Basic Computer Troubleshooting Guide
Index:
- Don't panic.
Relax. Take a breath.
Many computer problems appear
more serious than they really are.
It may look like the computer has crashed
and all your data is lost forever. But there are a host of problems that keep
you from reaching your data or the network that can be fixed, sometimes in a
matter of minutes.
If
its your computer at the school, all the documents on the H drive (your My
Documents folder) are saved on the server and not on the individual computers
in the classroom and labs so theyre most likely still there. Even if theyve been saved on the C drive of
your home computer computer, they may still be there waiting for you.
That's
not to say catastrophic data loss doesnt happen it can, but not very often.
- Make sure there really is a problem.
Can't start your computer? Check the basics. - Examine the cables, connectors,
and power cords to make sure they're plugged in securely. Often times a loose cable or connector
(power, network, keyboard, mouse, speaker, monitor cable, etc.) is the
cause of the problem.
- If you're using a
power strip or a surge protector, make sure it's on and that it works.
Remember that a surge protector may not be working because it is designed
to self-destruct. When an electric jolt is too much, your surge protector
takes the hit saving your more expensive hardware from the voltage.
- Try plugging
something else directly into the electrical outlet to make sure there
isn't a power problem.
- Check to see if your
monitor is on. Sounds silly, but
it has solved my own problem more than once.
1. Check to see if anyone else
around you is having a similar problem. If so, there may be a
service outage affecting a wider area
2. Check to make sure the
network cable is connected to both the computer and the wall or modem.
3. Check where the network
cable connection is made to the back of the computer, you should see a little
green light right where the cable connects.
If the light isnt on or flashing, then you are not getting a signal to the
computer. If rebooting doesnt fix it,
contact the Help Desk or your ISP.
- Error Messages - Write
them down.
- What tipped you off
to the problem? Sometimes it's an error code or message displayed on
screen. Be sure to write it down it may describe the problem and how serious
it is. Be sure to document the exact wording of any error
messages. This can make the job of
the Help Desk much faster.
- Other times you get
no warning everything just freezes. Message or no message, be sure note
what was going on when the problem occurred. Were you starting your
computer? Were you on the Windows Desktop? Were you in a particular
application? Surfing the Web?
- Think about what changed recently on
your computer.
Try to pinpoint when the trouble first started. Did the problem coincide with any recent changes? - Did you change any
settings? If you did you might
want to change them back the way they were.
- Any peripherals been
added or removed recently (such as a printer or external Memory Card
reader?)
- Has anyone else been
using your computer recently?
- Have downloaded
anything off the Web? File sharing
and free MP3s are an easy way to get a virus on your machine.
1 Everything on the screen is
frozen and the keyboard and mouse are not responding.
Try tapping on the Num Lock
key. Its located on the right-hand side
of the keyboard above the number 7. While tapping the Num Lock key, notice whether
or not the Num Lock light goes on and off. If it doesnt, the computer is
completely locked up. Youll have to REBOOT the computer.
If the light does go off and on, wait a minute before giving up
hope. It may come back to life on its
own.
2 Pressing Alt + F4
If a software program stops
working or freezes up, try pressing the
3 The Blue Screen has appeared.
The dreaded Blue Screen of
Death. Theres not a lot to be done except to reboot the
machine. If it keeps occurring, this is
an indication of a major problem with the computer.
4 The computer is on, but there
is no sound.
Is there a speaker icon
next to the clock on the taskbar? (Its in the lower right side of the
screen) If you can find it, double click
the speaker icon to bring up the audio controls for the computer. See if any of the volume controls have been
muted or turned all the way down.
Uncheck any Mute boxes that are selected.
5 The computer is
on, but the keyboard doesnt work
Swap the keyboard or try plugging the keyboard into
another computer. If it doesn't work on the other computer, there is likely
something wrong with the keyboard. If it does work on the other computer, there
is likely something wrong on the computer or the connection
to the computer.
6 CTRL-
When you press the
Ctrl-Alt-Delete buttons together, you will bring up a control panel where you
can select Task Manager and see if any of the programs are shown as not
responding. You may be able to shut
down the offending program from there.
If you cant get to this screen, youll have to reboot.
- Rebooting can do wonders.
Dont just pull the plug!
A simple
reboot may clear up the problem. Go to the Start Menu and select Shutdown.
Didn't work? It's time to try a forced reboot with, unfortunately, no way to
save your work by pressing the keys CTRL-
If that didn't work, you have no choice: you have to turn the
computer off manually with the power switch. Hold the power button down (for about 5 -10
seconds) and the computer will shut down.
Wait at least 10 seconds for the hard drive to stop spinning and then
restart the machine.
If the computer starts up, start the applications you were
using when the crash occurred. Some programs, like Microsoft Word, make timed
backups of your work and may bring up recovered files. If the program notifies
you that there is a recovered document save the file under a different name
and compare them to your previously saved files.
- Stumped? The Calhoun County I.T. Team is ready to
assist you with computer problems.