements have been met.
Make sure that the right access numbers are used and that they are entered appropriately. Verify that the users understand that dialing rules are applied only to numbers selected from a phone book. If a number is typed or edited by the user, the user must then type all dialing information, including information such as long-distance and external access numbers. If the user chooses to use dialing rules, the user must configure those dialing rules appropriately for the location.
Make sure that users know how to access the Connection Manager troubleshooter Help, and verify the path that they have taken through the troubleshooter Help.
Check the appropriate readme files (including CMAKRead.htm) to determine if the problem is a known issue.
Look for common mistakes. Make sure that:
The modem is on.
The appropriate version of Connection Manager is installed. To determine this, instruct your users to check the About tab of the Properties dialog box (Windows NT 4.0, Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Millennium Edition only) or the log file.
The latest version of the appropriate connection software is installed.
The latest service pack is installed.
The Internet Explorer proxy settings are correct.
All required network protocols are installed and configured correctly on the user's computer. (If the user can get to the network but cannot reach any services, a protocol on the user's computer may be misconfigured.)
If your service profile supports VPN connections, Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) is installed and configured correctly and completely. (This is usually a problem only on Windows NT 4.0, where Connection Manager does not automatically install PPTP.)
The dial-up entry used is appropriate for the user’s operating system.
If a user has installed remote access or PPTP on a computer running Windows NT 4.0, the user reinstalled any service pack previously installed on their computer.
If a user is using Internet Connection Sharing, Internet Connection Firewall, or Windows Firewall, the connection is shared correctly, and the firewall is not blocking the connection. For more information, see Connecting to the Internet in a home or small office network, Internet Connection Firewall, and Help: Windows Firewall.
Notes
Internet Connection Sharing and Network Bridge are not included in Windows Server 2003, Web Edition; Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition; and the Itanium-based versions of the original release of the Windows Server 2003 operating systems.
Internet Connection Firewall is included only in the original releases of Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition, and Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition.
Windows Firewall is not included in the original release of the Windows Server 2003 operating systems.
Users have received all workarounds and solutions, as appropriate. For information on networking problems, including those involving remote access, search the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) on the Microsoft Web site.
Ask users to generate and send a log file for the connection. The log file contains valuable troubleshooting information. Logging is typically enabled by default. Users can enable or disable logging after the profile is installed.
If logging was enabled, instruct the user to send the log file. Make sure that the user did not turn off logging. Depending on the size of the log file, decide whether you want the user to clear the log file and try the connection again before sending the log file. To direct the user to the log file, instruct the user to click Properties on the Connection Manager logon screen. Instruct the user to click the Options tab and then to click the View Log button. After the user has opened the log file, instruct the user to save the file and send it to you.
If logging was not enabled, instruct the user to turn on logging, try the connection, and then send the log file. To enable logging, instruct the user to click Properties on the Connection Manager logon screen. Instruct the user to click the Options tab and to select the Enable Logging check box.
If the user is attempting to log on to Windows using a Connection Manager profile, the View Log button will be unavailable. To find the log file, instruct the user to log on to the computer without using a Connection Manager profile. After the user has logged on, instruct the user to click Start, point to Search, and click For Files or Folders. After the Search Results dialog box appears, instruct the user to click Search Options, select the Advanced Options check box and to select the Search system folders check box. Instruct the user to search for the log file by typing in the first three letters of the service profile name, followed by an asterisk (*) and the log file extension (.log). For example, if the service profile is named Awesome, the user should search for Awe*.log. The file is stored in %windir%\temp by default.
Note
- On computers running Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP, or a member of the Windows Server 2003 family, the log file will be in Unicode format. To view the log file on an operating system other than these, open the log file with a Unicode text viewer, such as Microsoft Word.
For more information about Connection Manager, see "Connection Manager" at the Microsoft Windows Resource Kits Web site.