56½ Hours

Sometimes, the most valuable lessons come from the most challenging problems. This is the story of 56½ hours that taught me everything I needed to know about systematic troubleshooting and the importance of never giving up.

The Problem Begins

It started at 07:30 on Monday, January 12th, 1998. Our Novell Netware 3.12 server was experiencing repeated ABEND (Abnormal End) errors - essentially, the server kept crashing. Each time we brought the system back up and reconnected the network segments, it would crash again.

This wasn't just an inconvenience. This was a business-critical server supporting an entire office. Every crash meant downtime, lost productivity, and mounting pressure to find a solution.

The Marathon Begins

What followed was one of the most intensive troubleshooting sessions of my career. For 56½ hours straight, I methodically worked through every possible cause, systematically isolating network segments, investigating hardware components, and analyzing error patterns.

The process was exhausting - physically, mentally, and emotionally. But I had been taught a methodology by John Simpson years earlier, and I trusted it completely.

The Methodology

The troubleshooting process John had taught me was simple in concept but rigorous in execution:

• Isolate and test - Remove variables systematically
• Document everything - Keep detailed records of what you've tried
• Follow the evidence - Let the symptoms guide your investigation
• Never assume - Test every hypothesis
• Be methodical - Don't skip steps, even when tired

As John always said: "The troubleshooting process is a process, and no matter how weird or rare the problem, if you work the process, you WILL arrive at the answer."

The Investigation

Hour by hour, I worked through the logical sequence:

Hardware checks: Memory, CPU, disk drives, network cards - all tested, all clean.

Network segments: Methodically disconnecting and reconnecting different parts of the network to isolate the problem area.

Software components: NLMs (NetWare Loadable Modules), drivers, patches - all reviewed and tested.

User activity: Analyzing what users were doing when the crashes occurred.

Each test eliminated possibilities but also pointed toward new areas to investigate. The crashes seemed to occur specifically when certain network segments were reconnected, which suggested a problem originating from that area.

The Breakthrough

After more than two days of continuous investigation, I finally traced the issue to its source: a single corrupt print job in a print queue on the 3rd floor.

One corrupted print job. That's all it was.

When the print server (PSERVER) attempted to process this corrupt job, it would cause a cascade failure that brought down the entire server. The solution was straightforward once identified: stop the print server and delete the problematic queue.

The Resolution

Within minutes of identifying and removing the corrupt print job, the server stabilized. No more ABENDs. No more crashes. The network was back to normal operation.

56½ hours of investigation for what ultimately amounted to a few minutes of cleanup work.

The Lessons

Trust the process: Systematic troubleshooting methodology works, even when the problem seems impossible. John Simpson's teaching proved invaluable - the process will get you to the answer if you trust it and follow it completely.

Small things can have big impacts: A single corrupt print job brought down an entire business-critical server. Never underestimate how seemingly minor issues can cascade into major problems.

Persistence pays off: It would have been easy to give up and recommend a complete server rebuild. Instead, persistence and methodical investigation led to a simple, elegant solution.

Documentation is crucial: Keeping detailed records of everything I tested prevented me from repeating work and helped identify patterns that eventually led to the solution.

Looking Back

Those 56½ hours were exhausting, but they taught me more about systematic problem-solving than any course or textbook ever could. The experience reinforced my confidence in methodical troubleshooting and showed me that there's almost always a logical explanation for technical problems.

More importantly, it demonstrated the value of having mentors like John Simpson who teach not just technical skills, but thinking methodologies that serve you throughout your career.

In today's world of cloud services and distributed systems, the technology has changed dramatically since 1998. But the fundamental principles of systematic troubleshooting remain just as relevant. When you're facing a seemingly impossible problem, trust the process, be methodical, and never give up.

The answer is there. You just have to work the process to find it.

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