Review Your Team Foundation Server's History

  • Article

This topic discusses how to use historical information to help you troubleshoot your Team Foundation Server.

Review Your Team Foundation Server's History

The history of your Team Foundation Server often contains important information regarding the problems you are experiencing. Careful analysis of that history can lead you more directly to the cause of the problem.

If baseline or change records exist, look for information about new devices, updated drivers, changes to Team Foundation Server configurations, and customizations such as new work item types and source control policies. Look for change dates and descriptions of the work done. If records are not available, you can learn much about your computer by querying users and internal support personnel or by using tools such as those listed here.

  • Team Foundation Server command-line tools

  • Reporting Services Configuration Manager

  • SharePoint Central Administration

  • Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager

  • Device Manager

Consider these points when reviewing the history of your computer:

  • Did the problem occur shortly after applying customizations such as a new work item type?

  • Was a “hotfix” applied?

    Microsoft technical support might provide a hotfix for an urgent or critical issue. Hotfixes address a specific issue and might not be fully tested for compatibility. For example, a hotfix that works for one computer might cause unwanted results in another. Carefully read and follow the instructions before applying a hotfix.

  • Did the problem occur soon after new hardware was installed?

  • Why were hardware or software updates made?

  • Are the motherboard and peripheral firmware current?

  • Can you establish a relationship between the problem and the recent change?

  • Was a new user recently assigned to the computer?

    If so, review system history to determine if the user has installed incompatible hardware or software.

  • When was the last virus check performed?

    Does the virus scanning software incorporate the latest virus signature updates? For more information about virus signature versions and updates, see the documentation provided with your antivirus software.

See Also

Concepts

Document and Evaluate Results When Troubleshooting Team Foundation Server
Isolate Software Issues Affecting Team Foundation Server