I oversee a bunch of arduinos for student use. They regularly go "so broke this" without necessarily knowing how or why. That's something we are working on, but I would love to be able to troubleshoot random boards easily. Is there a checklist that can help me find out what way it broke? Same goes for sensors!
If it runs from 5V the regulator might be broke...
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About the only thng that can be 'easily' checked (and maybe fixed) is the path from input voltage, USB or power socket, to the 5V or 3.3V pin on the Arduino.
How much experience you you have in removing and replacing surface mount components ?
Which arduinos? UNO? SMD or TH? You have an oszi? Multimeter?
@dweedledee
I'm going to assume you use a Nano, but you can modify this to suit any of them, it just takes more work, sometimes more work than it's worth.
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power LED go/no go - lights up? No, then leave for another day
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download - normal blink works? No, then leave for another day
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for this you need breadboard(s), and possibly, enthusiasm. Simply check each input's functionality, then each output's functionality. You can even extend this to the eight analog inputs, with buttons that apply a resistor divider's voltage to the input.
It's really up to you. Maybe, get your 'brightest spark' to come up with a circuit, and code, to test all of the devices you're using. That'll keep them 'engaged' while the rest of the class is still learning. If you're lucky enough to have multiple 'bright sparks', engage each one in testing a different type of Arduino; they can share circuit ideas, and code modules, but each must be responsible for testing as much of a particular unit as possible.
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That depends on your skill set and tool kit. I would not begin to do this unless I had a good scope, current probe for scope, two multi-meters, 2 lab power supplies, schematics for each board, basic SMD and through hole work stations and associated supplies.
Here's a DIO test sketch... (ignore the "dip switches" - they are to simulate me shorting a pin to ground)
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